{
  "id": 16833201,
  "title": "Former Ontario cabinet minister who resigned over expenses scandal defends promotion",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/former-ontario-cabinet-minister-who-resigned-over-expenses-scandal",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-28T01:26:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CityNews",
    "slug": "citynews",
    "url": "https://toronto.citynews.ca/2026/10/27/former-ontario-cabinet-minister-who-resigned-over-expenses-scandal-defends-promotion/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Stan Cho, a former cabinet minister in Ontario's Premier Doug Ford's government, has defended his recent promotion despite being accused of misuse of taxpayer funds. Cho resigned from his role as tourism, culture, and gaming minister in July after expensing $16,000 in hotel stays, despite living in the city. He acknowledged making an \"error in judgment\" and stated that he had repaid the debt to taxpayers from his own pocket.\n\nCho's situation gained attention due to the emergence of a \"special circumstances rule\" allowing some cabinet ministers in Toronto to use a taxpayer-funded hotel credit card under certain conditions. This rule had been in place since around 2023. Ford recently promoted Cho to a position as parliamentary assistant to Education Minister Paul Calandra, which includes a $22,000 annual salary increase. Opposition parties, including the NDP, have called for Cho to resign his seat in the legislature, accusing him of making a poor decision and lacking accountability for his actions.",
  "summary": "A former member of Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s cabinet who resigned his post over an expenses scandal defended his recent promotion and said he billed taxpayers for Toronto hotel stays for family reasons. Stan Cho resigned as tourism, culture and gaming minister in July after expensing $16,000 in Toronto hotel stays despite living in the […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Former Ontario cabinet minister who resigned over expenses scandal defends promotion",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/27/former-ontario-cabinet-minister-who-resigned-over-expenses-scandal-16782355",
        "published": "2026-10-27T18:50:11.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Global News",
        "title": "Former Ontario cabinet minister who resigned over expenses scandal defends promotion",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/27/former-ontario-cabinet-minister-who-resigned-over-expenses-scandal",
        "published": "2026-10-27T19:00:45.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}