Failed candidate Patrick Brown claims CPC 'would have manufactured anything' to disqualify him from leadership race

In early July, Patrick Brown was disqualified from the Conservative Party leadership race, a decision he claims was made to ensure front-runner Pierre Poilievre becomes the next Conservative candidate for prime minister.

On Monday, he doubled down on his assertion that the party had acted nefariously, suggesting that they'd "manufacture anything" to push him out.

Brown made the comments during an interview on CBC's Power and Politics.

"The last time we spoke you were pursuing legal options and appealing the federal party's decision to disqualify you," host Vassy Kapelos began. "Have you given up on all that?"

Brown said he and his team are "still pursuing legal options," adding that "it's important that Canadians know what happened."

Brown went on to suggest that the Conservative Party "damaged the possibility of having a fair election" by mailing ballots out to members who said he'd been disqualified.

Kapelos pushed Brown on the fact that he originally told his supporters that he would appeal the decision, however, Brown said while he would try and get to the bottom of things, his candidacy is over.

He added that many of his supporters have moved to support Jean Charest, a politician Brown said he had a lot in common with, and will likely be voting for.

Brown then claimed that the CPC has "set the table for a Pierre Poilievre coronation."

When pressed by Kapelos on the scandal that caused the Conservatives to oust him, Brown claimed that "the party would have manufactured anything" to disqualify him, suggesting it was "clearly a request of the Pierre Poilievre campaign."

He suggested the party "didn't want to have a free and fair election," warning it is showing similarities to the Republican Party in the US.

Upon being disqualified, Brown filed his papers to run for re-election as mayor of Brampton, Ontario.