‘I’ve started a major change’
‘I’ve started a major change’
Byline: Donna Casey
Publication: Yahoo! Canada
Date: Sunday December 27th, 2009
…For nearly three months this year, O’Brien’s influence-peddling court case dwarfed any other decision, drama or dysfunctional goings-on in the world of local politics, earning him the distinction of the Ottawa Sun’s Politics Newsmaker of the Year.
His acquittal in August on charges that he pretended to have influence with federal Conservatives to get mayoral rival Terry Kilrea an appointment to the National Parole Board came with a price beyond his six-figure legal bills.
“He went through the ringer,” says municipal affairs expert Katherine Graham, professor of public policy and administration at Carleton University.