Special Prosecutor David Crossin, Q.C. has concluded that no charges should be laid against Langley Township Mayor Rick Green.
The decision was announced in a written statement issued Friday morning (Sept. 9).
The Crossin ruling follows an RCMP investigation into an accusation Green violated privacy laws in September 2010 after he was censured by Langley Township counsel.
"Having reviewed the investigative report prepared by the police and applied Criminal Justice Branch policies and charge approval standards, Mr. Crossin concluded that there is no substantial likelihood of conviction for any offences," said the statement issued by the Criminal Justice Branch.
Crossin was appointed in June to conduct an independent charge assessment review of the report to Crown prosecutors by police.
"Given that no charges have been approved by Mr. Crossin, neither he nor the Criminal Justice Branch will be releasing any details of the report which he reviewed," the statement said.
Green was delighted by the decision.
"It's what I expected it to be and what I hoped it would be," he said.
"I'm just thrilled."
The police investigation of the mayor was prompted by an anonymous letter alleging breaches of the Privacy Act and Community Charter when Green made a public statement on Sept. 14, 2010, the day after he was publicly censured by council over his conduct in the Brownshak affair.
Green had told council in a closed-door session in 2009 that he had received an anonymous letter and copies of corporate records about Brownshak, a small Langley developer at the centre of a political controversy.
Green said that these documents might support allegations of improper conduct by Brownshak and its principals, who were the wives of realtors Joel Schacter and Bob Bailey, and of MLA Rich Coleman and Township administrator Mark Bakken.
The allegations were found to be groundless.
At the Sept. 14, 2010 press conference, Green admitted that he had misled council at that emergency meeting about Brownshak.
He claimed the anonymous letter had arrived the day before the emergency meeting, when in fact he had known about the Brownshak documents since August of 2009.
According to a Township press release, Green apologized to council at two closed meetings.
Council censured Green and stripped the mayor of all his appointments on the Metro Vancouver board and Fraser Health advisory council for the rest of his term.
The Township mayor estimated the affair has cost the Township $100,000, mostly on outside legal advice, and that he personally has spent another $20,000 of his own money defending himself against "politically motivated" allegations.
"I've maintained since day one that I did nothing wrong," Green said.
"We've wasted far too much time, energy and money on a non-issue."
Green added he has copies of "everything said and done over the last two years."
"I'm seriously considering my options," he said.
Note: An earlier version of this story with the above quote suggested the mayor was considering legal action.
Green objected to that characterization and said it was not correct.