The Indelible Bonobo Experience

he compliance audit, released last month, said Mr. Mammoliti exceeded the authorized spending limit of $27,464.65 by more than 40 per cent, or just over $12,000. Monday’s meeting comes just a few days after another audit found that Mayor Rob Ford overspent his 2010 campaign limit of $1.3-million by 3 per cent, or more than $40,000. With Mr. Ford’s hearing set for Feb. 25, Mr. Mammoliti’s case could provide insight into how the committee will respond to the apparent overspending. (via Toronto councillor Mammoliti’s campaign spending under review - The Globe and Mail)

• Mr. Mammoliti, known for being among the most eccentric of Toronto councillors, recently said he believed there was a conspiracy against him, one which led to his phones being tapped and him being followed. He said he was not yet in a position to provide proof. Reached by phone Sunday, Mr. Mammoliti declined to comment on the audit. His lawyer did not return messages.
• Mr. DePoe was one of several people, in the spring of 2011, to suggest that Mr. Ford’s campaign spending violated the provincial Municipal Elections Act, although it was a request from two other Toronto residents – Max Reed and Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler – that formally sparked the audit.
• But in December of that year, Mr. DePoe said he received an anonymous call urging him to look into Mr. Mammoliti’s campaign.
• “I spent a whole day making notes and looking at things and photocopying all kinds of stuff,” he said in an interview. “And I just did some quick math and I just thought, ‘Geez, this is like way overspent.’ ”
• Mr. DePoe submitted his request in late December of 2011 and the compliance audit committee approved it in January, 2012. He said photocopying records cost him about $120, but that’s the total cost he has incurred because his lawyer took the case pro bono. He said he would not have been able to afford to proceed otherwise.
• The audit was conducted by Bruce Armstrong and Glen Davison, who also looked into the Mayor’s spending. The document said Mr. Mammoliti’s campaign appeared to contravene the act in several ways, from exceeding the authorized limit, to contributions, campaign expenses and financial reporting.
• It said some of the expenses were put on Mr. Mammoliti’s personal American Express card, and either omitted or reflected incorrectly. It also said Mr. Mammoliti appeared to contravene the act with a number of expenses, from office rent to advertising to an internet connection.
• Mr. Mammoliti won his 2010 race by 1,737 votes. He picked up about 44 per cent of the ballots cast. Nick Di Nizio finished second, picking up 3,601 votes and nearly 30 per cent. Mr. Di Nizio said in an interview he believes the apparent overspending made a difference in the race.