The Progressive Conservative leadership race has taken an ugly turn with an aide to candidate Monte McNaughton facing criminal charges after workers for rival Christine Elliott’s campaign received threatening text messages.

Rida Ali, 22, who appeared at College Park court Monday, is charged with four counts of criminal harassment-communicate and one count of criminal harassment-threaten, said Toronto police.

Free on $1,000 bail, her next court appearance is Thursday at College Park.

“Ms. Ali maintains her innocence and intends to defend against these allegations to the full extent of the law,” her lawyer Marco Sciarra told the Star on Tuesday.

Details of the alleged threats cannot be reported because of a court-ordered publication ban.

Ali had been working in the office of McNaughton, the Lambton—Kent—Middlesex MPP, and volunteering on his leadership campaign.

Her Queen’s Park security pass has been revoked.

McNaughton is vacationing in Florida and was unavailable for comment.

His spokesman, Joshua Workman, confirmed Ali was a two-day-a-week staffer on a short-term contract.

“A member of MPP McNaughton’s staff was arrested last week. Monte took immediate steps to suspend this employee,” said Workman.

“This has been upsetting for all of us.”

Elliott, the MPP for Whitby—Oshawa, would not discuss the case.

“I really don’t have a comment to make on this because it’s before the courts,” she said.

The charges come as Elliott, McNaughton, and Barrie MP Patrick Brown are vying to succeed Tim Hudak as the Tories’ full-time leader.

Tories will select their next chief at a convention in Toronto on May 9.

A budding journalist, Ali worked as a chase producer last summer at the now-defunct Sun News Network, was an associate news editor at the University of Toronto Varsity newspaper, and was given the Conrad Black Award for Conservative Journalism by the Ontario PC Campus Association in May 2013.

She also helped on former Tory MPP Doug Holyday’s campaign last spring in Etobicoke—Lakeshore and volunteered on the federal Conservatives’ Toronto—Centre byelection in 2013.

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Ali was with McNaughton at last week’s Queen’s Park rally against the new sex-education curriculum, where he delivered a speech to social conservatives.

On Feb. 20, Ali was appointed director of events for the Ontario PC Youth Association by the youth executive at their annual general meeting.

Prior to that, Ali was vice-president of the University of Toronto PC Campus Association.

Her Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram feeds suggest she is an active partisan on social media.

“@MonteMcNaughton is the true blue Tory in the #pcldr race. Join the #PCParty at http://www.montemcnaughton.ontariopc.com #pcpo #ontpoli,” Ali tweeted on Feb. 11.

“@brownbarrie seems to be very skilled at dodging questions. #pcpo #ontpoli #pcottdebate,” she added that day, referring to Brown’s performance during the leadership debate in Ottawa.

Ali also mentioned Elliott in her tweets during that event.

“Congrats @chriselliottpc for FINALLY agreeing with @MonteMcNaughton re parents need to have a say in their children’s education #pcpo”

McNaughton has singled her out for praise on his Twitter feed, noting her kindness to his toddler.

“Special thanks to #PCPO university students @sarahnavy, @ridafali & @ZehaviZynoberg for being so wonderful to Annie!” he tweeted last September.

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