They are NOT saying anything of the kind. That's the assumption that many people seem to be making, but really what they said was that over six weeks they pursued a claim that a video of Ford smoking crack existed, and two reporters managed to see a video that met such a description on two occasions. However they carefully only described what they saw,"…appearing to draw on a glass pipe", and carefully pointed out they couldn't see if anything was in the pipe, let alone say what it was, or that the 'Ford' character inhaled anything.There is a tipping point for everything. Basically the Star is saying their representatives verified that Rob Ford smokes crack. They have seen the proof - not here-say, not some unnamed source. This time they are the source, the accusation is coming right out of their mouth. Either Ford addresses this or he's done. He can't say it's the same as all the other smears. Acting like a boor is one thing, this is entirely a different kettle of fish.
All the Star is saying is that Gawker's report is the same as they found: that someone's trying to sell a vid they claim to be of Ford smoking what the sellers claim is crack. And BTW, it's kinda curious with all this careful proceeding, that no one's accounted in much detail for having the still that was published, although they have instanced another occasion when Ford wore that sweatshirt. One imagines a moment by moment chronology of this op will come soon.