Larry O'Brien is seen here participating in an Ottawa City Council meeting in 2007.david gonczol
Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien was cleared of influence-peddling charges Wednesday after two years of political intrigue that transfixed the nation's capital and frequently distracted him from his day-to-day responsibilities.
Mr. O'Brien expressed relief after surviving "a blizzard of attacks" in relation to his efforts to get populist politician Terry Kilrea to drop out of the 2006 mayoral race.
"This has been an emotional roller coaster," Mr. O'Brien told reporters.
Mr. O'Brien, 60, can now return to City Hall and run for re-election next year, after being on a leave of absence since early May to wage the legal battle of his life. Had the verdict gone the other way, he would have had to resign.
"There are 141,000 people in the city of Ottawa who voted for me to get to work, and that is what I plan to do," he said, adding that he needed some "down time" first.
Mr. O'Brien said he was especially proud to have preserved the reputation of his family name for his two boys, who were frequent visitors to the Ottawa courtroom where the trial played out over a three-month period.
In his verdict, Mr. Justice Douglas Cunningham said there is no clear-cut evidence that Mr. O'Brien pretended to have influence with federal officials to obtain a National Parole Board appointment for Mr. Kilrea.
"It is not an offence to want an opponent to withdraw from a political race, nor is it an offence to encourage an opponent to seek alternative employment. Were this an offence, there would be a need for many more jails," Judge Cunningham said.
Judge Cunningham said Mr. O'Brien made a "rookie mistake," walked a "fine line" and displayed "poor judgment" in his dealings with Mr. Kilrea, but committed no crime.
"Both charges are dismissed," he told a crowded Ottawa courtroom, prompting a burst of applause from Mr. O'Brien's supporters.
The Crown had argued that Mr. O'Brien wanted to avoid a split in Ottawa's right-wing vote by arranging a federal nomination for Mr. Kilrea, or at least pretending to have the influence to make it happen.
Mr. O'Brien's defence team argued that Mr. Kilrea's version of events was full of holes and unreliable, and that Mr. O'Brien simply engaged in normal political dealings.
After listening to 19 days of evidence and arguments, Judge Cunningham concluded that Mr. Kilrea had a selective memory and formed "impressions" of what people told him instead of remembering what was actually said.
Judge Cunningham added that Mr. Kilrea often tried to manipulate the media to stay in the spotlight, even if it meant misrepresenting the truth or using arguments that "stretched credibility."
"Mr. Kilrea is perhaps well-meaning, but not a particularly reliable witnesses," Judge Cunningham said.
Interim Ottawa Mayor Doug Thompson said that it is time for City Hall to return to its usual activities, saying Mr. O'Brien will be welcomed back to his elected position.
"He has been vindicated and he can go back to work," he said.
The case had stained Ottawa's reputation, added city councillor Marianne Wilkinson.
"I'm on the board of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, and every time I go to a meeting, I get asked about this. It's been very detrimental to the city, all across the country. It's important to clear the air and get on with business," she said.
Crown prosecutor Scott Hutchison had no comment after the verdict was announced.
Mr. O'Brien's lawyer, Michael Edelson, said that in his view, the Crown has no hope of overturning the verdict on appeal.