A Conservative committee examining the disqualification of Patrick Brown from the Tory leadership race concluded the party had the evidence it needed to recommend that he be removed from the race.
Its decision contains new allegations that Brown used money orders to purchase memberships and authorized the sale of non-compliant memberships through a portal.
“Mr. Brown has had ample opportunity to address these serious concerns,” Ian Brodie, chairman of the party’s leadership election organizing committee, said in a news release.
“We take the integrity of our leadership election process seriously. We will continue to make decisions by the rules of the race and in the spirit of fairness.”
Brown’s legal counsel filed a notice of appeal after the party’s leadership election committee voted to impeach him based on a recommendation from his returning officer.
A Dispute Resolution Appeals Panel was to decide whether the officer had the evidence necessary to recommend Brown’s removal.
It says the evidence included allegations that Brown authorized more than 500 non-compliant membership sales and used money orders to purchase 265 memberships.
The committee also says Brown offered an “apology” when presented with an allegation that a longtime party organizer was paid for his campaign work by a third-party company.
Brown has strongly denied any wrongdoing in the leadership race. He claimed the party wanted him out of the race to clear an easy path to victory for Pierre Poilievre.
“The party would have fabricated anything to disqualify me from the race,” Brown said on CBC News Network. Political power earlier this week.
While Brown has said he will continue his legal fight against the party and his decision to remove him from the race, he announced his intention to run for a second term as mayor of Brampton earlier this week.
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