"Domaingate" - when dirty tricks blow back on the dirty tricksters

As allegedly dirty tricks go, it’s an interesting one.

First, create 14 separate political campaign web sites, all in the name of the candidate you support.

Then, obscure the fact that you created those web sites. Put them up online without your name.

Once that’s done, re-direct all of those web sites to the the web sites of your main opponent. That is, make it look like your opponent is doing dirty tricks. When, in fact, you are the one doing the dirty tricks.

Then get it all to the media.

That, it is alleged in a major court action, is what happened to Ryan Williams, the former Conservative MP for the Bay of Quinte riding.  In last year’s election, Williams’ main opponent was Liberal Chris Malette. It was always going to be a tight race. Every advantage mattered.

So, someone - and Williams now knows who - registered no less than 14 separate Internet domains. Then, as noted, they pointed all of those domains to Ryan Williams’ side. Giving the impression, ipso facto, that Williams was involved in some pretty shady behaviour.

Except he wasn’t.

Williams is now suing the fellow who created those web sites: Steven Solarz. Solarz is a well-known Liberal in the Belleville-Prince Edward County area. He managed the Ontario Liberal campaign in 2025, and is a self-professed computer whiz.

Creating web site domains isn’t unethical or illegal. What’s unusual, in this case, is Solarz allegedly creating them for his preferred candidate, a Liberal - and then pointing the web sites at the Conservative candidate, when people clicked on it.

And what makes that wrong - and perhaps against the rules - is then falsely accusing the Conservative candidate of the dirty trick. When the dirty trick clearly seems to have been cooked up by none other than a supporter of the Liberal candidate.

When the story leaked out, it was bad, bad, bad for Williams - even after his campaign told Malette’s that they had nothing to do with it. On cue, a local Facebook page declared that “Chris Malette’s site is somehow hooked to Ryan Williams.” A torrent of condemnation followed: “Ryan’s team clearly bought it so he could mis-direct people,” said one. “Bad look, Williams,” said another. “An ugly move on the Williams team part,” said another. Lots of allegations of “dirty tricks,” all pointing the finger at Williams.

The Liberal campaign swiftly issued a press release insisting that the web site domains had been purchased by a “person outside his campaign.” Bad media coverage followed. Multiple local media outlets jumped on the story. “Underhanded online antics marring Bay of Quinte federal race,” proclaimed the Belleville Intelligencer newspaper on its front page. “Online domain manipulation strike’s candidate’s campaign,” said the Quinte News.

On election day, Williams lost to Malette, by about 2,000 votes.

[To read more, subscribe here]