Mayor Larry O'Brien.

Mayor Larry O'Brien is planning to sue the Ottawa Citizen because of a story it published today regarding mayoral candidate Terry Kilrea and allegations he was offered federal government posts by the mayor.

Mayor O'Brien said he was unhappy that a headline on the front page of Wednesday's Citizen said the mayor offered mayoral rival Terry Kilrea a federal job if Kilrea threw in the towel, 580 CFRA is reporting.

The mayor has denied he ever offered rival candidates anything to step out of the race.

In March, the provincial police were forwarded from the Ottawa police a sworn affidavit by Mr. Kilrea, who claims that senior Conservative official John Reynolds was the federal contact in a purported five-year, $110,000-per-year National Parole Board job offer by Mr. O'Brien, who was a mayoral candidate at the time.

In return for the appointment, Mr. Kilrea was to pull out of the mayoralty campaign.

Mr. O'Brien was also earlier said to have offered to pay off $30,000-worth of Mr. Kilrea's campaign debt if he dropped out of the race, allegations which Mr. O'Brien denied.

The investigation was initiated by the Ottawa District Labour Council who told 580 CFRA that they wanted to "clear the air that hangs over the mayor's office."

To comment on this story on our Discussion Board, please click: O'Brien-Kilrea Affair.