City lawyer offering cash reward to unmask the source of Twitter account

Troy Shantz A city lawyer is offering a $1,000 reward to anyone who can identify the source of an anonymous Twitter account that targets select City Hall politicians and administrators.

Troy Shantz

A city lawyer is offering a $1,000 reward to anyone who can identify the source of an anonymous Twitter account that targets select City Hall politicians and administrators.

Joseph Santoro, of Santoro Law Office, said the Twitter account ‘Scholtens Foot’ is damaging the reputation of individuals and its author or authors need to be held accountable.

“Once that identity is there, legal documents can be served,” he said.

“Documents for slander, for defamation, inflicting emotional harm, interference with contractual relations.”

‘Scholtens Foot’ — a dig at Coun. Cindy Scholten — claims to be the voice of at least one City Hall staff member with inside information. It regularly mocks its victims and claims at times to have damning information that it threatens to release.

“It’s not fun and games,” said Santoro, who has been a target himself. “We’re dealing with people’s lives here.”

Tweets by ‘The Foot,’ Santoro noted, were critical of the Centennial Park project and directly pointed a finger at Andre Morin. The late city engineer died suddenly and of natural causes on May 9 at the age of 41.

“Without a doubt I believe it detrimentally affected his health,” Santoro said.

“They may not have pulled the trigger, but I think they loaded the gun.”

Coun. Scholten, a frequent target, said she welcomed Santoro’s effort to identify those responsible.

“The attacks are so specific and so targeted,” she said.

“They’re attacking really good people with really good intentions, so of course it’s going to hurt, and they know it’s going to hurt.”

Scholten said she has been collecting evidence and turning it over to her own lawyer, who is based in London.

Other citizens have said they are keeping a record of libelous tweets from the past year for possible future legal action.

“Shutting it down couldn’t happen soon enough,” said Coun. Matt Mitro, another target.

Mitro acknowledged the Twitter account has fewer than 300 regular followers, but said the ongoing personal attacks have a compounding effect.

“I do understand social media enough to understand that this is getting traction with people who believe this to be true,” he said.

Santoro, who grew up in Sarnia, said he first tried to unmask the account last winter when he organized a public library forum to discuss two workplace harassment investigations involving Mayor Mike Bradley.

He said when Morin died he decided to resume the search.

“My number one priority is Sarnia. I want Sarnia to thrive and I don’t have any skin in the game,” he said.

“True Sarnia people, people that want what’s best for the city, can unite and have a conversation.”

Santoro is promising anonymity to anyone who comes forward with information about those responsible for the account.