Police now have copy of reported “crack” video of Rob Ford
Posted October 31, 2013 11:30 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO (NEWS1130) – Toronto’s mayor says he will not resign, after police in that city announced they have recovered a copy of a video file that depicts images of Rob Ford that are “consistent with those previously reported in the press.”
Claims of a video appearing to show Ford smoking crack cocaine surfaced in May when reporters from the Toronto Star and the US website Gawker reported they were shown the video.
“The mayor does appear in that video, but I’m not going to get into the detail of what activities [are] depicted in that video,” says Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair.
“I’m confirming that one was consistent with the video that had previously been described in the media. There is at least one other video file that appears somewhat relevant in this case.”
The mayor has repeatedly said he does not use crack cocaine and the video does not exist.
Today, Ford told the media he won’t make any comments about the video “because it’s before the courts.”
Blair made today’s the comments just hours after the release of a police document that showed the reported video was the subject of a police probe that led to the arrest of Alexander Lisi, Ford’s friend and occasional driver.
Blair says Lisi, who was originally charged with four drug offences, now faces an additional charge of extortion.
When asked whether Ford could face charges, Blair said there’s nothing in the video that would allow police to “form reasonable grounds” to support the laying of a criminal charge.
