What Rob Ford has said about the alleged crack video
Few words from Toronto's mayor in response to a large scandal
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford had little to say today during a brief news conference held after Chief Bill Blair announced Toronto police have recovered a video consistent with previous media reports about the mayor allegedly smoking crack cocaine.
But Ford has long denied the existence of the video. Here are some of the mayor's quotes on the matter:
"I wish I could come out and defend myself," Ford said outside his city hall office on Thursday afternoon. "Unfortunately I can't because it's before the courts. That's all I can say."
He added: "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.”
"Absolutely not true," he said outside his Etobicoke home on May 17 after the allegations first surfaced. "It's ridiculous. It's another Toronto Star whatever.”
Later that day Ford again called the allegations, first published in the Toronto Star and on the U.S. website Gawker, ridiculous.
“It’s another story with respect to the Toronto Star going after me," Ford said. "And that’s all I’ve got to say for now."
Facing intense media scrutiny and a letter from the city’s executive demanding he respond, Ford again denied the allegations a week later.
"I do not use crack cocaine," Ford told a jam-packed news conference at Toronto City Hall on May 24. "Nor am I an addict of crack cocaine."
Ford said he could not comment on a video "that I have never seen or does not exist."
The mayor spoke again about the purported video during his weekly radio show on May 26.
"Folks, I've addressed these allegations and it’s unfortunate that you get put in this situation, but we're moving forward," Ford said.
"Number one, there is no video, so that's all I can say," he said.
"You can't comment on something that doesn't exist."
On May 30, Ford was again asked about the allegations after losing several of his staffers, but refused to answer questions on the subject.
"Anything else?" Ford said, before saying that he planned on running again for mayor in 2014.