Doug Ford accused of buying memberships to help preferred candidate win Tory nomination
Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford paid for memberships for new Tories —contrary to party rules — and bused them in to help his preferred candidate win the PC nomination in the riding where he lives, say a former top Conservative official and a party member present at the 2016 vote.
The losing contender for the Etobicoke Centre nomination, lawyer Pina Martino, filed a complaint, which included testimony from members recruited by Ford, said the former official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. But the party decided to allow Kinga Surma to remain as the candidate, the source said.
Meanwhile, the Ontario Liberal Party announced Wednesday evening it would release a recording of Ford and Surma Thursday morning which it said would implicate Ford “directly” in a nomination controversy.
If true, the charges would call into question the PC leader’s frequent criticism of controversial nominations held under former leader Patrick Brown, and his mantra that he inherited a “mess” from the party’s previous administration and has been busy cleaning it up.
But a spokeswoman for the Ford campaign said Wednesday the allegations are old, and that the party’s appeals committee has long since reviewed them and found them to be unsubstantiated.
“Kinga Surma is a strong candidate and will be an excellent representative for the people of Etobicoke Centre,” campaign official Melissa Lantsman said in an email to the National Post. Surma could not immediately be reached for comment.
Doug Ford accused of buying memberships to help preferred candidate win Tory nomination | National Post
Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford paid for memberships for new Tories —contrary to party rules — and bused them in to help his preferred candidate win the PC nomination in the riding where he lives, say a former top Conservative official and a party member present at the 2016 vote.
The losing contender for the Etobicoke Centre nomination, lawyer Pina Martino, filed a complaint, which included testimony from members recruited by Ford, said the former official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. But the party decided to allow Kinga Surma to remain as the candidate, the source said.
Meanwhile, the Ontario Liberal Party announced Wednesday evening it would release a recording of Ford and Surma Thursday morning which it said would implicate Ford “directly” in a nomination controversy.
If true, the charges would call into question the PC leader’s frequent criticism of controversial nominations held under former leader Patrick Brown, and his mantra that he inherited a “mess” from the party’s previous administration and has been busy cleaning it up.
But a spokeswoman for the Ford campaign said Wednesday the allegations are old, and that the party’s appeals committee has long since reviewed them and found them to be unsubstantiated.
“Kinga Surma is a strong candidate and will be an excellent representative for the people of Etobicoke Centre,” campaign official Melissa Lantsman said in an email to the National Post. Surma could not immediately be reached for comment.
Doug Ford accused of buying memberships to help preferred candidate win Tory nomination | National Post
