Toronto police are in possession of a tape of Mayor Rob Ford smoking crack and he still refuses to resign. Here, appearing in front of his office, he speaks with reporters: "I wish I could come out and defend myself. Unfortunately I can't, because it's before the courts. And that's all I can say right." Asked if he's going to resign, he says no: "I have no reason to resign."
Ford faced allegations in May that he had been caught on video puffing from a glass crack pipe. Two reporters with the Toronto Star said they saw the video, but it has not been released publicly. Ford maintains that he does not smoke crack and that the video does not exist.
"Ford himself has been the target of a police investigation that witnessed and photographed him in months of on-the-ground and airplane surveillance taking part in meetings with Lisi, according to the documents, released on orders of Superior Court Justice Ian Nordheimer.
Only half of the 500 pages have been released. The other half will be the subject of legal arguments to be submitted by Nov. 8.
Toronto police Chief Bill Blair told reporters they recovered two videos from a computer hard drive on Oct. 29 that are relevant to their investigation. At least one will eventually be presented in court. The Star has been told by sources that the 90-second video its reporters saw was an edited version of the original.
“It's safe to say the mayor does appear in the video,” Blair told reporters.
Blair said he has seen the video. His reaction? “As a citizen of the city, I am disappointed.”
Based on the video, Blair said "there is nothing now that would support laying a criminal charge against Ford."
lleged drug dealer and Ford friend Alexander Sandro Lisi, 35, was arrested Thursday morning and has been charged with extortion.
