Pat Sorbara, the premier's former deputy chief of staff and Liberal campaign director, and Gerry Lougheed, a local Liberal organizer, are charged under the Election Act, accused of offering would-be candidate Andrew Olivier a job or appointment to get him to step aside for Wynne's preferred candidate in a 2015 Sudbury byelection.

Pat Sorbara, who was at the time the Ontario Liberal Party CEO, and Gerry Lougheed, a local Liberal fundraiser, are both accused - under the Election Act - of offering would-be candidate Andrew Olivier a job or appointment to get him to step aside for Thibeault, who was Premier Kathleen Wynne's preferred candidate.

The Sudbury trial happens nearly simultaneously with another Liberal trial - related to the cancellation of two gas plants - which makes for terrible optics for the party.