JimLes
Well-Known Member
Since we do everything better than you here in Canada, we have recently decided that misbehaving politicians have become a cottage industry, and naturally, we had to one up you on that. Now, I know most of you must be at least vaguely aware of Rob Ford since he's been headlining both real news and late-night shows, however, I'm not sure you're familiar with just how ridiculously over the top the whole story is. You see, Rob Ford isn't simply a disgraced politician, he's the amalgamation of every disgraced politician. Drugs, womanizing, threats, fake apologies, public inebriation...he's got it all. So, for the benefit of those living south of the border, I present you with the Rob Ford highlight reel.
Born to a wealthy businessman father, Ford naturally paints himself as a champion of the common man. Lowering taxes, cutting expenses, "cleaning up city hall," and all the other things one would expect from a populist son of privilege. Before even starting his political career, he managed to get arrested for pot possession and DUI in Miami, Florida. This event was apparently so unremarkable, that Ford forgot about it mere 10 years later when he ran for mayor.
https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2010/08/19/go_ahead_take_me_to_jail_rob_ford_told_police.html
A few years later, he runs for city council and wins a seat. Goes to an NHL game, becomes loaded like a frat boy, belligerent, and has to be escorted out by security. He at first denies reports of this, or that he was even at the game, before suddenly confessing to everything days later. Says he made a mistake.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ford-admits-lying-to-media-about-drunken-outburst-1.618015
Around the same time, he argues that the city hall should stop spending money on AIDS programs, because only gays get AIDS. After being told that women are the fastest growing of AIDS patients, he naturally concludes they must be getting it on with bisexual men.
https://www.citynews.ca/2006/06/29/councillor-rob-ford-under-fire-over-aids-comments/
A couple of years later, he contributes to racial understanding and harmony by offering this statement about Asian people: "Those Oriental people work like dogs. They work their hearts out. They are workers non-stop. They sleep beside their machines. That's why they're successful in life. I went to Seoul, South Korea, I went to Taipei, Taiwan. I went to Tokyo, Japan. That's why these people are so hard workers. I'm telling you, the Oriental people, they're slowly taking over."
The "Oriental people" make up around 15% of Toronto's 2.5 million residents, according to the latest census.
https://www.citynews.ca/2008/03/14/...hall-sit-in-over-rob-fords-oriental-comments/
All this did not stop him from getting elected mayor of Toronto in 2010, where he apparently felt no need to change his prior behaviour to tailor his new responsibilities. He refused to get a driver(populist points), so was subsequently photographed several times engaging in phone conversations or reading while driving. Both are illegal in Ontario. As we'll later see, he was also habitually drinking and driving, but no one managed to snap any photos of that. He also gave contracts out to his buddies, and according to his own brother who is also a city councilor, wrote references letters for murderers and other criminals.
https://www.torontosun.com/2013/10/...nned-numerous-letters-for-criminals-doug-ford
Within 2 years of getting elected, Ford was removed from office by a judge's order, only to be reinstated by a higher court. You see, there may have been some conflict of interest in some of his dealings, so he was found guilty of it by the council and ordered to repay the ill-gotten money. Naturally, he refused, so a judge on the Ontario Supreme Court eventually declared his seat vacant. An appeals court struck that down, but only on the grounds that the judge had no mandate to remove Ford from office. Ford himself never denied the conflict of interest charges, either.
https://www.thestar.com/news/city_h...e_court_of_canada_rejects_appeal_request.html
Now, around this same time, rumours start to circulate about his behaviour. He is reported to have been rip-roaringly drunk at two different public events, staffers are accusing him of harassment, and there are even rumours about a cocaine habit.
These rumours gain more credence, after a video appears in private circles apparently showing Ford smokin' da crack. Pictures of him with known crack dealers don't really help, either.
https://www.thestar.com/news/city_h..._rob_ford_in_crack_cocaine_video_scandal.html
Ford denies the existence of the video, up to this point only seen by a few journalists, but the chief of police later casually drops that the cops have had access to the video all along. The police also reveal that they have had Ford under surveillance the past 3 months due to a case against one of his associates, Sandro Lisi. Said Lisi has had prior convictions for threatening to kill a woman, and was arrested on suspicions of trying to extort the aforementioned video from the person who took it. Lisi was later also charged with trafficking in marijuana, possession of the proceeds of crime and conspiracy. He's been described in the past by Ford as a close friend.
https://www.thestar.com/news/city_h...ht_video_among_two_arrested_in_etobicoke.html
Now, this is where things get really good. Ford denies the existence of video, as well as ever doing cocaine or crack. He had earlier admitted to smoking weed, and "lots of it," but he insists he's not into coke.
https://news.nationalpost.com/2013/...le-ontario-premier-says-she-did-35-years-ago/
Worse yet, his brother Doug just about questions whether the cops are making everything up and out to get the two of them. Ford spends a few more days vehemently denying ever smoking crack, only to suddenly fess up to it, unprompted.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQTwGO047E8&feature=player_detailpage#t=16
His defense for smokin' da crack is that he probably did it "during one of my drunken stupors." This, while denying he's an alcoholic. He talks about making mistakes.
2 days later, another video of Ford surfaces. There's debate on whether he's high on coke or just drunk in it, but he's clearly under the influence and he talks about how he would beat up an unnamed person. He compares himself to Mike Tyson and swears throughout. He's incoherent at times.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biUezvlEYsU&feature=player_detailpage#t=30
He addresses the video by saying he's made mistakes. Calls for his resignation are getting louder, but he refuses any thoughts of it. City council turns on him completely, and are looking for ways to either remove him or curb his powers.
A few days later, the police release some of the documents from the investigation. Ford's coworkers and colleagues allege him of doing drugs, being drunk in public weekly, getting prostitutes, racially abusing cabbies, boasting about giving oral sex to his female staffers, etc.
Ford denies accusations in a live interview, and proceeds to address the final one in graphic detail. Since this is a family forum, I won't post what he actually said, except that he finished it off by saying "I get enough to eat at home."
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/20...ied_with_escort_police_document_alleges.html#
The council then voted to ask him to step down. During the debate, Ford decides that it's a really good idea to confront and square up to a fellow council member. To say that he's behaving like a bully would be an understatement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WpsOL0ZmbA
Ford then appears on CNN and again refuses any suggestion that he resign, saying that he's not only going to serve out his term, but run for re-election and hopes to run for Prime Minister one day.
The council then meet yesterday and strip him of most of his powers, transferring them to his deputy mayor and leaving Ford with a budget and responsibilities that essentially match that of a regular council member. During the debate, Ford mimes drinking and driving.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLei_KD78bU
Then, his brother gets involved in a shouting match with someone from the audience(council meetings are public), and Ford runs over in what I assume is a coke-rage to help his brother out. Except that he ends up bowling over a fellow council member and giving her a fat lip.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB1dJeMtb08
As of today, this is what happened. Considering the story so far, there is no doubt that more lunacy is to follow, as Ford is clearly an addict, clearly loves publicity, and clearly has no self control. I will keep you all updated.
Born to a wealthy businessman father, Ford naturally paints himself as a champion of the common man. Lowering taxes, cutting expenses, "cleaning up city hall," and all the other things one would expect from a populist son of privilege. Before even starting his political career, he managed to get arrested for pot possession and DUI in Miami, Florida. This event was apparently so unremarkable, that Ford forgot about it mere 10 years later when he ran for mayor.
https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2010/08/19/go_ahead_take_me_to_jail_rob_ford_told_police.html
A few years later, he runs for city council and wins a seat. Goes to an NHL game, becomes loaded like a frat boy, belligerent, and has to be escorted out by security. He at first denies reports of this, or that he was even at the game, before suddenly confessing to everything days later. Says he made a mistake.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ford-admits-lying-to-media-about-drunken-outburst-1.618015
Around the same time, he argues that the city hall should stop spending money on AIDS programs, because only gays get AIDS. After being told that women are the fastest growing of AIDS patients, he naturally concludes they must be getting it on with bisexual men.
https://www.citynews.ca/2006/06/29/councillor-rob-ford-under-fire-over-aids-comments/
A couple of years later, he contributes to racial understanding and harmony by offering this statement about Asian people: "Those Oriental people work like dogs. They work their hearts out. They are workers non-stop. They sleep beside their machines. That's why they're successful in life. I went to Seoul, South Korea, I went to Taipei, Taiwan. I went to Tokyo, Japan. That's why these people are so hard workers. I'm telling you, the Oriental people, they're slowly taking over."
The "Oriental people" make up around 15% of Toronto's 2.5 million residents, according to the latest census.
https://www.citynews.ca/2008/03/14/...hall-sit-in-over-rob-fords-oriental-comments/
All this did not stop him from getting elected mayor of Toronto in 2010, where he apparently felt no need to change his prior behaviour to tailor his new responsibilities. He refused to get a driver(populist points), so was subsequently photographed several times engaging in phone conversations or reading while driving. Both are illegal in Ontario. As we'll later see, he was also habitually drinking and driving, but no one managed to snap any photos of that. He also gave contracts out to his buddies, and according to his own brother who is also a city councilor, wrote references letters for murderers and other criminals.
https://www.torontosun.com/2013/10/...nned-numerous-letters-for-criminals-doug-ford
Within 2 years of getting elected, Ford was removed from office by a judge's order, only to be reinstated by a higher court. You see, there may have been some conflict of interest in some of his dealings, so he was found guilty of it by the council and ordered to repay the ill-gotten money. Naturally, he refused, so a judge on the Ontario Supreme Court eventually declared his seat vacant. An appeals court struck that down, but only on the grounds that the judge had no mandate to remove Ford from office. Ford himself never denied the conflict of interest charges, either.
https://www.thestar.com/news/city_h...e_court_of_canada_rejects_appeal_request.html
Now, around this same time, rumours start to circulate about his behaviour. He is reported to have been rip-roaringly drunk at two different public events, staffers are accusing him of harassment, and there are even rumours about a cocaine habit.
These rumours gain more credence, after a video appears in private circles apparently showing Ford smokin' da crack. Pictures of him with known crack dealers don't really help, either.
https://www.thestar.com/news/city_h..._rob_ford_in_crack_cocaine_video_scandal.html
Ford denies the existence of the video, up to this point only seen by a few journalists, but the chief of police later casually drops that the cops have had access to the video all along. The police also reveal that they have had Ford under surveillance the past 3 months due to a case against one of his associates, Sandro Lisi. Said Lisi has had prior convictions for threatening to kill a woman, and was arrested on suspicions of trying to extort the aforementioned video from the person who took it. Lisi was later also charged with trafficking in marijuana, possession of the proceeds of crime and conspiracy. He's been described in the past by Ford as a close friend.
https://www.thestar.com/news/city_h...ht_video_among_two_arrested_in_etobicoke.html
Now, this is where things get really good. Ford denies the existence of video, as well as ever doing cocaine or crack. He had earlier admitted to smoking weed, and "lots of it," but he insists he's not into coke.
https://news.nationalpost.com/2013/...le-ontario-premier-says-she-did-35-years-ago/
Worse yet, his brother Doug just about questions whether the cops are making everything up and out to get the two of them. Ford spends a few more days vehemently denying ever smoking crack, only to suddenly fess up to it, unprompted.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQTwGO047E8&feature=player_detailpage#t=16
His defense for smokin' da crack is that he probably did it "during one of my drunken stupors." This, while denying he's an alcoholic. He talks about making mistakes.
2 days later, another video of Ford surfaces. There's debate on whether he's high on coke or just drunk in it, but he's clearly under the influence and he talks about how he would beat up an unnamed person. He compares himself to Mike Tyson and swears throughout. He's incoherent at times.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biUezvlEYsU&feature=player_detailpage#t=30
He addresses the video by saying he's made mistakes. Calls for his resignation are getting louder, but he refuses any thoughts of it. City council turns on him completely, and are looking for ways to either remove him or curb his powers.
A few days later, the police release some of the documents from the investigation. Ford's coworkers and colleagues allege him of doing drugs, being drunk in public weekly, getting prostitutes, racially abusing cabbies, boasting about giving oral sex to his female staffers, etc.
Ford denies accusations in a live interview, and proceeds to address the final one in graphic detail. Since this is a family forum, I won't post what he actually said, except that he finished it off by saying "I get enough to eat at home."
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/20...ied_with_escort_police_document_alleges.html#
The council then voted to ask him to step down. During the debate, Ford decides that it's a really good idea to confront and square up to a fellow council member. To say that he's behaving like a bully would be an understatement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WpsOL0ZmbA
Ford then appears on CNN and again refuses any suggestion that he resign, saying that he's not only going to serve out his term, but run for re-election and hopes to run for Prime Minister one day.
The council then meet yesterday and strip him of most of his powers, transferring them to his deputy mayor and leaving Ford with a budget and responsibilities that essentially match that of a regular council member. During the debate, Ford mimes drinking and driving.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLei_KD78bU
Then, his brother gets involved in a shouting match with someone from the audience(council meetings are public), and Ford runs over in what I assume is a coke-rage to help his brother out. Except that he ends up bowling over a fellow council member and giving her a fat lip.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB1dJeMtb08
As of today, this is what happened. Considering the story so far, there is no doubt that more lunacy is to follow, as Ford is clearly an addict, clearly loves publicity, and clearly has no self control. I will keep you all updated.
