Mayoral candidate Adam Giambrone admits to ‘inappropriate relationship’: report

Mayoral candidate Adam Giambrone has apologized after admitting that he had an "inappropriate relationship with a young woman."

Giambrone, who currently lives with long-time partner Sarah McQuarrie, admitted to the relationship with university student Kristen Lucas after she forwarded a series of text messages to the Toronto Star. Lucas said she had been in a relationship with Giambrone for about a year.

From their story:

She told the Star Giambrone had told her his live-in partner of many years – who’s been at his side for public events during his fledgling mayoral bid – is there for "political" reasons.

"You know I will be announcing I have a partner," Giambrone, 32, wrote in a text message to Lucas Dec. 27. "It is someone named Sarah (McQuarrie), who I’ve been involved with in the past. It is important for the campaign."

Giambrone told Lucas he hoped they could continue to see each other, assuring her: "I had to have someone political."

Giambrone said to the Star that his relationship with Lucas consisted of just conversations in public and text messages and that he also tried to sever contact with her. But Lucas insists the relationship was sexual in nature and that the two were in contact with each other as recently as last month.

McQuarrie did not comment on the admission when contacted via e-mail by the National Post on Tuesday morning.

While sexual scandals are often damaging to a political campaign, at least one expert feels that the length of Toronto’s mayoral race could blunt the impact of this recent news.

Dr. Nelson Wiseman, a political science professor at the University of Toronto says that this so-called scandal will have more consequences for Mr. Giambrone’s personal life than it will for his political life.

"We’re 10 months from the election," Prof. Wiseman said. "This will not be an issue in the election."

But above all, Prof. Wiseman says it is important to keep all scandals and non-scandals in perspective.

"That photo of the snoozing TTC worker counted for infinitely more and the video he released is going to make bigger waves," Prof. Wiseman said.

Giambrone’s personal life has been the source for much speculation. Last year, Now magazine mistakenly reported that Giambrone was gay. Earlier this year, the Toronto Star erroneously printed that he and McQuarrie are a married couple.

Users of social media services such as Facebook and Twitter, which the Giambrone campaign has been using heavily, have been reacting to the news. A number of negative comments began appearing on Giambrone’s Facebook page.

As of 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday "Adam Giambrone" was a trending topic on the popular microblogging service. Many twitter users have expressed disappointment and anger over Giambrone’s admission, with many making comparisons to the recent Tiger Woods sex scandal. A selection of them are below:

@NuncScio Huh. Well, Adam Giambrone used to have a mayoral campaign.

@billybryans Adam Giambrone, local trainwreck disguised as politician.

@d_phrase Adam Giambrone’s personal relationships have nothing to do with his ability to be mayor. That is all.

@shannoncpitt Do we want a guy like Adam Giambrone to be mayor? What if he cheats on us with Hamilton? For political reasons?

@mjecclestone Adam Giambrone: 1) Has Tiger taught us nothing 2) Sarah McQuarrie is adorable! ur nuts 3) Can we leverage this for a fare reduction? Thnx <3

But a few others were more optimistic. &quot;Messy, personal, revealing, but campaign ending? Only possibly,&quot; wrote media and political consultant Ian Capstick on his Twitter account.

With files from Meghan Housley, Ron Nurwisah