“If you want another reason to vote Rob Ford for mayor in October, look at what some councillors are doing and saying — especially Dying Duck Mayor David Miller.

Incredible as it may seem to some, when an audit questioned the 2006 election spending by Councillors Adrian Heaps and Giorgio Mammoliti, council and Miller voted to pay Heaps and Mommoliti’s legal bills of $83,375 and $95,973. After all, it’s only money. Taxpayers’ money.”

Read the rest of his thoughts here.

“Councillors are already well-protected. They have direct access to a public pulpit (the council chamber) to defend themselves. They have lavish expense budgets, in excess of $50,000, that are often used to promote their own interests. And under existing policy, their legal bills are underwritten by the taxpayer if they are sued for actions undertaken in their roles as councillors.”

Read the rest of the editorial here.

“Moscoe’s manipulations had absolutely nothing to do with the fact councillors are at legal or financial risk simply for doing their jobs.

His move has everything to do with payback to the city solicitor for having the audacity to do her job and represent the city’s interests on the Adrian Heaps legal payout issue.”

Read the rest of Levy’s thoughts here.

The Toronto Star Editorial Board  offers their comment on the Heaps lawsuit, which was before Toronto City Council this week:

“While council eventually did the right thing this week, some of them, including Mayor David Miller, still didn’t seem to grasp what was wrong with the attempted payout. In speaking to the issue, Miller depicted Heaps as the victim of a “powerful political machine” and said council has “a duty to protect the people who win.”

Read the rest of the editorial here.

“The mayor said Heaps was sued for libel — by someone who lost the election and had a “vendetta” — and was subsequently hung out to dry by council.  As if the mayor hadn’t impugned the reputation of Heaps’ opponent, Michelle Berardinetti (who narrowly lost by 89 votes) enough, Gord Perks took a few more punches.

“I’m disappointed Coun. Heaps has too much integrity to take what we’ve offered him,” he said. I’m surprised they didn’t nail themselves to the cross after they spoke.”

Read the rest of her column here.

After substantial media coverage, Toronto Council has reversed their earlier decision to reimburse Adrian Heaps for legal expenses arising from the 2006 municipal election:

Toronto council has abandoned its plan to cover the legal expenses of Councillor Adrian Heaps, who was sued by the candidate he narrowly defeated in the 2006 election.

But it has also asked city staff to explore how to set up a “candidate protection fund” — to be funded by candidates themselves — to help pay legal expenses arising from election disputes.

Read the rest of the article here.

“A citizen group called the Toronto Party has filed a lawsuit to get back the [Heaps] money. And Councillor Doug Holyday is asking the courts to quash the several council votes last year benefitting Heaps, Mammoliti and Bussin.

Heaps’ letter addresses just the latest instalment. The lawsuits could continue. And the majority of city councillors appear inclined to repeat the flouting of the law.”

Read the rest of the column here. 

Related: Levy: Heaps won’t take our cash

Also: Councillor’s move delivers win to fledgling Toronto Party (National Post)

After being the focus of considerable media attention for a number of weeks, Ward 35 Councillor Adrian Heaps has said “no thanks” to Council’s controversial offer to reimburse him for his legal fees:

“Heaps distributed a letter in which he told his colleagues that he wouldn’t accept the money just a day before the council meeting where city officials were to debate re-opening the controversial decision to cover his costs in the legal battle between himself and candidate Michelle Berardinetti.

“Please accept this letter as my official refusal to accept any reimbursement for legal expenses,” he wrote.

“For the record, I have long ago paid all legal expenses related to this matter.”

He continued: “As councillors, we must conduct ourselves in an honourable way if we are to set an honourable example. I trust my actions will allow Council to focus on what is in the best interests of the city.”

Read the rest of the article here.

Related: Adrian Heaps refuses reimbursement for legal bills (Toronto Star)

Also: Adrian Heaps refuses legal-fee reimbursement (Globe & Mail)

“[A]s the controversy grows, the silence has been deafening — only broken by the few players (like Paula Fletcher) who feel they were justified doing what they did.

The star player — Heaps — has refused comment, despite many e-mails and calls to his office. He has been reported as saying the issue will be “hotly debated” at council this week.

Our Harvard-educated mayor, a lawyer, contended last week that people who’ve been elected need to be protected from lawsuits that occur “simply because they’ve been elected.” What utter nonsense.”

Read the rest of her column here.

Related: Berardinetti looking to outdo her narrow 2006 defeat (Inside Toronto)

“Going before council this week is a motion to reopen this decision in order to withdraw the funding from Heaps. Such backtracking requires a two-thirds majority of council, a high hurdle. But the error in this case is so egregious that it is hard to imagine it will not be cleared. Councillors need to show voters they aren’t above the law and won’t keep pushing their legal bills on to taxpayers.”

Read the rest of the editorial here.