Defence in Sudbury byelection bribery trial calls for charges to be dismissed

The Sudbury, Ont. byelection bribery trial is on recess until October and defence lawyers in case don't believe the Crown has proved anything and want all three charges dismissed.

After the Crown prosecutors rested their case on Wednesday, defence lawyers Michael Lacy and Brian Greenspan announced they will be filing a motion for a "directed verdict."

They will argue that based on the evidence presented by the Crown over ten days of testimony, there is no chance of a conviction on the three bribery charges.

Former Liberal Party CEO Pat Sorbara and Sudbury businessman Gerry Lougheed are charged with bribing former Liberal candidate Andrew Olivier to step aside so then NDP MP Glenn Thibeault could run in the 2015 Sudbury byelection.

Sorbara is also charged with bribing Thibeault to become a Liberal with the promise of paid jobs for two of his staffers.

Judge Howard Borenstein will hear arguments on the directed verdict motion from both sides when court resumes Oct. 10.

Who's who in the byelection bribery trial

The accused:

Pat Sorbara, former Liberal Party CEO, campaign director and deputy chief-of-staff to the premier.
Gerry Lougheed Jr., Liberal organizer and a Sudbury businessman.

Judge: Howard Borenstein, from Toronto.

Prosecutors: David McKercher, Vern Brewer and Rick Visca.

Defence lawyers: Michael Lacy for Lougheed, Brian Greenspan and Erin Dann for Sorbara.

Witnesses to be called by the Crown (in anticipated order):

• Andrew Olivier: 2014 Ontario Liberal candidate, who accused the party of bribing him to stand aside in the 2015 byelection for star candidate and now Sudbury MPP and Energy Minister Glenn Thibeault.
• Simon Tunstall, chief executive officer of the Ontario Liberal party 2012 to 2015.
• Aaron St. Pierre, Olivier's campaign manager.
• Rick Bartolucci, former Sudbury MPP and cabinet minister. (subpoenaed but not called to testify) 
• Kathleen Wynne, premier of Ontario.
• William Nurmi, then president of the Sudbury provincial Liberal riding association.
• Dominic Giroux, then president of Laurentian University, incoming president of Health Sciences North.
• Siloni Waraich, past president of Liberal Party of Ontario.
• Andre Bisson, then vice-president of Sudbury provincial Liberal riding association.
• Darrell Marsh, who worked in Thibeault's NDP MP constituency office, then moved to Liberals with him.
• Brian Band, who worked in Thibeault's NDP MP constituency office, then moved to Liberals with him.
• Marianne Matichuk, former Greater Sudbury mayor, who was interested in running for Ontario Liberals.
• Vince Borg, past president of the Ontario Liberal Party.
• Kim Donaldson, nomination commissioner for Ontario Liberal Party.
• Azam Ishmael, former executive director of the Liberal Caucus Service Bureau of Ontario
• Neil Downs, director of the public appointments secretariat for government of Ontario.
• Shelley Potter, deputy chief of staff to premier of Ontario.
• Glenn Thibeault, former NDP MP for Sudbury, now Sudbury Liberal MPP and energy minister.