Ford Desecration Pt IV - the march to Detroit continues

This headline pretty much sums it up about Ford:

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/10/15/councillor_paul_ainslie_calls_mayor_rob_ford_a_bully_and_a_liar_after_robocalls.html#

And this from one of his former allies and member of his Executive Committee!!!!!

Unionist wrote:

Yeah, it may be pertinent, but some non-anonymous proof or evidence would be nice. Otherwise, to repeat myself, it is gutter journalism.

Don't you agree?

Apparently the Ontario Press Council does not agree with you.  link

Quote:

Canada's two largest newspapers acted responsibly and in the public interest in reporting on drug allegations against Mayor Rob Ford and his brother, Coun. Doug Ford, the Ontario Press Council ruled Wednesday.

The Globe explains the genesis of their Globe story on the Ford family's involvement in the drug trade:

Public Editor: The Fords, the facts, and the use of anonymous sources

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/community/inside-the-globe/public-editor-...

Quote:

So, in the interest of greater transparency, here is the backstory on The Globe’s allegations that Doug Ford sold hashish as a young man.

The story started when reporter Greg McArthur and freelance writer Shannon Kari paired up to do a profile of the newly elected mayor and his prominent family. As the reporters interviewed people who knew the Fords, all the conversations quickly turned to Doug Ford and allegations of his drug dealing.

I think I mentioned this upthread, but I have personally heard these allegations myself, from some patients at a methadone clinic where I used to work in 2006, around the time when Wendy Ford was shot in the face.

Quote:

This took the two reporters on an 18-month journey, interviewing dozens of sources and narrowing down the key interviews to those who said they had direct knowledge of the alleged drug dealing. They checked court records; they also used FaceBook and details from other sources to confirm that the sources were involved, corroborating facts at every turn. Then the reporters, senior editors and, in some cases, a lawyer revisited the key sources to confirm their details. Extensive efforts were made to convince the sources to go on the record, but in the end they were concerned that their background would taint them or make it difficult to cross the border.

So the sources were anonymous to the public, but the reporters knew exactly who they were. Some of these sources were people who had a history of drug addiction and incarceration. 

More from the public editor at the Globe:

Quote:

Many don’t know the Supreme Court of Canada has said that “some form of legal protection for the confidential relationship between journalists and their anonymous sources is required.” ... Justice Edward Belobaba of the Ontario Superior Court found “little to no public interest” in forcing the paper to reveal its sources. “Unless the media can offer anonymity in situations where sources would otherwise dry up, freedom of expression in debate on matters of public interest would be badly compromised,” he wrote. “Important stories will be left untold.”

The Fords are wealthy and powerful, have friends in government at both the provincial and federal levels, and have an unknown amount of influence over Toronto Police Service. People making these allegations took a great personal risk, even doing it anonymously. 

whose wendy ford and why was she shot in the face?

So I saw on CBC that Karen Stintz has put her hat in the ring for Mayor.

So, is Olivia going to run? If so, she doesn't have that much time left to make that decision and run. Sure, she might have more name recognition than Judy Wasylicia-Leis had in Winnipeg, but she still needs a long time to focus on building her campaign team so she's in a position to take on Ford. My general belief is that (especially in a large city) that someone who wants to effectively challenge a sitting mayor needs about 1 year to be successful.

Man, it's simply astonishing that Stintz would be dim-witted enough to hand Mayor Cartman such ammunition, and practically on a silver platter, no less. I daresay she'll be genuinely shocked when Ford actually has the bad taste to attack her over this. I'm on the verge of sniggering, but honestly, the whole thing just seems weirdly indicative of the fact that Ford's supposed peers refuse to see that he's not a typical politician, especially how the Fords are positively gleeful about steamrolling over whoever happens to get in their way. I imagine she'll be as surprised as our dear Prime Minister must have been when it finally penetrated that fellow scumbag Mike Duffy had no intention on falling on his sword for him. This is all the more hilarious when you consider Stintz was instrumental in giving Ford his recent big win on the Scarborough subway issue. Ye gods!

John Lancaster and Jamie Strashin of CBC report that police are in possession of the crack video. 

Strashin:  "Cheif Blair says police are in possession of "relevant video file" that has been subject of media reports."

Lancaster:  "Police now have @TOMayorFord alleged crack video."

link

ETA:  Bill Blair stated, "We have recovered a digital video file that is consistent with what has been described in media reports."

I myself am sometimes a bit cranky in the morning --> link

Gawker, unsurprisingly, is engaging in just a bit of gloating about Blair's press conference. Here's th' link:

http://gawker.com/its-a-rememberance-poppy-1456074762

The comments section at the above item is sweeter by far than any Halloween candy! Tee hee!

Nice to see the cops blow the lid off of Mayor Cartman's lies regarding the video "that doesn't exist." Time for a gloat: Heh, heh, heh! That said, we all know Ford isn't going anywhere...voluntarily, at least. Back when the crack story first hit, the comments sections for all the online news stories covering it were full of his supporters bellowing variations on "What the man does in his personal life is his own business!" In other words, Ford's fanboys believed the allegations, but were perfectly willing to give it a pass. As with the Republican Tea Party types who condone illegal, questionable, or out-and-out psychotic behavior in their own people that they'd want to crucify their political enemies for. But then, that's tribalism for you.

I saw the first poll Nicky mentions quoted on City Tv's 24 news station last night, and was heartened to note that the majority of people in Toronto are capable of recognizing the kind of creature Ford really is. If this poll is accurate, his level of support is still much higher than it should be, rather shockingly so...but at least most of us see him for the fraud he is. That's something.

Frankly, I'm sick of all this gloating over media coverage of Ford's friends and his drug use.  All this does is feed the perception of many voters that Ford's opponents can't beat him on policy issues, so have to resort to smearing him.  I'm with those who say we should focus on how the policies of the right hurt Toronto.  Only by beating Ford and the right on real issues, not who they associate with or what they ingest in their free time, will a new City Council be able to claim a real mandate for change.  All this crap about Ford's drug use and his friends really only serves to undermine that work.  I don't want him forced out by a scandal or by a judge, I want him voted out because he's a bad mayor.

.

I agree that Ford's character is flawed. That hasn't stopped him from succeeding in privatizing a nice chunk of public services, mobilizing three levels of government funding for a subway that is going to cost Torontonians an extra billion dollars over the proposed LRT, and paralyzing any real, organized opposition to him or Ford Nation. He may have lied about the video, his use of drugs, etc., but the dude lies every day by that measure, over much more important issues: the budget, his critics, etc. He's a farce, and when his time is over, we will likely have a less-ranty conservative mayor who will probably sell off the rest of our garbage collection, cut services etc.

And I'm not sure the conservative brand really is hurting. Lots of compassionate, reasonable folks on the right of the spectrum are lined up to fill Ford's spot. What Ford has shown us is that the political really is visceral, non-rational and power-based. Appeals to logic and thought are nice Enlightenment trappings, but won't necessarily carry the day. If they did, pinko vegan cyclists would probably have a greater chance of running this town.

As some of you may have noticed at the time, the following took place just a couple of weeks ago: Mayor Cartman called a press conference to publicly blast a worker for the city that he claimed was sleeping on the job. Here's a link:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/mayor-rob-ford-blasts-slacking-city-workers/article14896545/#dashboard/follows/

Ford and his sidekick Giorgio Mammoliti - the latter enacting the role of the schoolyard bully's nasty little friend who sucks up to the bully so that he won't get personally picked on - seized on this latest "proof" of evil, lazy, government parasites preying on the all-holy taxpayer, and (of course) exploited the deliberately manufactued tempest-in-a-teapot for all the self-promotion they could wring from it. But the really funny thing was that, once again, Ford was screeching about something that he himself was not exactly innocent of:

http://drivingtheporcelainbus.blogspot.ca/2011/07/rob-ford-sleeps-through-deputations.html

That's ri-iii-ight. In full view of several hundred witnesses, Mayor Moron was fast asleep while he was supposed to be on the job, showing nothing but contempt for the citizens - taxpayers, even - who he'd invited there himself to lodge their complaints. People were actually watching the oaf while he slept, and for all we know, they heard him snoring. A far cry from the poor schmoe he and Mammo had ambushed with their latest l'il "Gotcha!" moment of scapegoating city employees. After all, we have only their word for it that the man they were smearing was actually asleep, and at the time they claimed (10:30 in the morning). Call me picky, call me hard to please, but given the rather selective relationship those two have with the truth, I don't think their word alone is good enough. Depending on when the man's shift began, he could only have been resting his head momentarily while taking a legitimate break. I've seen that sort of thing plenty at my various jobs. But I guess city employees simply aren't allowed breaks anymore...unless they're a nutty, far right Mayor, that is. In that case, you can take naps at public meetings, in front of hundreds of colleagues and citizens alike, and then go on to excoriate far less powerful figures for supposedly doing exactly the same thing that you're demonstrably guilty of.

So, why am I bringing this up now? To illustrate that you don't fight back against a street fighter, especially a dirty fighter, like Rob "Cracky" Ford with little more than good intentions. I knew we'd be getting comments along the lines of Joey Ramone's here this morning, and the sad thing is, I don't particularly disagree: Of course I'd prefer to see His Oafship kicked out of office because of his toxic, anti-people policies and the fact that he's a horrible Mayor. The way I differ is that I recognize we can't just float above it all on a gossamer cloud of pink perfume, as if none of Ford's ugly personal behavior has no bearing on him holding on to his job. You don't give him a pass on things that he attacks others for and that he himself is guilty of. That's just common sense, fer Chrissakes.

He's a farce, and when his time is over, we will likely have a less-ranty conservative mayor who will probably sell off the rest of our garbage collection, cut services etc.

This is true, but if the alternative is letting Ford do anything he damn well likes, and get away with sorts of nasty shit in the process, well, I gotta say that's not exactly appealing.

Rob Ford just spoke to the press and said he will NOT resign. Saying there is no reason to resign.

“I have no reason to resign. I’m going to go back and return my phone calls. I’m going to be out doing what the people elected me to do and that’s save taxpayers’ money and run a great government that we’ve been running,” Mr. Ford told a crush of journalists outside his office.

In a statement lasting just one minute, the mayor also said: “I think everybody’s seen the allegations against me today. I wish I could come out and defend myself, but unfortunately I can’t because it’s before the courts.”

.

Sineed wrote:

do you really think someone can be an ethical and effective politician while at the same time they are a vile human being?

cco wrote:

Sineed wrote:

do you really think someone can be an ethical and effective politician while at the same time they are a vile human being?

Isn't that the argument for Mulcair?

:)

When it comes to your friends, anything goes - tear them to shreds - and whitewash your enemies' every sin.  That's another name for puritan politics.

Unionist seems to treat the recent revelations as vindication for his views rather than refutation.

I agre that personal attacks in politics often go too far, particulalry where they are based on distortion and vindictiveness. I don't think that the press should beseige Ford's home for example.

But there comes a point when a politician's character is relevant to the job he is doing or seeking.

That point has long been passed by Ford. He is a politician who has not refrained from smearing his opponents, claiming credit for things he has not done, distorting the truth, and outright lying, over and over and over.

An attitude like Unionist's has allowed him to get away with his for far too long and to do immense harm to my city. 

I wonder if Unionist is prepared to forgive the moral corruption of the munipal policians in his own city and urge that citizens cast their votes based only on the "issues"?

Ford lawyer just released a statement saying he now wants Blair to release the video. Saying it would vindicate him, as he was smoking TOBACCO. And no one can prove otherwise.

That is Ford's lawyer.

mersh wrote:

What Ford has shown us is that the political really is visceral, non-rational and power-based. Appeals to logic and thought are nice Enlightenment trappings, but won't necessarily carry the day. If they did, pinko vegan cyclists would probably have a greater chance of running this town.

Isn't this an argument FOR emphasizing the video and Ford's other shady dealings?

Unionist wrote:

What has changed? Bill Blair, that paragon of G20 virtue, announces that the video sort of maybe exists.

He announced that the video definitely exists and the authorities have a copy.  Which leads people to believe that the video will eventually be publically viewable.  That's what's changed.

wage zombie wrote:

Unionist wrote:

What has changed? Bill Blair, that paragon of G20 virtue, announces that the video sort of maybe exists.

He announced that the video definitely exists and the authorities have a copy.  Which leads people to believe that the video will eventually be publically viewable.  That's what's changed.

[b][i]Why on earth did Blair make that announcement?[/i][/b]

I haven't seen the MSM even bother to ASK that question.

Who ever heard of, "we have a video of the Mayor smoking crack" - even when charges are laid?? Let alone, before charges are laid??

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford's lawyer is calling on police to release the video they say they now have in their possession.

In an interview with NEWSTALK 1010, lawyer Dennis Morris said, now that Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair says investigators are in possession of the video, it's the public's turn to weigh the evidence.

"Let the public see it. Let the public judge for themselves," Morris said Friday morning, adding that he's speaking on behalf of the mayor.

Morris slammed Blair for announcing Thursday that police had recovered a previously deleted video file that allegedly shows Ford smoking from what appears to be a crack pipe.

Morris said he'd like to see Blair state, under oath, that's he's seen video of Ford smoking crack cocaine.

"I'd like him to say that under oath,” he said. ”I know he can't."

Morris added that Ford looks "great" in light of the document released Thursday that shows police launched an investigation in the days after reports of the alleged video first made headlines.

"The 500 pages show beyond doubt that he's not been involved in any crack cocaine transaction or smoking crack cocaine," Morris said, adding that despite all the police resources used during the probe, police failed to lay any charges against Ford.

"Did they get any charge out of that at all?" he asked.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/toronto-mayor-rob-ford-s-lawyer-wants-video...

Desperation on Ford's part.  Blair was clear that charges couldn't be laid on Ford on the basis of the video alone, so the "I'd like him to say that under oath,” statement is silly.  He knows the cops have no intention of releasing the video now.  Still, the fact that it exists, showing Ford loaded, incoherently uttering anti-minority statements along with a homophobic slur while deeply inhaling something out of a glass pipe is sufficient, I feel.  The pattern of phone calls shows a likely connection with the extortion charge on Lisi and possibly even with a murder.  Time for Ford to go.  Mayors shouldn't be getting stinko and urinating on trees during working hours.