Public Statement to Be Issued on Behalf of Councillor Ron

CITY OF MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, June 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The following are statements from Councillor Ron Starr:

I’m conscious that the Integrity Commissioner has launched a report which makes a discovering that I broken Karen Ras’ automobile. The Integrity Commissioner’s findings are merely improper.

I stand by my earlier assertion that I completely deny the allegations made towards me. I’m very sorry Karen Ras was subjected to harassment, however I’m not the one that harassed her, and I’ll proceed to combat to clear my title.

After 5 months of investigation, the Integrity Commissioner’s report comprises no proof in anyway of any interplay between myself and Karen Ras. The Integrity Commissioner’s conclusion is just that “it is more likely than not” that I scratched Ras’ automobile. I preserve that I by no means scratched Ras’ automobile. There is not any proof that I harassed her. The customary that the Integrity Commissioner has used to discover me responsible of such conduct is just inappropriate.

I’m very disenchanted that the Integrity Commissioner would select to launch his report within the face of my objections that this investigation has been unfair, biased and politically motivated. 

This report was deliberately launched and designed to receive a strategic benefit, whereas stopping me to make my case publicly. The Integrity Commissioner has muzzled me by refusing to enable me to put my full proof into the general public document which discloses how this investigation has been improperly licensed, biased and unfair.

The Integrity Commissioner additionally refused to enable me to absolutely disclose publicly the impartial skilled stories which I obtained which in my opinion exonerate me of the false allegations made towards me.

Specifically, I obtained skilled stories from:

1. an skilled who discovered that I couldn’t have dedicated the act as alleged;
2. an accident reconstructionist who confirms that the video doesn’t present me inflicting the harm and accepts my proof as credible; and
3. varied medical stories which affirm that I used to be bodily unable to commit the acts alleged due to accidents I sustained once I was hit by a truck whereas strolling on April 13, 2019. 

I’m not in a position to disclose the whole stories of my consultants presently, because the Integrity Commissioner has refused to consent to their full launch, with out redactions, to the general public.

I want to additional clarify that I’ve revered this course of all through. In explicit, I addressed this challenge in 2021 when Ras’ allegations have been first introduced to my consideration. Even although I’ve all the time denied the allegation, I instantly resolved this matter with Ras privately, as we’re inspired to do by our Code of Conduct. I would like to be clear that I paid to restore Ras’ automobile on the recommendation of my authorized counsel, Gary Mooney and never as a result of I prompted the harm alleged. To clear my title, I offered the Integrity Commissioner with a press release from my lawyer, Mr. Mooney who confirmed that I all the time denied inflicting the alleged harm and that neither he nor I ever admitted to me being responsible of these allegations. My lawyer additional confirmed he gave me the recommendation to pay for the harm because it was a fast approach to resolve the problem, with out having to defend the false allegations towards me. 

In his report, the Integrity Commissioner utterly rejects my private proof on what I used to be doing within the parking storage on the day of alleged harm, the proof of my lawyer, and the opinions of every of my 4 consultants who all independently opined that I might not be succesful of inflicting the harm alleged. However, it’s compelling that after I launched my assertion to the Integrity Commissioner explaining my response to the false allegation made towards me, at no level did the Integrity Commissioner:

1. ask me for any clarification of any issues, or ask to interview me or converse with me instantly;
2. ask for any clarification on any issues, or ask to interview or converse with my lawyer, Mr. Mooney instantly;
3. ask for any clarification on any issues, or ask to interview or converse instantly with any of my 4 consultants;
4. fee any skilled stories of his personal on any defences raised by me on this investigation; and
5. fee any skilled stories which contradict the opinions superior by the skilled opinions I introduced to the Integrity Commissioner as half of my defence.

I additionally word that the report of the Integrity Commissioner comprises discrepancies and inaccuracies which I’ll additional deal with sooner or later, on condition that the report was simply launched to me.  

I preserve that not solely has this investigation proceeded in an unfair and biased method, the Integrity Commissioner has now launched his report whereas muzzling me from publicly disclosing any of the data he offered to me on this investigation, so I can’t reveal to the general public why I imagine that this investigation is politically motivated and pushed with bias and procedural unfairness.

I wholly dispute the report of the Integrity Commissioner and the investigation as a complete. I imagine the investigation has been biased, unfair and a take down towards me politically. More particularly, I imagine that the investigation is politically motivated and was deliberately launched to cease me from operating for re-election.
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For any inquiries with respect to this matter, please contact my attorneys: Emilio Bisceglia ([email protected]), Adriana Di Biase ([email protected]) or Battista Frino ([email protected]).