Patrick Brown directed his top party officials to “get me the result I want” in a Tory nomination that has been the subject of a police investigation into alleged fraud and forgery, the Star has learned.

The former Progressive Conservative leader emailed specific instructions to Bob Stanley, then the party’s executive director, and Rick Dykstra, then PC president, five days before the nomination meeting in Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas.

“Let them all fight it out. And get me the result I want. But no disqualifications here. Kitchen is too hot,” Brown said in a May 2 email exchange that is now in the hands of Hamilton police.

“Got it,” replied Stanley two minutes later, in a message that was also sent to Dykstra and another unidentified senior Conservative.

In an email to the Star on Monday afternoon, Brown emphasized nothing untoward happened and that he “wanted the process to unfold through the nomination meeting.”

But he expressed concern that his private correspondence on the matter had been shared with the newspaper, accusing former staff of leaking “highly sensitive internal documents … subject to confidentiality undertakings.”

“The hatchet job on me started with the false sexual misconduct allegations and sadly continues,” said Brown, referring to the Jan. 24 CTV News report that two women accused him of sexual impropriety.

“However, the Toronto Star story raises an important issue. The Star was given emails which I was quite happy to voluntarily provide to the police to advance their investigation,” he said.

Brown — who resigned as Tory leader on Jan. 25 hours after the CTV News report — is running again to be PC chief, though he was reconsidering that bid on Monday afternoon.

Stanley was removed from his post in a Jan. 28 purge by interim Tory leader Vic Fedeli.

Dykstra quit later that same day — two hours after Maclean’s magazine contacted him about sexual assault allegations.

But last May, they were three of the most powerful men in the PC party and appeared deeply concerned about the candidate election meeting in Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas (HWAD).

“For HWAD. Please ensure everyone is approved as a candidate and let’s release (the) membership list,” Brown told Stanley and Dykstra.

“Vikram. Peller. I am not in favour of disqualifying either of them despite their warts,” he wrote, referring to candidates Vikram Singh, a Hamilton lawyer, and Jeff Peller, an owner of wine giant Andrew Peller Ltd.

“I don’t want cultural communities or donors feeling they were unfairly treated. We will deal with it on nomination day. Ideally neither of them are successful but not through disqualification.”

Dykstra responded to Brown four minutes later.

“Thanks Patrick. Was going to call u on this. We are giving him a chance to defend himself at 630pm,” the president said, in a reference to Peller.

“Both Vikram and Jeffs (sic) justifications are weak but nonetheless approve,” stressed Brown on May 2.

In his email to the Star on Monday, he explained when he said “get me the result I want,” he meant “namely both candidates remaining in the race.”

“Hence my comment ‘Let them all fight it out,’” said Brown.

“After issues were raised about the nomination meeting, I directed that a new process be instituted, led by PwC, to ensure that these controversial nomination meetings would not reoccur,” he added Monday.

After Ben Levitt won the disputed May 7 nomination, Singh alleged there was “wrongful insertion of false ballots.” He and Peller launched separate civil lawsuits against the PC party.

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Those suits were settled before going to trial with terms not released, but Hamilton police are still pursuing a criminal probe into the Tory contest.

At an Ontario PC leadership rally Sunday, Patrick Brown touted how the party grew when he was leader, saying exact numbers aren’t important. Interim leader Vic Fedeli has said the party has 67,000 fewer members than what Brown claimed. (The Canadian Press)

The email exchange obtained by the Star was part of two banker’s boxes of evidence handed over to police detectives by the Tories on Oct. 27.

Federal prosecutors have been assigned to the case.

Dykstra and Stanley were not available for comment Monday.

Two weeks ago, Levitt urged the party to hold a new election to “clear the air” before the June 7 provincial vote.

He made his plea after the Tories overturned two other controversial nomination results in Scarborough Centre and Ottawa West-Nepean.

“While I am fully confident that my conduct and the conduct of my team was exemplary throughout the … nomination process last year, the media continues to report on lingering questions,” Levitt said earlier this month.

But the Tories have no plans to re-open the contest — especially when Hamilton police are investigating.

Const. Lorraine Edwards confirmed Monday the probe continues.

“Hamilton Police Service launched an investigation into the allegations of forgery and fraud in relation to the Conservative candidate nomination in Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas in June 2017,” said Edwards.

“Hamilton police continue to investigate and there are no further comments at this time.”

At Queen’s Park, Tory MPP Todd Smith expressed concern about the revelations in the Star.

“It looks like there was meddling in that race, there’s no question about it," Smith (Prince Edward-Hastings) told reporters.

“Obviously it’s serious what has been printed … and I think the police will treat it that way. I’m certain that the provincial nominations committee and our executive will treat it as seriously as well,” he said.