Maori MP Hone Harawira is being accused of defending an alleged assault against Prime Minister John Key.
In a newspaper column Mr Harawira said he went to Kaitaia Courthouse to support nephews John Junior Popata, 33, and Wikatana Popata, 19.
The pair pleaded not guilty to the alleged assault on Waitangi Day.
Mr Harawira said the men were not angels "but then who is?".
The pair were involved in their marae and Maori community and were passionate, he said.
"Sure, sometimes that passion spills over, and sometimes that leads to actions that society might frown upon, but with my record, who am I to criticise?"
Mr Harawira said he did not regret past actions that got him into trouble and was proud of his involvement in the foreshore and seabed hikoi (march), "and I note that that was conducted largely outside the law as well".
He concludes his column saying that while he did not know what the court would decide, he hoped common sense would prevail.
Labour MP Kelvin Davis said Mr Harawira's comments were appalling and gave the impression he did not think the assault was a serious matter.
Saying the pair charged with assault weren't angels and the apparent plea for leniency raised questions about his conduct as an MP, Mr Davis said.
Also he said there was no comparison between the hikoi and an assault.
"One was a peaceful protest where people exercised their democratic rights and another involved an alleged assault on an individual, the Prime Minister no less," Mr Davis said.
After last Thursday's court hearing Mr Harawira said he might try to set up a meeting with the Prime Minister, to see if the matter could be settled out of court.
Mr Davis said that was farcical.
"Does he expect John Key to tell them their actions were perfectly acceptable?"
A spokeswoman for Mr Key said the Prime Minister's view was the alleged assault was a matter for the courts to resolve and he would not be meeting with parties involved.
She said Mr Key regularly met with the Maori Party and would continue to do so.
Maori Party co-leaders Pita Sharples and Tariana Turia said they understood Mr Harawira's concern for family and encouraged it but wanted to make it clear they had no tolerance for violence.
"...and we have been greatly concerned about the assault against the position of the Prime Minister, the elected leader of our country," Dr Sharples said.
"Our intentions as the Maori Party, have been to work towards creating effective relationships between the Crown and Maori. Violence has no place in that process."
Mrs Turia said the Maori Party respected the legal process.
"...it was, after all, the fundamental breach of that process around the foreshore and seabed shame, that motivated so many of us to speak up in the cause of justice," she said.
"We are also mindful of the doctrine of the separation of powers - which instructs any politician against any actions which could be construed as interfering in the course of law."
