EXCLUSIVE: Press Progress editor admits he didn’t verify full messages in Caylan Ford saga

CALGARY — Press Progress’ editor testified that he never asked his key source for the full text of messages used to sink a former UCP nomination candidate’s political career — even after learning that the source’s “beef” with the candidate might have been more “personal” than he let on.Luke LeBrun took the stand on Friday as part of Caylan Ford's $7.65-million defamation lawsuit against multiple defendants, including the CBC, Toronto Star, and the Broadbent Institute.In a March 5, 2019, phone call heard by the court between LeBrun and political strategist Karim Jivraj — after Jivraj had been disqualified from running for the federal Conservative Party of Canada nomination in Calgary-Centre — the strategist said he wasn’t thrilled about the situation, but it “kind of liberates me in a way, because I have some bones to pick."He went on to tell LeBrun that he could give him whatever he needed regarding Conservative politics in Calgary.Jivraj then pitched multiple potential stories about Ford to LeBrun, saying how they could be used as “bombshells.”Harrison asked LeBrun if he thought by saying “bones to pick,” Jivraj was referring to revenge, specifically against Ford.“No... I honestly didn’t know what to make of it,” LeBrun said..EXCLUSIVE: Lukaszuk named as early source for NDP-linked outlet in Caylan Ford trial.In the phone call, Jivraj said one angle he would pitch was a “lake of fire moment” about Ford’s alleged views on pride parades, that they were a “celebration of vice and transgression,” and that he would pretend there was a rift in the UCP between progressive centralists and hardcore religious right-wingers.“You need to target Caylan Ford, because she’s the one who said these things,” Jivraj told LeBrun.Jivraj also told LeBrun later in the call that the UCP had booted him out of the party by making him come across as a “bizarre creep” and that Ford had called the police on him, which is what got him kicked out of the party.The court also heard excerpts from a police report that was filed by Ford against Jivraj, which ruled that his actions may have been indicators of “psychological infatuation” that may grow into something more against her.Harrison asked LeBrun if he had inquired into this report.“No, he gave me his side... He wasn’t in jail," LeBrun stated.“Were there any further inquiries [into the matter]?” Harrison asked.“No,” LeBrun said.Harrison then put to LeBrun that he had avoided learning the truth of Jivraj’s conduct toward Ford.“I don’t agree with that,” LeBrun said..Press Progress editor says outlet verified evidence before publishing explosive Caylan Ford claims .Also in the phone call, Jivraj and LeBrun discussed the difficulty around having to go to Ford for a comment regarding a story, saying that if she denied anything it would devolve into a he said, she said situation and that they would need to take additional steps to verify the authenticity of any screenshots.Jivraj proposed a sworn affidavit as a way to get around that, which would have legal weight.Harrison asked LeBrun if he had been trying to find a way to publish an article about Ford without going to her for comment.“No,” LeBrun said.The court later heard that on March 15, 2019 — the day of the Christchurch mosque shootings — Jivraj again reached out to LeBrun, stating it would be a “good time” to do a story on a screenshot containing comments from Ford about how white supremacist terrorists were held to a double standard compared to Muslim terrorists.LeBrun then put together a road map for a story that would eventually be published on March 18, titled UCP Candidate Complained ‘White Supremacist Terrorists’ Are Treated Unfairly, Leaked Messages Show.It was revealed on March 16 that LeBrun sent Jivraj an email asking him about some information he had provided about Ford from Facebook regarding an August 15, 2017, conversation — two days after the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville — regarding “Neo-Nazi terrorists.”LeBrun was asked by Harrison if he had ever asked Jivraj if he could see the full conversation instead of excerpts.“No, I did not,” LeBrun answered.“I did not personally ask Mr. Jivraj for that.”

EXCLUSIVE: Press Progress editor admits he didn’t verify full messages in Caylan Ford saga

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