Rob Ford, mayor of Toronto UPDATES

jacee · May 21, 2013

Because selling it would very likely open them and the buyer up to criminal charges related to proceeds of crime laws.

What crime? It's not a crime to sell video to the media. Ford is allegedly the only one on video committing a crime.

Even if charges weren't laid, how ethical is it to give money over to criminals to help fund further illegal activity?

Again, media buy photos, video, etc all the time. If it's news, they'll buy it. It's their job to verify and to report the truth.

BubberMiley · May 21, 2013

Even if charges weren't laid, how ethical is it to give money over to criminals to help fund further illegal activity?

How ethical is it to ignore evidence that the mayor is a crackhead just because you don't like the people who have possession of the evidence?

Spiderfish · May 21, 2013

How ethical is it to ignore evidence that the mayor is a crackhead just because you don't like the people who have possession of the evidence?

How do you know it's being ignored? I'm sure the authorities are very interested in getting their hands on this evidence.

Spiderfish · May 21, 2013

What crime? It's not a crime to sell video to the media.

Profiting from illlegal activity is a crime. This video should be turned into the authorities, as it very likely contains evidence of illegal activity if it acutally contains what it's rumored to contain.

BubberMiley · May 21, 2013

Profiting from illlegal activity is a crime. This video should be turned into the authorities, as it very likely contains evidence of illegal activity if it acutally contains what it's rumored to contain.

You are misunderstanding the legislation. Profiting from your own illegal activity (such as writing a book about the murder you committed) is illegal. Profiting from someone else's illegal activity (such as writing a book about a murder someone else committed) is not illegal. Selling a video of the mayor doing crack is not illegal so long as it's actually a video of the mayor doing crack (and it's not the mayor selling it).

Boges · May 21, 2013

I've got to admit Ford is mishandling this thing. He didn't say anything new about video today. His talking point is: "it's ridiculous" and "it's another example of the Star going after him". He's wrong, it's not the Star. Gawker went with this story and is trying to raise the $200,000.

He'd know if he smoked crack or not. Then again the video could be a fake and he's waiting to see if someone actually will buy it to comment on it.

None of us can comment in an informed way on either possibility but It'll be interesting to see how this turns out.

Edited May 21, 2013 by Boges

Spiderfish · May 21, 2013

Selling a video of the mayor doing crack is not illegal so long as it's actually a video of the mayor doing crack (and it's not the mayor selling it).

Were these not the alleged drug dealers who sold crack to the mayor? I would have thought selling crack to someone, creating a video of the person smoking it, and then selling said video for a huge profit would be against the law. If they had no involvement in the mayor obtaining the crack, your point is valid, if they were involved, not so much.

The_Squid · May 21, 2013

Were these not the alleged drug dealers who sold crack to the mayor? I would have thought selling crack to someone, creating a video of the person smoking it, and then selling said video for a huge profit would be against the law. If they had no involvement in the mayor obtaining the crack, your point is valid, if they were involved, not so much.

I'm guessing that the other crimes these people are involved in are more serious than the potential crime of profiting from the video...

BubberMiley · May 22, 2013

If they had no involvement in the mayor obtaining the crack, your point is valid, if they were involved, not so much.

Well, I guess we'll have to go to a court of law to decide it. Unfortunately the mayor is not even calling for a police investigation into the matter. Why do you suppose that is?

jacee · May 22, 2013

Were these not the alleged drug dealers who sold crack to the mayor? I would have thought selling crack to someone, creating a video of the person smoking it, and then selling said video for a huge profit would be against the law. If they had no involvement in the mayor obtaining the crack, your point is valid, if they were involved, not so much.

I don't think the "selling" part is on the video, so no evidence on that - unless Ford wants to testify that they sold him crack. You think he will?

Only Ford allegedly does something illegal on the video.

There's nothing illegal about them taking and selling the video.

Spiderfish · May 22, 2013

I don't think the "selling" part is on the video, so no evidence on that - unless Ford wants to testify that they sold him crack. You think he will?

Only Ford allegedly does something illegal on the video.

There's nothing illegal about them taking and selling the video.

I'm sure these guys are pure as the driven snow. They likely have absolutely nothing to worry about which must be why they painted a huge target on themselves by getting caught up in the middle of something like this. If the video does come out and they can be identified, I'm sure the authorities will have no interest at all in questioning their involvement or motive, they likely have nothing to hide...

I got a laugh from the first part of your comment...evidence is something you rarely concern yourself with when forming your accusations and speculations on all sorts of matters, it's pretty rich coming from you. Thanks for the chuckle.

Spiderfish · May 22, 2013

Well, I guess we'll have to go to a court of law to decide it. Unfortunately the mayor is not even calling for a police investigation into the matter. Why do you suppose that is?

Who knows? As far as I'm concerned, he has two choices in dealing with this. If he's guilty of the allegations, he has to come clean and admit it, it's the only way he could possibly have a chance of surviving politically. If he's not guilty, he has to make a bold statement of condemnation against the allegations and demand an investigation, putting the onus back on the accusors (where it belongs) to prove their claim. Doing nothing is not an option at this point.

WWWTT · May 22, 2013

I'm sure these guys are pure as the driven snow. They likely have absolutely nothing to worry about which must be why they painted a huge target on themselves by getting caught up in the middle of something like this. If the video does come out and they can be identified, I'm sure the authorities will have no interest at all in questioning their involvement or motive, they likely have nothing to hide...

I got a laugh from the first part of your comment...evidence is something you rarely concern yourself with when forming your accusations and speculations on all sorts of matters, it's pretty rich coming from you. Thanks for the chuckle.

Sorry my friend,but you are way off on this one from your comments that I have read.

This is an alleged video of Rob Ford smoking crack.

I've never heard of someone being successfully convicted of drug traficing from only an video and no physical evidence???

And who are the witnesses that the police would talk to?Rob Ford?

You got to be kidding if you even think that the police would even get involved in this one?

This is just another nail in the nail gun being used to make Ford's political coffin!

WWWTT

Spiderfish · May 22, 2013

This is an alleged video of Rob Ford smoking crack.

I've never heard of someone being successfully convicted of drug traficing from only an video and no physical evidence???

And how about using drugs? Physical evidence would be important before convicting anyone of a crime, I agree. Trying to convince some on this board is a real challenge, however.

This is just another nail in the nail gun being used to make Ford's political coffin!

Yes, it's become obvious that it's not about evidence, but constructing the demise of Ford through conjecture. Maybe evidence is forthcoming, but at this point, is likely not neccessary to get the job done.

May 22, 2013

Why would they do that when they can get money for it?

The fact that they could get some money for it will not appreciably change their lives - those involved would remain anonymous Somali drug dealers until they get rubbed out by their rivals. Simply releasing the video and garnering publicity would perhaps earn them minor celebrity status and a certain degree of immunity. They would likely earn far more than 200k by doing so.

There are apparently more than one copy of the video out there anyway - so once some sucker forks over the money, it will probably be splashed all over the net before they can do something with it themselves...

They also shouldn't sell right-wing politicians crack. But the question of Somali drug-dealers' ethics (or even Star reporters' ethics) is a pretty weak distraction from the question of the mayor's ethics.

I would say that the ethics of trying to buy this video from these hoods is in itself a serious matter. Personally, what bothers me most about this is not the fact that he smokes crack.

jacee · May 22, 2013

Who knows? As far as I'm concerned, he has two choices in dealing with this. If he's guilty of the allegations, he has to come clean and admit it, it's the only way he could possibly have a chance of surviving politically. If he's not guilty, he has to make a bold statement of condemnation against the allegations and demand an investigation, putting the onus back on the accusors (where it belongs) to prove their claim. Doing nothing is not an option at this point.

I agree with you here.

And nothing is what he's doing so far.

And maybe there's nothing he can do.

I think the cops are interested in the video, know the participants. No crimes can be proven from the video though. Can't prove it's crack, but we'll find out if it's Rob Ford.

jacee · May 22, 2013

And how about using drugs? Physical evidence would be important before convicting anyone of a crime, I agree. Trying to convince some on this board is a real challenge, however.

Yes, it's become obvious that it's not about evidence, but constructing the demise of Ford through conjecture. Maybe evidence is forthcoming, but at this point, is likely not neccessary to get the job done.

How 'bout the damage is already done?

There's a Teen video reenactment of the alleged Rob Ford alleged crack video on youtube, called ALLEGATIONS.

I can't post a link, not sure why.

Kids are encouraging him to get help.

And the reenactment is quite funny.

Edited May 22, 2013 by jacee

May 22, 2013

I agree with you here.

And nothing is what he's doing so far.

And maybe there's nothing he can do.

I think the cops are interested in the video, know the participants. No crimes can be proven from the video though. Can't prove it's crack, but we'll find out if it's Rob Ford.

So if it can't be proven it's crack, then what's your issue with all of this? The fact that he called JT a "faggot", or that he's hanging out with a bunch of Somali gang members?

margrace · May 22, 2013

Yes Bitsy that is something the naysayers want to shove under the carpet. It was aired first in the US by Gawkers. Anything to stop the Star from publishing it. After all Ford did tell Torontonians that they shouldn't read the star. Thank goodness there is one news source not afraid to stand up to Ford.

Black Dog · May 22, 2013

The fact that they could get some money for it will not appreciably change their lives - those involved would remain anonymous Somali drug dealers until they get rubbed out by their rivals. Simply releasing the video and garnering publicity would perhaps earn them minor celebrity status and a certain degree of immunity. They would likely earn far more than 200k by doing so.

Or, being drug dealers, it would open up themselves to scrutiny by the authorities. Taking the $200K and running is by far the better option.

I would say that the ethics of trying to buy this video from these hoods is in itself a serious matter. Personally, what bothers me most about this is not the fact that he smokes crack.

What a surprise.

Boges · May 22, 2013

So I guess the new wrinkle in that story, other than that hilarious Jon Stewart segment about the issue, is that some people want to do a "sit-in" at Ford's house wanting more information.

Some people have way too much time on their hands.

Black Dog · May 22, 2013

So I guess the new wrinkle in that story, other than that hilarious Jon Stewart segment about the issue, is that some people want to do a "sit-in" at Ford's house wanting more information.

Some people have way too much time on their hands.

Yeah that's weak sauce.

Mighty AC · May 22, 2013

Almost 2 years ago I was taking a class and went out for drinks afterwards. After several pints a classmate told me that one of his lawyer buddies represents Ford and that he has serious drug issues. He wouldn't say much about the subject, just that both his lawyers and the press are aware of the problems. At the time he likened it to the Tiger Woods sex scandal. He said a lot of people know about Ford's drug problem and it was just a matter of time until a smoking gun would surface. I wish I took the story a little more seriously back then and probed him for some more info.

Edited May 22, 2013 by Mighty AC

WWWTT · May 22, 2013

And how about using drugs? Physical evidence would be important before convicting anyone of a crime, I agree. Trying to convince some on this board is a real challenge, however.

Yes, it's become obvious that it's not about evidence, but constructing the demise of Ford through conjecture. Maybe evidence is forthcoming, but at this point, is likely not neccessary to get the job done.

Ask OJ Simpson about evidence and public opinion and you may get a different answer?

Either way,public opinion is not based on the decission from an independent jury.

And that's just the way she goes man.You're not going to be able to change it.

WWWTT

Edited May 22, 2013 by WWWTT

Black Dog · May 22, 2013

And how about using drugs? Physical evidence would be important before convicting anyone of a crime, I agree. Trying to convince some on this board is a real challenge, however.

Yes, it's become obvious that it's not about evidence, but constructing the demise of Ford through conjecture. Maybe evidence is forthcoming, but at this point, is likely not neccessary to get the job done.

You seem to be confused between the court of law and the court of public opinion. One has a much lower standard of evidence and a higher conviction rate.