Laval mayor quits amid sex scandal
I never, never, never received sexual services
MONTreAL • The interim mayor of Laval announced he was stepping down Friday just six hours after telling reporters he would not resign over allegations involving extortion and a prostitute.
Alexandre duplessis, 42, said in a letter to the city clerk’s office that his departure would take effect immediately.
It’s unclear what prompted the swift about-face. But political rivals had spent the day urging him to step down, while media inspected his denial that he had ever solicited sex.
Mr. duplessis had sounded defiant earlier in the day.
“I never, never, never received sexual services,” he said in a brief news conference Friday.
“I did not solicit — I did not receive, I received nothing sexual. There was an attempt to extort me.”
His comments came one day after news stories reported unconfirmed allegations he was involved in an encounter with an escort that went awry.
Police have confirmed that a man has complained about being extorted by a prostitute on June 14 — but they haven’t identified the man.
They said the man got involved in a dispute with an escort about payment, and that there was an alleged extortion attempt afterward.
They have said they plan to hand the case over to prosecutors for their consideration.
The case represents only the latest controversy involving a Canadian mayor following resignations, criminal charges and police investigations of municipal leaders in different cities.
For Mr. duplessis, it wasn’t the first time through the scandal-wringer.
The city was recently placed under provincial trusteeship after allegations at a provincial inquiry that Mr. duplessis took part in illegal political financing when he was a councillor.
But he still sounded committed to stay- ing in the job Friday morning.
“I will of course be continuing in my role as mayor,” he said earlier in the day. “I will not quit.” It’s unclear whether political pressure played a role in changing his mind.
Laval city councillors had been convened for a meeting at City Hall late Friday afternoon. Members of Laval’s unelected opposition parties were, meanwhile, calling for him to quit.
Jean-Claude Gobe, a former Liberal MNA who has announced his intention to run for mayor this fall, had said Mr. duplessis needed to step down out of respect for residents.
“It’s something that he needs to understand — that he no longer has the credibility or the moral authority [to stay on].”
A new interim mayor will be chosen from the remaining group of city councillors. That person will hold the post until municipal election on Nov. 3.
The resignation of Laval’s interim mayor came a week after the interim mayor of Montreal resigned. Both Mr. duplessis and Michael Applebaum had been replacing scandal-plagued elected predecessors. Mr. Applebaum quit after he was slapped with fraud charges.