Pat Sorbara is off the election team, Premier Kathleen Wynne says.
“The team that stepped up while Pat was forced to deal with completely unfounded charges in Sudbury came together and gelled in the last several months,” Wynne said in a statement Thursday. “This is the team that will take us into the coming election.”
Sorbara was charged following allegations by a Sudbury byelection candidate that he had been offered a bribe in the form of a job or position to step aside, clearing the way for then-NDP MP Glenn Thibeault to run and win the riding for the Liberals.
At the time, Sorbara was the premier’s chief of staff.
A judge acquitted Sorbara and her co-accused, Sudbury businessman and Liberal supporter Gerry Lougheed, after finding a complete lack of evidence of wrongdoing.
Wynne said that she will continue to count on Sorbara for her “personal friendship,” but the campaign team is moving on without her.
“The full organizational structure for the campaign will be announced in the near future,” Wynne said. “We have a lot of hard work to do as we move forward on our plan to create more fairness and opportunity for everyone in Ontario, and I have full confidence in the talent and experience of our campaign team.”
Last night, Sorbara’s twitter bio still described her as Managing Co-chair, Ontario Liberal Campaign 2018.