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Former UCP management contestant Jeff Callaway would conform to by no means run for workplace once more if tens of 1000’s of {dollars} in fines are eliminated, his lawyer stated in court docket Friday.
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Hardeep Sangha, Callaway’s consultant, made the comment throughout a court docket continuing on a evaluation of quite a few fines totalling $70,000 for numerous marketing campaign financing irregularities. He stated Callaway has sustained massive authorized charges and has been dealt reputational hurt in relation to the fines, and that he misplaced his job of their aftermath.
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Sangha stated Callaway has by no means beforehand been reprimanded regardless of having an extended historical past in politics in Alberta, and that he is not going to run once more for public workplace.
“The applicant is ready by way of his counsel, he says, and that is one thing that’s earlier than taking an enterprise, that he is not going to take part or doesn’t need to have the flexibility to run for workplace,” stated Sangha.
The $70,000 in fines come from allegations that Callaway and an affiliate colluded to bypass marketing campaign financing guidelines throughout his UCP management marketing campaign in 2017. He has since been accused of being a “kamikaze” candidate in 2017, who tanked his personal run for the get together management earlier than dropping out in an try to bolster eventual winner Jason Kenney’s marketing campaign over Brian Jean. A number of different individuals have been fined in relation to Callaway’s marketing campaign. Kenney has denied any involvement.
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On Friday, Sangha stated Callaway was subjected to among the largest fines potential. He additionally took exception to the phrases “kamikaze” and “darkish horse” candidate being utilized by the election commissioner.
Sangha additionally argued that Callaway didn’t have sufficient time to answer all the allegations being levied at him by the elections commissioner.
Paula Hale, counsel for the elections commissioner’s workplace, stated their position was not adversarial within the proceedings however was to characterize the workplace that levied the offences in opposition to Callaway. She stated that whereas $70,000 is a comparatively massive sum for a person to pay, she identified that it was quite a few fines that amassed to that sum.
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One other $70,000 in fines dished out to ‘kamikaze’ UCP management candidate
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“There was nothing in place on the time that may counsel to Mr. Callaway that he wasn’t vulnerable to vital fines,” stated Hale. “Nowhere alongside this path did anyone inform Mr. Callaway, for instance, he’s solely going to, , worst-case state of affairs was $2,000.”
Hale stated that whereas publishing notices that a person has been fined or reprimanded would trigger reputational hurt, it’s the elections commissioners’ obligation to take action to permit for transparency.
It’s anticipated {that a} written choice will likely be issued within the case.
