Horwath calls on Premier to be honest with Ontarians about her role in Sudbury bribery scandal

This morning the Ontario Provincial Police laid criminal charges against senior Liberal operative Gerry Lougheed Jr. in the Sudbury bribery scandal. Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath called on the Premier to be honest with Ontarians about whose authority Mr. Lougheed was acting under.

“On the recordings Mr. Lougheed clearly said that he was acting ‘on behalf of the Premier’,” said Horwath. “Who gave the order? Who told him to make that job offer?”

Mr. Lougheed is accused of offering a bribe to the former Sudbury Liberal candidate so that he would step aside and allow Glenn Thibeault to run uncontested. The Premier has so far refused to accept any responsibility for her role or the role of the Liberal Party of Ontario.

“The Premier has done everything she can to protect her Liberal friends, but she has a responsibility to the people of Ontario to be honest about what role she played in this scandal,” said Horwath. “It shouldn’t take a judge for her to do what’s right.”

The OPP has charged Mr. Gerald Lougheed Jr. with one count of Counselling an Offence Not Committed and one count of Unlawfully Influencing or Negotiating Appointments. Mr. Lougheed is expected to appear in Sudbury court on November 18, 2015.