Rob Ford admits he smoked crack cocaine
It's official, Rob Ford has admitted smoking crack cocaine within the last year. "Yes, I have smoked crack cocaine," Ford said in a scrum at City Hall a short time ago.
"Am I an addict, no? Have I tried it? Probably in one of my drunken stupors, probably approximately about a year ago," he told reporters.
He said he couldn't remember where he was at the time.
"That's why I want to see the tape. I want everyone in the city to see this tape. I'd like to see this tape, I don't even recall there being a tape and a video."
Previously Ford had denied using crack cocaine - "I do not use crack cocaine, nor am I an addict of crack cocaine," he told reporters several months ago - but today's admission leaves little doubt as to what's in the pipe on the video.
Ford said he hadn't lied about his drug use in the past. "You didn't ask the correct questions," he said.
Cllr. Denzil Minnan-Wong is planning to file a motion asking Ford to step aside. Cllr. Gary Crawford, also a member of Ford's executive committee, said he would support any motion asking the mayor to vacate his seat.
"He needs to step aside, not down," Cllr. Jaye Robinson said. "Mayors have to have credibility. At this point he does not have a scrap of credibility left."
Cllr. Maria Augimeri said she wouldn't be supporting Minnan-Wong's motion.
"He has not been charged or convicted of anything. This is a democracy. We live in Canada," she said.
Ford is unlikely to shift, according to the Toronto Sun's Joe Warmington. "I feel like I got 1,000 pounds off my back," Ford told the paper, rejecting calls to take a leave of absence or quit entirely.
The mayor is due to make a statement shortly.
MORE FORD STORIES FROM TODAY:
- Councillors file motion to restrict Rob Ford's powers
- Major Rob Ford protest planned for November 13th
- Doug Ford says police chief Bill Blair should resign
Video provided courtesy of Global News
Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.
Image: Chris Bateman/blogTO
