Local MP’s former staffer admits to starting false opponent websites
Posted Apr 8, 2011 02:04:51 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
570 News has learned a former Executive Assistant to local Conservative MP Harold Albrecht has started websites under the name of the MP’s Liberal candidate opponent, Bob Rosehart, that automatically link to another website smearing Liberal leader, Michael Ignatieff.
Jeff Chatterton admits to 570 News he started the websites, www.bobrosehart.ca, and www.bobrosehart.com.
The website they link to is www.michaelignatieff.me which is filled with anti-Ignatieff content, and says at the bottom, “Authorized by the Registered Agent for the Conservative Party of Canada.”
When asked why he started the sites under the name of his former employee’s opponent, Chatterton replied twice, “Why not?”
Albrecht says he’s very disappointed by the websites saying, “This is not helpful to me. It’s not helpful to the campaign…In any of my previous campaigns, I have never used these kinds of tactics and I do not approve of them.”
Chatterton, who describes himself as a “reputation management consultant,” says he got the idea for his websites from the Ontario Liberal party, which he claims owns the domain name, www.mikeharris.com — such a website is not currently operating.
Chatterton says Rosehart should know to own his own domain name, and what he did is “a fair political campaign tactic.”
Chatterton says he waited three days after learning of Rosehart’s candidacy for the Liberal Party and then bought the domain names, www.bobrosehart.ca, and .com.
When asked why it is alright for any given party to run websites under the name of an opposing party’s candidate, Chatterton says “it’s contrast and comparison advertising.”
He adds, it is unfair for Liberal candidate Rosehart to call the website a dirty trick because the Ontario Liberals allegedly did the same to Mike Harris through the website, www.mikeharris.com.
Chatterton says the federal Liberals may see his website as sabotage, adding, if they want to “go and talk to their provincial cousins about releasing the Mike Harris domain name site, I’d be happy to have that conversation with them.”
Chatterton says he waited three days after he learned of Rosehart’s candidacy to buy the domain name, and his actions are “fair political discourse and discussion.”
On his Twitter page, Chatterton says of the domain rights, “I’m happy to own this.”
Liberal Party candidate Bob Rosehart calls Chatterton’s website, “totally unethical,” adding Chatterton is using his name without permission.
Rosehart says this is just “more of the same” threats and intimidation he’s seen from the Harper government.
Rosehart adds it’s also flattering in a way that he is seen as enough of an opponent to Albrecht that such tactics would be used.
The national office of the Conservative Party of Canada has not yet replied to our request for a comment.
Neither has the Ontario Liberal Party replied yet to comment on their alleged ownership of the www.mikeharris.com domain name.
Rosehart says he knows nothing about the Mike Harris website.
