Jordan Peterson responds to legal threat from disgraced former Trudeau advisor

On Wednesday, Trudeau's former aid and longtime friend Gerry Butts announced that he had contacted his lawyers after a bout on Twitter with Dr. Jordan Peterson.

Dr. Peterson has since issued a response to the threat of legal challenge.

"My defence is firmly in place, legal and financial, so we'll both get a chance to air our dirty laundry.," Peterson said. "And I wouldn't count on having too much to donate to your charitable cause when the smoke clears."

The disagreement between the two began after Butts said that the "MAGA wing of the Conservative movement in Canada ... staged a hostile takeover" of Ottawa and Edmonton.

"You are a stunningly corrupt and incendiary fool @gmbutts and the story will be the cowardice of your leader @JustinTrudeau and the lies of your damnable lying calumnous cronies," Dr. Peterson responded.

"Calling me 'corrupt' is accusing me of the crime of using my former public office dishonestly for personal gain," Butts replied. "That’s defamatory. Perhaps you’re not aware of that, so I’ll give you another chance to retract and apologize."

"Is it?" Dr. Peterson asked. "I meant nothing of that sort. I called you corrupt for your inflammatory and careless comments, accusing those Canadians who oppose your views of MAGA sympathies and the prejudices you feel accompany that. But if the shoe fits, Mr. Butts, you’re welcome to wear it."

After refusing to apologize, Dr. Peterson received a threat from Butts of legal retribution. "I gave Dr. Peterson three chances and a week to clean up his own room," Butts said. "He declined, so he’ll be hearing from my legal counsel shortly. All proceeds after legal fees will be donated to shelters for women fleeing abuse in Ottawa."

"The long term strategy of right wingers is to toxify the public square so people shy away from public service," Butts added. "One of the ways they do that is to defame all their opponents as corrupt. It has to be confronted or it will work."

Butts, who was at that time the most senior staffer in Trudeau's inner circle, resigned as Trudeau's principal secretary amid allegations stemming from the SNC-Lavalin scandal. "At all times, I and those around me acted with integrity and a singular focus on the best interests of all Canadians," Butts said after resigning.