A string of emails obtained by the Journal de Montreal have linked former Liberal politician Marc-Yvan Côté to a team that helped raise money for Premier Philippe Couillard during his run for the head of the Liberals in 2013.
In one of the emails he guaranteed Couillard would get support from 24 Liberal delegates in the eastern part of the province.
Côté was banned for life from the federal Liberals in 2005 after he admitted to handing giving a briefcase full of cash to candidates during the 1997 election.
The disgraced fundraiser was arrested in March 2016 in connection with alleged illegal campaign financing, along with Quebec's former deputy premier Nathalie Normandeau.
During a press conference Thursday morning Couillard responded to the report, claiming to have had no idea of Côté's involvement.
"Mr. Côté had no role in the organizing of my leadership campaign, no mandate, no authority, period" the Premier repeated several times when pressed by reporters in Quebec City.'
Couillard said in 2012, prior to officially launching the campaign, he asked Côté personally to not get involved in any way.
Parti-Quebecois leader Jean-François Lisée is not buying any of the Premier's claims, calling it inconceivable that the Premier had no idea Côté was in some way involved.
CAQ leader François Legault is calling for a parliamentary committee to look into the matter, a move also supported by Lisée.