Lougheed charges 'quite sensational' at Queen's Park: Robert Benzie

As the implications of the criminal charges against Gerry Lougheed Jr., begin to unfold in the Ontario legislature and beyond, some are still reeling from the news — and others are wondering how this will play out in the Wynne government. 

• Gerry Lougheed Jr., Ontario Liberal fundraiser, charged in Sudbury byelection scandal
• Sudbury federal election candidates weigh in on Gerry Lougheed charges
• Andrew Olivier releases documents over alleged appointment offer

Robert Benzie is the Queen's Park Bureau Chief for the Toronto Star. Speaking on CBC Sudbury's Morning North radio show on Friday, Benzie said word of the charges was "quite sensational" in the legislature. 

"A lot of people hadn't really expected something like this to happen so quickly," he said. 

"We had just done a story last week on how this eight-month old investigation had stalled, and that the police were having trouble ... getting a court to lay charges."   

Wynne 'relieved'

Benzie said Premier Kathleen Wynne was not at Queen's Park when the news of the charges broke. She was at an Eid al-Adha celebration, and it was there that she faced questions on the matter. 

"She's relieved," said Benzie. "Her deputy chief of staff, Pat Sorbara, is not being charged. She was also under investigation, remember." 

Benzie continued, "I don't doubt for a second that that's the truth: that for sure the premier and Pat Sorbara talked to Mr. Lougheed, and said, 'Could you talk to Andrew Olivier?'"

"[But] remember, he's a volunteer activist, he doesn't do this for money ... and he went and had a conversation. Now, through the course of that conversation, did he perhaps oversell his authority or overreach? That's possible." 

For more analysis on this developing story — and what he thinks this could mean for Sudbury Liberal MPP Glenn Thibeault moving forward — listen to the complete interview with Robert Benzie here. 

Morning North9:03Analysis of the fallout from Lougheed charges

Queen's Park watcher and Toronto Star journalist Robert Benzie provided us with some analysis of how the news of charges against prominent Sudbury Liberal Gerry Lougheed Jr. in connection with the Sudbury byelection is playing out at Queen's Park.