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| Toronto mayor Rob Ford: questions swirl over crack cocaine controversy | Toronto mayor Rob Ford: questions swirl over crack cocaine controversy |
| (4 months later) | |
| Toronto mayor Rob Ford faced renewed questions on Tuesday over his alleged use of crack cocaine and reports that a video shows him smoking the drug. | Toronto mayor Rob Ford faced renewed questions on Tuesday over his alleged use of crack cocaine and reports that a video shows him smoking the drug. |
| A day after robustly denying the existence of the video and that he is addicted to crack, Ford was surrounded by reporters when he arrived at City Hall on Tuesday to chair a meeting of the executive committee, but he refused to answer any questions. | A day after robustly denying the existence of the video and that he is addicted to crack, Ford was surrounded by reporters when he arrived at City Hall on Tuesday to chair a meeting of the executive committee, but he refused to answer any questions. |
| On Monday, Ford was hit by the resignation of two senior members of his staff. George Christopoulos, his press secretary, and Isaac Ransom, his deputy, resigned "on principle", according to CBC News. | On Monday, Ford was hit by the resignation of two senior members of his staff. George Christopoulos, his press secretary, and Isaac Ransom, his deputy, resigned "on principle", according to CBC News. |
| Their departure comes four days after Ford fired his chief of staff Mark Towhey. | Their departure comes four days after Ford fired his chief of staff Mark Towhey. |
| Reporters from Gawker and the Toronto Star, who say they have seen the footage, say that it appears to show Ford inhaling from what seemed to be a glass crack pipe. | Reporters from Gawker and the Toronto Star, who say they have seen the footage, say that it appears to show Ford inhaling from what seemed to be a glass crack pipe. |
| Ford's troubles deepened on Monday night when Gawker reached the $200,000 target it set to raise the cash to buy the video. | Ford's troubles deepened on Monday night when Gawker reached the $200,000 target it set to raise the cash to buy the video. |
| Gawker's decision to raise money to pay alleged criminals for the video has raised questions, not least from commenters on its own site. | Gawker's decision to raise money to pay alleged criminals for the video has raised questions, not least from commenters on its own site. |
| But in an interview with CBC radio on Tuesday, Gawker's editor, John Cook, defended the "Crackstarter" campaign and accused the Canadian media of being too timid. | But in an interview with CBC radio on Tuesday, Gawker's editor, John Cook, defended the "Crackstarter" campaign and accused the Canadian media of being too timid. |
| "The idea that the proper role of a news agency is to be aware of incredibly important information, and just sort of sit on it while you dot your Is and cross your Ts … is what creates that sort of culture you have in Toronto where you have a mayor with a substance abuse problem that everyone knew about it and no one says it," Cook said. | "The idea that the proper role of a news agency is to be aware of incredibly important information, and just sort of sit on it while you dot your Is and cross your Ts … is what creates that sort of culture you have in Toronto where you have a mayor with a substance abuse problem that everyone knew about it and no one says it," Cook said. |
| However, Cook acknowledged in an update on Monday that "our confidence that we can consummate this transaction has diminished." | However, Cook acknowledged in an update on Monday that "our confidence that we can consummate this transaction has diminished." |
| "We have had no further contact with the people we believe to have custody of this video since the last update." A previous update stated that it had not heard from the tipster since last Sunday. | "We have had no further contact with the people we believe to have custody of this video since the last update." A previous update stated that it had not heard from the tipster since last Sunday. |
| The clip was allegedly offered for sale to Gawker and the Star by men involved in the drug trade, according to reports on both sites. Both reports were accompanied by a photo provided by one of the men which allegedly shows Ford with his arms around two men. | The clip was allegedly offered for sale to Gawker and the Star by men involved in the drug trade, according to reports on both sites. Both reports were accompanied by a photo provided by one of the men which allegedly shows Ford with his arms around two men. |
| One of them is believed to be Anthony Smith, a 21-year-old college student who was recently killed in a shooting outside a Toronto nightclub. | One of them is believed to be Anthony Smith, a 21-year-old college student who was recently killed in a shooting outside a Toronto nightclub. |
| The Star and the Globe and Mail have reported that the police are now investigating links between the video and a recent homicide in Toronto. | The Star and the Globe and Mail have reported that the police are now investigating links between the video and a recent homicide in Toronto. |
| The Star reported on Tuesday that the third man in the photograph was also injured in the same shooting, two months ago. | The Star reported on Tuesday that the third man in the photograph was also injured in the same shooting, two months ago. |
| When contacted by the Guardian for comment, police in Toronto did not immediately respond. | When contacted by the Guardian for comment, police in Toronto did not immediately respond. |
| Ford's political career was embroiled in controversy before he was elected mayor in 2010. The Toronto Star reported earlier this year that he was asked to leave a gala fundraiser for wounded Canadian soldiers because he appeared to be drunk. | Ford's political career was embroiled in controversy before he was elected mayor in 2010. The Toronto Star reported earlier this year that he was asked to leave a gala fundraiser for wounded Canadian soldiers because he appeared to be drunk. |
| During his election campaign, he denied a 1999 arrest for marijuana possession in Florida but later acknowledged it was true. He pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and failing to give a breath sample to police. | During his election campaign, he denied a 1999 arrest for marijuana possession in Florida but later acknowledged it was true. He pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and failing to give a breath sample to police. |
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