Toronto’s conservative Mayor Rob Ford is being accused of smoking crack cocaine after reporters for Gawker and the Toronto Star say they were showed a video of Ford in the act and calling another politician a homophobic slur. Ford’s attorney has slammed the allegations.
Gawker’s John Cook first wrote about the video, writing that they got a tip that this video exists and would have to pay six figures to obtain it. The tipster sent him a single image from the tape, showing what looks like Ford wearing the same sweater he was pictured in recently. The tipster wouldn’t give Cook another screenshot and he had to travel to Toronto to see it.
Cook is convinced that the video shows Ford, the only person visible in the video. It looks like he’s smoking from a crack pipe. Among the comments he makes while high, Ford says, “Pierre Trudeau was a faggot!” The person who had the video told Cook that it was taken in the last six months. Cook said that Gawker didn’t have the money, so he didn’t buy the video.
Two Toronto Star reproters also saw the video on Friday, May 3. They wrote that they heard Ford say, “I’m f---ing right-wing,” and appears to say “they are just f---ing minorities” about a high school football team he coaches. He also tells the person taking the video that the phone “better not be on.”
As The Wrap notes, The Star reporters wrote that they heard Ford call Justin Trudeau a “fag,” not Pierre Trudeau. Justin Trudeau is the current Liberal Leader and the son of Pierre Trudeau, the former prime minister.
Gawker did receive an email from a Dennis Morris, who claims that he is Ford’s attorney. “Mayor Ford denies such took place, and if such posting occurs, it is false and defamatory, and you will be held legally accountable,” a portion of the statement reads. When the Star contacted Morris, he said, “How can you indicate what the person is actually doing or smoking?”
The Star, which also didn't buy the video, also tried to get a hold of Mark Towhey, Ford’s chief of staff, but he hung up the phone when the paper called.