The front-runner for the Progressive Conservative crown is being accused by his main rival of shortchanging the party when it comes to fundraising.

MP Patrick Brown (Barrie) has only reported $199,016 to Elections Ontario, but his campaign has claimed to have raised more than $500,000 for the May 9 contest.

MPP Christine Elliott, who has reported $757,492 to the elections overseer, said that’s significant because leadership candidates must pay a 20 per cent tithe to the PC party of all money raised after the first $100,000.

“I am concerned . . . that another leadership candidate is not committed to rebuilding this party in a transparent way,” Elliott said in a statement late Monday.

“Over the last several months, there appear to be significant discrepancies between the fundraising claims of Patrick Brown’s campaign and what they have disclosed to Elections Ontario,” she said, noting candidates are supposed to disclose their donations within 10 days of deposit.

“I call on Patrick Brown to explain this discrepancy, and affirm his commitment to the rebuilding process of the Ontario PC Party.”

Brown’s campaign on Tuesday dismissed Elliott’s “false and defamatory allegations,” and suggested sour grapes were behind her comments.

“Christine Elliott represents the same old, same old PC Party that lost the last four elections,” his team said in a statement, noting Elections Ontario has “a number of Brown campaign filings yet to be posted on their website.”

“The Patrick Brown leadership campaign reiterated today that it has complied and continues to comply with both the spirit and the letter of Elections Ontario regulations, as well as PC Party of Ontario rules regarding fundraising and financial disclosure.”

Elliott noted that one of Brown’s key campaign officials, Walied Soliman, said last November that three fundraisers in two days had netted $250,000 and that they had already raised $400,000.

On Feb. 25, both Soliman and Brown boasted on Twitter of a Toronto fundraiser with former Quebec premier Jean Charest that reportedly raised $100,000.

With the race heating up to elect a full-time successor to former leader Tim Hudak, Brown’s campaign manager urged Elliott to agree to allow the release of the full tally of memberships sold.

Only those who purchased $10 Tory membership cards by Feb. 28 are eligible to cast ballots in the one-member-one-vote election.

“I welcome Ms. Elliott’s commitment to accountable and transparent leadership,” said Robert Stanley, Brown’s campaign manager.

Stanley urged Elliott’s team to allow the Tory party to release “detailed membership sales numbers for any campaign, including the Brown campaign.”

There are now about 80,000 members in the PC Party.

Brown claims to have sold 41,000, Elliott claims 34,000, with the third candidate MPP Monte McNaughton (Lambton-Kent-Middlesex) claiming 20,000.

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But that tally adds up to 95,000, suggesting some candidates have overstated their sales.

“This appears to be a blatant effort by Ms. Elliott to change the channel from her poor membership sales,” said Brown’s campaign.

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