The Liberal party helped Sudbury organizer Gerry Lougheed Jr. with his legal bills, but stopped once he was charged by police in an alleged byelection bribery scandal.

“They not paying now and haven’t since charges were laid,” Deputy Premier Deb Matthews said Wednesday after Lougheed’s case was put over in a Sudbury court to Dec. 9.

She did not reveal how much was paid and did not rule out future payments.

“The party would have to make a decision, but the decision they have made is not to . . . we’re not paying for legal fees,” Matthews told reporters, noting no government money has gone to Lougheed.

In the legislature’s daily question period, New Democrat MPP Gilles Bisson asked Premier Kathleen Wynne whether the government or the party had paid any lawyer’s bills for Lougheed.

“I really have no idea,” Wynne replied, promising to find out.

The premier, who was questioned by Ontario Provincial Police during their investigation, added “the people of Ontario did not pay any legal bills for me.”

Lougheed’s lawyer, Michael Lacy, made a brief appearance in Sudbury court Wednesday morning, received some disclosure of evidence and set the next date.

“There’s some further disclosure coming,” Lacy told the Star.

Lougheed, a wealthy Sudbury funeral home owner and director, did not appear in court.

He plans to plead not guilty to one count of unlawfully influencing or negotiating appointments and another of counselling an offence not committed.

If convicted, he could face a prison sentence of up to five years for one offence and seven years for the other.

“Gerry maintains his innocence and is anxious to vindicate himself through the criminal justice process,” Lacy said in a statement, promising his client will be “vigorously defended.”

Lougheed has helped charities in Sudbury raise millions of dollars and has been deeply involved in the Liberal party, raising funds for campaigns and lining up candidates.

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The charges were laid by Ontario Provincial Police after former Liberal candidate Andrew Olivier alleged Lougheed offered him jobs or political appointments to withdraw from the party nomination race for the Feb. 5 byelection and rally behind defecting New Democrat MP Glenn Thibeault.

Thibeault, who was Premier Kathleen Wynne’s preferred candidate, was given the nomination and won the byelection.

Wynne has said previously that any offers to Olivier were aimed at keeping him involved in the party.