Gerry Lougheed, Pat Sorbara charged in Sudbury byelection scandal

A prominent campaign manager with the Ontario Liberals and a Sudbury, Ont., businessmanwere charged today under the Elections Act in connection to alleged bribery in a 2015 byelection.

It's allegedGerryLougheedand Liberal insider PatSorbaraoffered ajob or appointment to former Liberal candidate AndrewOlivier in exchange for stepping aside before a provincialbyelectionin Sudbury.

Thibeaultrepresented the provincial riding for the NDP from 2008-15, but left the party to run as a Liberal when a byelectionwas called after the sudden resignation of New Democrat Joe Cimino.

• Olivier releases tapes over alleged appointment offer
• Adding up a scandal: the Sudbury byelection by the numbers

Sorbara, 60, recently took a leave of absence as OntarioPremier Kathleen Wynne's deputy chief of staff to become party CEO and 2018 campaign director.Wynnesaid on TuesdaySorbarawould stepdown ifcharges were laid.

Lougheed, a prominent local Liberal and fundraiser, was criminally charged last year, but those charges were stayed in April.

That gave the Crown up to one year to either drop the case or proceed.

Both are expected to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Sudbury onNov.21.