Soon after a former Ontario Progressive Conservative MPP released a litany of reasons about why he was booted from caucus, Premier Doug Ford's office labelled Randy Hillier's explanation as an "outright lie."
Hillier put out an open letter on Monday, including a list of 10 specific reasons for his ouster, including that he raised concerns about "possible and unregistered lobbying by close friends and advisors by Premier Ford."
The OPP confirmed late in the day that it had received a request from NDP MPP Taras Natyshak to look into Hillier's allegations of possible illegal lobbying.
Hillier was not at the Legislature Monday and has not responded to requests for comment.
In his letter, the Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston MPP said he had high hopes and expectations with the PCs taking power.
"I could not stand by and tolerate operatives engaging in similar and more egregious acts,” he said.
Now that the request has gone into the OPP commissioner's office, the force will now assess the information it can find and determine if an investigation is warranted.
His claims included being pushed out because he refused to ask permission to speak to media, that he didn't applaud all the time in the Legislature and that he wouldn't make a video approving of how the government would use the notwithstanding clause to shrink Toronto city council.
He even claims he was criticized for going to his brother's funeral without asking for permission.
"This, to me, is the most egregious act,” Hillier said. “It undermines me as a person and thereby undermines all Ontarians by putting party politics above compassion and respect.”
Ford’s spokesperson Simon Jefferies called the claims fabrications that were "absurd and categorically false."
“If any of this letter was true, why didn’t Randy Hillier quit caucus on principle or raise these issues with the premier. Instead he launched a PR campaign begging to get back into caucus.” he said.
Hillier was first suspended February 20th for saying "yada, yada, yada" during a heated debate over autism funding and was accused of making the comment towards an angry parent in the gallery.
He has maintained it was directed towards a member of the NDP.
Regardless, he was suspended and then ultimately booted from caucus last week for not being a team player, according to the party.
Finance Minister Vic Fedeli repeatedly called the assertions as categorically and absolutely false.
Hillier has also accused some of the premier's top advisors, including chief of staff Dean French, of dictating how caucus members should speak and act.
Fedeli was asked directly if French should remain in his position, given how often he ends up in the news, but he referred back to his categorization of Hillier's letter.
"Everything that Mr. Hillier asserts in his letter is just quite simply categorically false," he said.
Ford was not at the Legislature on Monday.
Fellow independent Amanda Simard, who left the PC caucus over cuts to French language programs, was asked about Hillier's accusations about Ford's office trying to control members.
"Well that's exactly what I said when I left," she said. "I've seen the letter quickly, but I know from my experience, I was prevented."
Before he submitted his letter, Natyshak asked why he would send a request to the OPP now, considering there's no proof of any illegal lobbying at this point.
"The OPP should be the body that investigates it to find whether those allegations are warranted," he said.
The Liberals are calling for the integrity commissioner to conduct an investigation.
An Open Letter to my Constituents and the People of Ontario. 1/3 #onpoli pic.twitter.com/df5xkta7Pq
— Randy Hillier (@randyhillier) March 18, 2019
An Open Letter to my Constituents and the People of Ontario. 2/3 #onpoli pic.twitter.com/HmxiotaFWv
— Randy Hillier (@randyhillier) March 18, 2019
An Open Letter to my Constituents and the People of Ontario. 3/3 #onpoli pic.twitter.com/AvaKqtpUpg
— Randy Hillier (@randyhillier) March 18, 2019