Ottawa councillor denies sending inappropriate messages on Twitter
Embattled Ottawa Coun. Rick Chiarelli is facing criticism again, after a woman in Chicago says she received sexually suggestive messages from the councillor's official Twitter account.
Chiarelli's office tells CTV News Ottawa his Twitter account was hacked and he did not send the direct messages on the social media site.
There are at least three women sharing similar messages allegedly from Chiarelli's Twitter account referencing a trip to Spain, one of them including mentions of topless beaches. The messages were sent over the span of several days.
Mayor Jim Watson's office said Friday he has asked the integrity commissioner to open an investigation into the messages.
The first woman to go public was Cass Kulhanek, a comedian from Chicago.
Kulhanek says she has no connection to Ottawa or the veteran College Ward councillor, but says she received a message from Chiarelli's account stating he was a politician and referencing media work she could do in Europe.
Kulhanek tweeted the images publicly on Thursday afternoon. The direct messages reference topless sunbathing, and a person saying, "I want fun! Not just work."
"I mean I thought it was peculiar that he immediately made a note of wanting to go to places that had topless beaches, or topless sunbathing, because that's not my initial thought when I think about Europe," said Kulhanek in an interview with CTV News Ottawa.
"I think about lots of other things first. He immediately started talking about topless sunbathing and how his staffer didn't want to go places that had topless sunbathing or had night life, late dinners, things like that. So it seemed kind of clear from the start there were ulterior motives or something."
Kulhanek says she can't prove the messages came from the councillor, but said she decided to share them in support of other women who have previously alleged the Councillor used inappropriate and/or sexual harassing language in the workplace.
Two other women, including at least one from Ottawa, shared similar messages from Chiarelli's account.
In a statement to CTV News Ottawa Thursday evening, Chiarelli's office said the councillor's Twitter account was hacked.
"Please note that it appears that we have experienced a breach in our Twitter access and our passwords are being updated as we speak. Our staff is largely responsible for the management of our Social Media accounts including Twitter, Facebook as well as our website," said the statement from Chantal Lebel, director of Strategic Affairs and Communications in Chiarelli's office.
"Our office has conducted an analysis of the recent usage of our Social Media channels mainly accessed through a third-party app as well as a review of the alleged messages which seem to have been copy pasted to multiple users. We have determined the writing pattern and poor grammar to be inconsistent with that of the Councillor’s. As such we have proceeded to a review of our security protocols."
Chiraelli's office says it has reached out to Twitter to determine the source of the unauthorized access to his account.
The statement also addressed the contents of the direct messages on Twitter.
"Coun. Chiarelli currently does not have the authority to hire/fire staff, contractors/vendors or volunteers nor does he have oversight of the Ward 8 Operating Budget until the end of the term. He is also restricted from incurring any travel-related expenses and as per the Dec 2020 report by the City Clerk it was anticipated that there would be no reason for the Ward 8 Councillor, his staff to travel given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic nor that any travel would be authorized," said the statement.
"Additionally, Coun. Chiarelli has not travelled since undergoing a quadruple bypass open-heart surgery in December of 2019 nor does he have any plans to travel in the near future with the recent passing of his father-in-law, his daughter’s upcoming wedding in a few weeks and the birth of his first grandchild later this fall."
Last year, Ottawa's Integrity Commissioner ruled twice that Chiarelli breached sections of the Code of Conduct for Members of Council for alleged improper conduct involving two former staff members and three women applying for jobs in his office. Chiarelli has denied all allegations relating to that matter.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A 'tragedy that can't be measured': North Bay's forever chemical problem is also the rest of Canada's
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Here's what 'the hinge' move is, how to do it correctly
When you're picking something up from the floor or bending over to tie your shoe laces, you're performing "the hinge move," according to movement trainers.
Tips to make a house or apartment safe and accessible for older adults living at home
Here's a summary of tips from the U.S. National Institute on Aging and AARP, which offers a free room-by-room guide with practical suggestions for older adults living independently.
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
'I may have some nightmares:' Man survives being bitten by 2 sharks in Bahamas
A man who was bitten by two sharks in the Bahamas said Thursday he's 'thankful that I'm here' while sharing his story of survival.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.