Former Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Patrick Brown is challenging two women who accused him of sexual misconduct to go to police and try to have authorities press charges.
In a statement posted to Facebook, Brown says he wants the unnamed women who made the allegations in a CTV News report in January to contact Barrie, Ont., police so the accusations can be dealt with in a ``proper and fair forum.''
His comments come after one of the women told CTV News she was not under the legal drinking age or in high school during one of the alleged incidents, as originally reported.
The woman says the altered timeline doesn't change the core of her allegations and notes that she has been subject to demeaning and misogynistic comments online since CTV's first report.
Brown resigned hours after CTV's January report and now says that the broadcaster defamed him.
CTV says it stands by its reporting.
Brown took to Facebook with the following message on Wednesday:
CTV News has released its own statement, reacting to Brown's accusations:
CTV News continues to stand by its reporting on Patrick Brown.
Patrick Brown’s allegations regarding our reporting are false.
As we reported once again last night, the two women have reiterated their allegations of sexual misconduct by Patrick Brown.
His attacks on our journalistic practices are groundless and wrong.
CTV News continues to ask Patrick Brown if he thinks the two women accusing him of sexual misconduct are lying. He has yet to respond.
Here is Brown's full message on Facebook:
CTV News fabricated a malicious and false report about me from two anonymous accusers. After a long three weeks, CTV News has now admitted that it got it wrong. Initially, the reporter (and I use that term very loosely) claimed my first accuser was a high school student under legal drinking age. Running scared over its lousy reporting, CTV News now says my accuser was out of high school at the time and was of legal drinking age. Clearly concerned about the backlash it has been receiving as a result of its biased and false reporting, CTV News is trying to change its story and claims the incident happened one year later. The significance of this changed story is monumental. Not even having the decency to come clean and admit that they recklessly published a poorly researched report, CTV is burying this new fact, hiding it in the middle of an online story. In fact, CTV is doubling down on its terrible reporting, digging a deeper hole for itself, by featuring more of my accuser's lies.
I can also tell you that CTV News did not disclose last night that their reporter, Glen McGregor, called an acquaintance of mine yesterday to ask him if he had driven my first accuser to my home - a claim that was made by her. He categorically told CTV that this was completely untrue. I thought surely, CTV News would report on my acquaintance's evidence. I was wrong. CTV chose not to report the truth because the facts contradict their phony, made up narrative. Here is my message to CTV News. You lied. You defamed me. I will not allow your brand of trashy journalism to hurt another person in this country. And here is my message to my accusers — both of them. If you truly stand by your allegations, then I urge you to contact Barrie Police and have them lay charges, Barrie Police can be reached at 705-725-7025. These types of allegations should be dealt with in a proper and fair forum. I will be telling my story tonight on Global News. Please watch. Finally, and most humbly and sincerely, thank you to the dozens of candidates and caucus members, thousands of Ontario PC Party members and tens of thousands of Ontarians who have supported me and my family through this very difficult time. This is not over.
CTV News will continue to report on this matter undeterred by Patrick Brown’s groundless allegations.