Former council candidate Randy Warden fined for smear campaign against Maureen Cassidy
CBC
Former London city council candidate Randy Warden has pleaded guilty to violating the rules for candidate advertising under the Ontario Municipal Elections Act and has been fined $3,000.
The conviction comes approximately one month before London's next municipal election and results from a smear campaign against Ward 5 councillor Maureen Cassidy during the 2018 campaign.
Warden, now 62, was running against Cassidy, who was the incumbent.
During the campaign, a negative website attacked Cassidy for her voting record and alleged she lacked integrity. Lawn signs were also posted. The creator of the website, consulting firm Blackridge Strategy, denied involvement until police found evidence to show otherwise.
"I think this is a ground breaking case," Cassidy said Thursday. "It's democracy and it should be held in high regard and with respect. Because if you're going to subvert democracy at the municipal level, it's going to filter out."
"We have to take this seriously, and this case shows the courts are taking it seriously."
A second website, built by the same consulting firm Blackridge Strategy, was also created to attack then incumbent Virginia Ridley, who would lose the Ward 10 race to current councillor Paul Van Meerbergen. It included an allegation of child abuse because she once brought her child to a city budget meeting.
Warren has admitted to hiring Blackridge Strategy and said he gave the company freedom to act on his behalf. The company was co-owned at the time by Amir Farahi and Jake Skinner, a former trustee with the Thames Valley District School Board.
But Warden has maintained that he did not know about the plan to smear his opponent. His plea however, came during a video appearance in court Wednesday.
The Crown sought a $5,000 fine, but defence lawyer Gordon Cudmore argued only a $1,000 fine should be levied. The judge ruled a $3,000 fine was appropriate. The maximum fine under the Ontario Municipal Act is $25,000.
Warden and Barry Phillips, a volunteer for Ward 10 councillor Paul Van Meerbergen, were charged with failing to register as a third-party advertiser in relation to the website that attacked Ridley.
Phillips' case is still before the courts. Also before the courts is a defamation suit filed by Ridley seeking $400,000 in damages and return of the web domain that bears her name.
Van Meerbergen has said he had nothing to do with the website that attacked Ridley, calling the accusation of child abuse, "nonsense.".
Under the Ontario Municipal Elections Act, corporations or individuals that promote to oppose candidates are required to register as third-party advertisers. A candidate cannot be involved in third-party advertising, and must identify themselves on all of their material.