Gawker Claims Video Exists of Rob Ford Smoking Crack

[Phil C. McNasty]

This might just happen. The campaign launched at 3PM on the Friday of a long weekend, and it’s already raised $80K. Tomorrow people get back from their long weekends, then they have another 6 days to break the $200K mark

 

[userz]

There are already cracks appearing in the Toronto Star's version vs. Gawker's version.

Gawker claims somebody in the background goaded Ford by saying "Pierre Trudeau was a faggot!". The Toronto Star, whose reporters have also seen the video, say that it's Justin Trudeau being called a faggot.

The Star also has Ford himself, and not the voice off-screen, making the "faggot" remark, though that's not how Gawker remembers it. So either the Star or Gawker didnt hear it right.

See here: http://gawker.com/for-sale-a-video-of-toronto-mayor-rob-ford-smoking-cra-507736569

So the drug dealers goaded Ford into calling a Trudeau a faggot? Should we truly expect our public servants to resist using homophobic slurs while being surreptitiously filmed in the presence of crack dealers in a downtrodden neighbourhood? Do the crack dealers in this town have no shame? It's just like Doug Holyday said, we can't trust drug dealers...

 

[userz]

The reporters did not even ask the drug dealers when the video was taken, or ask to see the video time stamp. These are reporters who are representing the Star, who is being asked to lay out $100K+ to buy the video, a video that could ruin the reputation of the mayor, and the reporters don’t even ask, wtf. This is important information that takes about 5 seconds to check on the phone. W5 = Who, What, When, Where, & Why. Reporters deal with pictures/video, dates/times on a daily basis, it is a critical part of their business.

About 6 months ago is not an answer. When do you ever see news stories that say, sometime last year, or about 6 months ago, when the time/date can be known exactly. It could be the reporters did not ask about the date/time, because they did not want to know, because the video is fake or does not exist. What other explanation is there?

I think you're onto something. Toronto's drug dealers are so clearly lacking in organizational and time management skills that they aren't keeping meticulous records as to the exact date and time when the Chief Magistrate of the city is in their company. That's the real story here.

 

[simon482]

You believe people who do drugs can fuction properly every day???? Get rid of the waste.

i was doing enough drugs for 5 people to over dose daily and i never missed a day of work or called in sick.

 

[ogibowt]

i was doing enough drugs for 5 people to over dose daily and i never missed a day of work or called in sick.

well. you are the special one...the rest of us are mere mortals

 

[simon482]

well. you are the special one...the rest of us are mere mortals

there are lots of functioning alcoholics and drug addicts out there. just cuz you can't handle your buzz doesn't mean no one can.

 

[shack]

Paying for the video

The term chump change was used in relation to Ford. Well, just think how much that term relates to what $200,000 would be to the Star.

I imagine they'd be salivating at the opportunity to pay for the video. Why have they not done so?

If it is actually real, not only would they make a fortune with the headlines they could splash internationally, but they would get their long desired wish of totally discrediting Ford and getting him turfed on his ass.

Why in the world are they not stepping forward to pay for this thing and get it released? Doesn't make sense to me.

 

[ogibowt]

there are lots of functioning alcoholics and drug addicts out there. just cuz you can't handle your buzz doesn't mean no one can.

but you , of , course, made it about yourelf......yep, and after 1 beer, i throw up...but of course you already know that..

 

[simon482]

i can't wait till the video is either confirmed or denied. half this thread is gonna be eating a shit samich.

 

[simon482]

but you , of , course, made it about yourelf......yep, and after 1 beer, i throw up...but of course you already know that..

of course i made an observation about drug use using myself as an example. if i was to use examples of other people i could have very possibly been lying as i have no idea about other people. any time anyone speaks of experience other than personal experience they are guessing. so i am guessing there are lots of functioning addicts out there but i have no links to prove it.

i am guessing you can't function properly after a few beers let alone put in a full day of work.

 

[Phil C. McNasty]

The term chump change was used in relation to Ford. Well, just think how much that term relates to what $200,000 would be to the Star.

I imagine they'd be salivating at the opportunity to pay for the video. Why have they not done so?

If it is actually real, not only would they make a fortune with the headlines they could splash internationally, but they would get their long desired wish of totally discrediting Ford and getting him turfed on his ass.

Why in the world are they not stepping forward to pay for this thing and get it released? Doesn't make sense to me

I think it comes down to journalistic integrity (or whatever is left of it). Newspapers dont like to pay for stories, because its not good ethics and it encourages people to hoax stories.

TMZ is one of the few media who do pay for stories, and they pay a lot too. Its not uncommon for them pay $100K for something juicy

 

[james t kirk]

The term chump change was used in relation to Ford. Well, just think how much that term relates to what $200,000 would be to the Star.

I imagine they'd be salivating at the opportunity to pay for the video. Why have they not done so?

If it is actually real, not only would they make a fortune with the headlines they could splash internationally, but they would get their long desired wish of totally discrediting Ford and getting him turfed on his ass.

Why in the world are they not stepping forward to pay for this thing and get it released? Doesn't make sense to me.

The Star has stated that they do not pay for news.

 

[simon482]

I think it comes down to journalistic integrity (or whatever is left of it). Newspapers dont like to pay for stories, because its not good ethics and it encourages people to hoax stories.

TMZ is one of the few media who do pay for stories, and they pay a lot too. Its not uncommon for them pay $100K for something juicy

rob ford is juicy. that is probably just gravy pockets and sweat.

 

[shack]

I think it comes down to journalistic integrity (or whatever is left of it). Newspapers dont like to pay for stories, because its not good ethics and it encourages people to hoax stories.

TMZ is one of the few media who do pay for stories, and they pay a lot too. Its not uncommon for them pay $100K for something juicy

I think the Star would not give a hoot about dropping 200G's or journalistic integrity in relation to this story. I'm sure they could find a way to get get it paid for and not have it traced back to them if they needed to.

As I said, they should be salivating to get it out. It is illogical for them not to do what it is necessary to get this video out, if they know for sure it incriminates Ford.

 

[shack]

The Star has stated that they do not pay for news.

Does anyone truthfully think the Star would not pay to finally and utterly put an end to Fords administration? They'd have a collective orgasm and principles be damned.

Sorry, I don't buy that excuse for a second.

 

[Phil C. McNasty]

Does anyone truthfully think the Star would not pay to finally and utterly put an end to Fords administration? They'd have a collective orgasm and principles be damned.

Sorry, I don't buy that excuse for a second

Thats actually a good point you make. And they would never have to tell anyone they paid for the story either.

The Sun sums the whole thing up nicely: http://www.torontosun.com/2013/05/20/piranhas-descend-on-mayor-rob-ford

'Piranhas' descend on Mayor Rob Ford

It didn’t take more than a few hours this past Friday for Toronto’s media pundits and assorted talk show hosts to circle like piranhas in search of fresh blood from Mayor Rob Ford.

Never mind that our colleagues at the Toronto Star went with a damning story about Ford’s alleged crack cocaine use based on a video they did not have in their possession and the word, er, reputation of Somali drug dealers — in other words with very flimsy evidence.

No one bothered either to check into the background of John Cook, the Gawker editor who first posted the video on his gossip website — which prompted the Star to run with the story.

He’s described as “left-leaning” and was recently singled out by the Honest Reporting organization in the U.S. for claiming Israelis deliberately kill human shields in Gaza.

Forget about the fact that Star has been out for Ford’s blood from the day he was elected in October of 2010 because, my goodness, his agenda is not theirs and horror of horrors, he’s also fat and sweaty.

That didn’t matter, either.

The court of public opinion had already sat and Ford was tried and convicted.

I will not comment on the video or whether the allegations are true or not because I have not seen it. I’m not in the habit of relying on the say-so of my competition or Somali drug dealers.

That said, the mayor should respond to the allegations in more detail sooner, rather than later, and either put them to rest or if they are true, take a leave to seek professional help. He wouldn’t be the first politician in Toronto with a drug issue (can we say George Smitherman?)

Still, it made me absolutely sick to hear — while enroute to New York for a family Bar Mitzvah Friday — the absolute relish with which various radio hosts repeated and repeated the salacious details of Ford’s alleged drug problem.

One of them was a would-be mayoralty candidate who allowed the Gawker editor to defame Ford repeatedly for five minutes during an interview on his show before the host weakly declared that calling Ford a “known crack cocaine addict” was only an allegation.

There was another talk-show host who had on a Humber New Media professor — who while claiming he hadn’t seen the video, swore up and down that such a video would be dreadfully difficult to doctor.

This same host also suggested Ford should sue the Star, conveniently forgetting that the mayor is already out more than $300,000 for three court cases he won but for which he can’t collect.

There was my fellow columnist at the Star who has been mostly MIA from City Hall as of late — but suddenly appeared there on the Friday before a long weekend. Why? Because he smelled blood.

“They (the Star) are so determined to bring down the mayor ... they jeopardize everything just to get the story,” says speaker Frances Nunziata, who was repeatedly pestered over the weekend by the Star for comment and help.

The feeding frenzy continued over the weekend as the Star reportedly stalked the mayor’s family both in Etobicoke and up at their cottage, leaving the mayor’s mom absolutely beside herself.

I still remember how in 2009 when I dared suggest the former mayor David Miller trotted out his family for the first time (for show) during his resignation speech, I was beaten up by my detractors for days after. Not once did I stalk him at home or at the various eateries he was known to frequent, despite the many tips I received. The mere mention of Miller’s family was a travesty to the left.

It shouldn’t be far from the public’s mind that Councillor Ana Bailao was recently charged with a serious drinking and driving offence for which she lost her licence for six months.

That went away far too quickly and quietly — because it involved a leftist councillor.

But because it is Ford, it is all fair game, folks.

“There has been a double standard ... he’s had coverage and scrutiny no mayor has gotten so far,” says Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday. “The fight with the Toronto Star has just gotten out of hand.”

I loathe how much Ford’s foibles and the sideshow have detracted from the good things this regime has done to clean up City Hall and from getting more things done.

Still, let’s call this latest crusade for what it is. Journalistic ethics and principles, good solid research and evidence, even the mention that these are just allegations — at this point — have gone flying out the window because they involve Rob Ford.

My goodness, even alleged murderers get a fairer hearing

 

[ogibowt]

of course i made an observation about drug use using myself as an example. if i was to use examples of other people i could have very possibly been lying as i have no idea about other people. any time anyone speaks of experience other than personal experience they are guessing. so i am guessing there are lots of functioning addicts out there but i have no links to prove it.

i am guessing you can't function properly after a few beers let alone put in a full day of work.

yep. a lifelong slacker..but again you knew that...

 

[simon482]

yep. a lifelong slacker..but again you knew that...

you sure are an angry dude.

 

[ogibowt]

you sure are an angry dude.

naw, not really..just like critiquing knobs.....im as happy as a lark...but you were at least right twice, i cant hold my liquor and i dont like putting in time at work....prefer gambling...

 

[Jennifer_]

Does anyone truthfully think the Star would not pay to finally and utterly put an end to Fords administration? They'd have a collective orgasm and principles be damned.

Sorry, I don't buy that excuse for a second.

yep

I have a friend who used to be an editor with The Star.

They won't pay for the clip ~ no doubt in my mind. (and that is something I respect).