The former MLA at the centre of a probe by Stormont’s standards commissioner from which confidential information was disclosed to the media believes it was “done for political gain”.
The source of the leak remains unknown.
During an investigation earlier this year into a complaint against former Alliance MLA Patrick Brown, confidential material was shared with a BBC journalist.
Melissa McCullough’s investigation concluded that the South Down representative had breached the assembly’s code of conduct.
Mr Brown quit politics in April while the complaint from Shimna Integrated College in Newcastle, Co Down, was still being investigated.
The complaint centred on questions he asked the school about its governance in his position as an MLA.
A report by Stormont’s standards and privileges committee subsequently found his conduct brought the assembly into disrepute.
Ms McCullough then launched a further probe to identify the source of the leak, following a “self-referral” by the committee.
But despite concluding there had been an unauthorised disclosure of confidential information relating to a live complaint, she was unable to establish the source of the leak.
The watchdog’s report said that based on the evidence, the disclosure was likely “verbal”.
Standards and privileges committee chair Carál Ní Chuilín said MLAs were “firmly of the view” that the leaking of confidential or protectively-marked information relating to a live investigation was “both dishonourable and dishonest”, as well as being in breach of the assembly’s code of conduct.
“It was right that an independent investigation was carried out and, as a result, the committee has introduced measures to further strengthen its confidentiality procedures,” the Sinn Féin MLA said.
“The unauthorised disclosure of such information serves no public interest and causes significant damage to the reputation of the committee.”
Mr Brown told The Irish News that during the investigation into the complaint against him “it became clear, as a result of a request for comment sent to me, that a certain journalist had access to information that could only have come from a member of the committee”.
“This request related to confidential information pertaining to the investigation which I was not even aware of, and I immediately referred it to the commissioner for investigation,” he said.
“I think it is highly disappointing that the commissioner has confirmed that there was a breach of confidential information but is unable to actually find the source of this breach.”
Mr Brown said the issue “raises the question of whether current and future complaints will also be leaked to the press”.
“Whilst I appreciate the commissioner has put in place steps to address this risk, I find it highly unfortunate that matters pertaining to my case were leaked, and in my opinion this was done for political gain,” he said.
