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It’s utterly absurd. But many Tories are convinced it’s afoot.

Over the weekend, longtime party fundraiser Thom Bennett fired off an email alleging that the PC Ontario Fund, under Brown, had been “bleeding — nay gushing … hundreds of thousands of dollars” towards defending lawsuits by disgruntled candidates and enriching people with connections to party bigwigs. Bennett demanded an investigation; Fedeli supported the idea. Some believe those opposed to a leadership campaign will argue the financial irregularities mean they can’t spend what it would cost to hold a campaign. (The 2015 campaign cost the PCs around $500,000, according to a party source.) Others think they will point to long-alleged irregularities on the member rolls, or even IT problems, as precluding the vote.

From the beginning, Fedeli seemed to regard himself as more than a placeholder.

Some, like Bennett, think caucus ought to choose the candidate on principle.

“I am at a total loss as to what the thinking could be that our executive would tell our elected MPPs — those soldiers who are putting their name in front of the electorate time after time — to screw off,” he wrote. “I fear that this executive decision spells the death knell of the PC Party of Ontario!”

From the beginning, Fedeli seemed to regard himself as more than a placeholder.

In his inaugural press conference he constantly referred to himself as “party leader,” never mentioning the I-word. He said it was in deference to the party constitution — but that document only says he is to “be recognized as the leader by the party,” and only “until the completion of the leadership election.” Win or lose on June 7, Fedeli would face a vote on his leadership by party members within 18 months.

Engineering this manoeuvre could involve sacking Brown-appointed members of the board that manages the PC Ontario Fund, and/or forcing out party president Rick Dykstra and replacing him with someone more inclined to stick with Fedeli. (Dykstra has also been accused of enjoying the company of very young women in boozy environments; allegations he has denied.)

Dykstra tweeted his resignation Sunday evening, saying he would “take a step back for someone else to lead us through the hard work.”