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BREAKING: For a third and final time, Jim Karygiannis has been kicked out of office. The Supreme Court of Canada has rejected his last-ditch effort to keep his Scarborough seat. He is no longer a councillor and has no more legal options. Story coming.
This has been a long legal saga and it all started with the reporting of veteran city hall watcher @DavidNickle, who I respect and admire. Community news matters. https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2019/05/09/scarborough-councillor-raised-150000-over-spending-limit-in-toronto-election.html">https://www.thestar.com/news/city...
That reporting was noticed by Toronto resident and fair elections advocate @AdamCF. With lawyer @SGAylward, they fought Karygiannis& #39; attempts to get reinstated https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2019/06/04/request-made-for-audit-of-toronto-councillor-jim-karygianniss-election-spending.html">https://www.thestar.com/news/city...
Karygiannis was first informed by city clerk in November last year that he had overspent a strict campaign limit and was therefore automatically removed from office. That was some press release - I remember running to get @DavidNickle, who was on the phone https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2019/11/06/councillor-jim-karygiannis-removed-from-office-over-campaign-expense-violations.html">https://www.thestar.com/news/city...
Karygiannis successfully asked a Superior Court judge to reinstate him. The judge agreed there seemed to be an "absurdity" in provincial legislation that caused him to be automatically ousted https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2019/11/25/judge-rules-jim-karygiannis-can-have-seat-back-on-toronto-city-council.html">https://www.thestar.com/news/city...
Chaleff appealed that decision ( https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2020/05/27/court-of-appeal-to-decide-if-judge-was-right-to-reinstate-coun-jim-karygiannis-despite-campaign-overspending.html)">https://www.thestar.com/news/city... and won, with a panel of judges agreeing the automatic ouster is exactly what legislators intended https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2020/06/24/coun-jim-karygiannis-removed-from-office-again.html">https://www.thestar.com/news/city...
Karygiannis took his fight to the Supreme Court which chooses which cases to hear https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2020/06/27/ousted-toronto-city-councillor-jim-karygiannis-taking-bid-to-reclaim-seat-to-supreme-court.html">https://www.thestar.com/news/city... and temporarily got his seat back while we waited for today& #39;s decision https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/08/05/jim-karygiannis-gets-his-toronto-city-council-seat-back-once-again.html">https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/...
And now, here& #39;s the final chapter: https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/09/24/jim-karygiannis-removed-from-city-council-for-a-third-and-final-time.html">https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/...
Here& #39;s the release dismissing Karygiannis& #39; application. There are never reasons, it& #39;s just a yes or no https://decisions.scc-csc.ca/scc-csc/news/en/item/6945/index.do">https://decisions.scc-csc.ca/scc-csc/n...
Jim was a colourful character from the day we arrived at city hall, where most people call him "Jimmy K" https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2015/06/13/councils-new-lone-wolf-jim-karygiannis.html">https://www.thestar.com/news/city...
He butted heads most often with Speaker Frances Nunziata, who often had to tell him he was out of line. He did not take kindly to this.
Earlier this year, I investigated how he was aggressively policing his own constituents over possible by-law infractions. "There& #39;s a new sheriff in town." https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2020/02/08/toronto-city-councillor-says-he-ignores-bylaw-infractions-if-they-vote-for-us-theyre-volunteers-and-they-donate-money.html">https://www.thestar.com/news/city...
Lastly, I will never not giggle at this quote, courtesy @Samantha_KB https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2018/10/23/rookies-on-toronto-city-council-could-hold-balance-of-power.html">https://www.thestar.com/news/city...
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Update: City press release says council will get report next week on options to replace Karygiannis. They can appoint or hold a by-election. Holding a by-election would be very interesting given the state of the city& #39;s voting machines, as we heard yesterday, and ongoing pandemic.
Statement from Karygiannis on his website:
