Campaign expense audit waived for Ford allies

It was all smiles and handshakes in Committee Room 3 at City Hall Wednesday after a committee decided not to audit the campaign expenses for four council allies of Mayor Rob Ford.

“Way to go, boys,” said Councillor Michael Del Grande, the city budget chief, who had come in to the meeting of the compliance audit to observe. He shook hands with councillors Giorgio Mammoliti, James Pasternak and Michael Thompson after the committee ruled unanimously against auditing their spending.

The committee also decided not to audit Councillor Doug Ford’s spending. Mr. Ford, the Mayor’s brother, sent a laywer but did not attend the hearing.

Tom Barlow, a lawyer for Doug Ford, called the allegations “speculation and anecdotal evidence.” The committee agreed.

All four candidates raised more money in the city race last year than municipal rules allowed them to spend. To satisfy the rules, in each case the candidates listed chunks of cash on their expense filings as “total campaign expenses that were not subject to the spending limit.” Expenses for fundraising events are not counted towards campaign spending limits.

Topping the list in that category was Mr. Thompson (Scarborough Centre) who raised $84,300; his spending limit was $36,426.20. He listed $38,734.67 as expenses “not subject to the campaign limit.”

• Mr. Ford (Etobicoke North) raised $49,215.000; his spending limit was $33,112.05. He listed $14,174.42 as expenses not subject to the limit.

• Mr. Mammoliti (York West) raised $38,175.00; his spending limit was $27,464.65. He listed $19,682.94 in expenses not subject to the limit.

• Mr. Pasternak (York Centre) raised $36,272.00; his spending limit was $34,564.70. He listed $6,844.80 as expenses not subject to the limit.

Eric van Eyken, a laywer working pro bono for those seeking audits of the councillors’ expenses, said the rules only permit councillors to expense the cost of fundraising events, such as dinners. He suggested candidates gave too few details of spending on specific events and cash raised through those events.

“There were seven fundraising events but there is no detailed information about any of those events,” Mr. van Eyken said, speaking of Mr. Mammoliti’s expenses. “This is a concern.”

But Jack Siegel, a lawyer for councillors Mammoliti, Pasternak and Thompson, disagreed. “There is no evidence of a breach of a candidate’s duty to maintain records,” he said, also speaking about Mr. Mammoliti’s expenses.

Earlier Wednesday, the committee ordered audits of the expenses of three candidates who failed in their bids for seats at Toronto City Council: Peter Li Preti, Peter Youngren and Abni Hashised. Mr. Li Preti, a former city councillor who lost a bid last October in Ward 8 (York West) — Anthony Perruzza won the election — told the committee Wednesday that he is innocent of allegations that he accepted corporate donations, which is forbidden under city rules.

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Source: National Post