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.