Rob Ford Transgressions Thread

[jar_e]

Well this just gets more and more bizarre...

http://gawker.com/a-pipe-wielding-th...se-s-511642073

Last night, Gawker identified the house in Toronto's Etobicoke neighborhood that was the backdrop for a photo of mayor Rob Ford standing with two men who were later gunned down in a gangland-style shooting. Days after we published that photo—along with an account of having watched a video of Ford smoking crack cocaine—a resident of that home and his girlfriend were attacked by a man wielding a metal pipe, who had come looking for the video, Gawker has learned.


We have also learned that the video of Ford smoking crack cocaine was recorded inside that home on the same day the photo was taken.

[Devils'Advocate]

Ha! So Ford didn't even bother PAYING for the video? Some thugs took it?

I gotta give it to the man. I thought Harper was the Teflon man. But hiding evidence of hanging out with drug dealers while doing crack... Damn. I really have to give it to the man.

BTW - Poll on canoe says that 58% of people believe Ford can recover from this and continue his political career.

[jar_e]

Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate

Ha! So Ford didn't even bother PAYING for the video? Some thugs took it?

I gotta give it to the man. I thought Harper was the Teflon man. But hiding evidence of hanging out with drug dealers while doing crack... Damn. I really have to give it to the man.

BTW - Poll on canoe says that 58% of people believe Ford can recover from this and continue his political career.

I'm sure the anti-Ford crowd would believe this to be Ford paid said thug to take it...

[MarchHare]

Well now...

Back on March 26, two months before Gawker first broke the story, a commentator on a Toronto blog claimed to know that Rob Ford smokes crack at the home of somebody named "Jasmin".

http://www.torontomike.com/2013/03/t...comment-234172

Rinse
March 26, 2013 / 21:09

Here's the thing: Rob Ford DOES use crack cocaine. A friend of mine,
her mother is a serious drug addict. Rob Ford regularly goes over to
her house to smoke crack.
The problem is this: The daughter wants to expose Rob Ford's drug
abuse, but her oldschool Italian grandmother won't allow her to "bring
shame" upon the family, long story short. So basically the daughter has
become complicit with the entire thing instead of doing the right
thing. Shame on you Jasmin.

Some guy on Reddit did some amateur internet sleuthing into the address of the house that was supposedly the scene of the photo of Rob Ford and the drug dealers. The address has been published throughout the media (e.g this Globe and Mail story). He made an interesting -- although perhaps entirely coincidental -- discovery.

http://www.reddit.com/r/toronto/comm...t_home/cad4jni

The house on Windsor Road is officially owned by an elderly couple. The neighbours believe the husband died in the past few years and say that the primary residents of the home are the grownup children, believed to be in their 40s.
15 Windsor Rd is listed to "E Basso" in the phonebook. http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/the...&pid=135696263 says Elio Basso passed away on November 6, 2009. The obituary lists Jasmine as his granddaughter. "Jasmin" is the name mentioned at http://www.torontomike.com/2013/03/t...comment-234172
Edit: Based on the names published in the Toronto Star story (after I posted this), it's the right family.

Interestingly, "Basso" is an Italian family name, so that part at least fits in with the original claim that "Jasmin" has an "oldschool Italian grandmother".

This is hardly a smoking gun and is really on the same level of Orange Julius Guy, but I thought some of you might find it a bit interesting.

[Flashpoint]

Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate

Ha! So Ford didn't even bother PAYING for the video? Some thugs took it?

I gotta give it to the man. I thought Harper was the Teflon man. But hiding evidence of hanging out with drug dealers while doing crack... Damn. I really have to give it to the man.

BTW - Poll on canoe says that 58% of people believe Ford can recover from this and continue his political career.

This is exactly the sort of leader Toronto needs. A man who takes care of business any way possible.

And doesn't eschew the pipe. That may not play well at society parties, but you want a leader in touch with the streets.

[Muta]

I'm happy the video 'disappeared' (metaphor for 'sitting in Rob Ford's house behind his fireplace'). That means we get to continue to see the comedic awesomeness that has captivated the world. The program is called Toronto, and it comes highly recommended!

[Flamenspiel]

Originally Posted by Flashpoint

This is exactly the sort of leader Toronto needs. A man who takes care of business any way possible.

And doesn't eschew the pipe. That may not play well at society parties, but you want a leader in touch with the streets.

Excellent!

[Flames89]

Some more banter...
http://torontoist.com/2013/06/new-de...video-surface/

[Flames89]

Or better yet this:
http://gawker.com/a-pipe-wielding-th...se-s-511642073

[Devils'Advocate]

What new information is there that jar_e didn't post a ways back? Nevermind. on closer inspection I think they are the same article.

[Regulator75]

[Flames89]

Sorry. Didn't notice.

[MelBridgeman]

So looks like a dead story now - no out rage at the media for potentially fabricating this story? I mean in my world no proof means a high possibility of fabrication.

[Ryan Coke]

Actually, whether a legal level of proof exists does not change anyone's guilt or innocence. It only changes whether they can be legally punished.

For you, you don't believe he did it. For me, I put the probabilities very high that he has done crack, and there is likely a video. But if I was sitting on a jury, there isn't enough to convict him on.

[MelBridgeman]

Originally Posted by Ryan Coke

Actually, whether a legal level of proof exists does not change anyone's guilt or innocence. It only changes whether they can be legally punished.

For you, you don't believe he did it. For me, I put the probabilities very high that he has done crack, and there is likely a video. But if I was sitting on a jury, there isn't enough to convict him on.

You think he is guilty based on hearsay. Imagine if someone with a beef against you started spreading "rumours" and everyone around you, friends, family, employer was convinced you were guilty based on that hearsay. I bet your opinion changes pretty quick.

If Rob Ford actually does crack, there is more proof than just a video and there are more people who know, you just can't do crack and not have anyone know about it. You can't possible kill or pay off everyone to keep silent - it's border line truther insanity - Bottom line is people don't like Rob Ford, because of his politics and how he presents himself (both pretty shallow reasons) and people want this to be true, so they try real harder to justify it.

[V]

So what stops Ford from suing for libel now that nothing's turned up?

[MelBridgeman]

Originally Posted by V

So what stops Ford from suing for libel now that nothing's turned up?

Well he should if he is truly innocent...

[nik-]

Half of his staff isn't quitting over a fabrication. Some people pick weird hills to die on.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by MelBridgeman

You think he is guilty based on hearsay. Imagine if someone with a beef against you started spreading "rumours" and everyone around you, friends, family, employer was convinced you were guilty based on that hearsay. I bet your opinion changes pretty quick.

If Rob Ford actually does crack, there is more proof than just a video and there are more people who know, you just can't do crack and not have anyone know about it. You can't possible kill or pay off everyone to keep silent - it's border line truther insanity - Bottom line is people don't like Rob Ford, because of his politics and how he presents himself (both pretty shallow reasons) and people want this to be true, so they try real harder to justify it.

True, I don't like his politics or the way he presents himself. He presents himself as an a$$hole, so that's a pretty easy one for me. How is that "shallow"? What would an "un-shallow" reason be to dislike a politician?

As for the lack of outrage at the media, the problem is most people believe it's true, and that the story wasn't made up out of thin air. We haven't seen the video, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen.

[MelBridgeman]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

True, I don't like his politics or the way he presents himself. He presents himself as an a$$hole, so that's a pretty easy one for me. How is that "shallow"? What would an "un-shallow" reason be to dislike a politician?

As for the lack of outrage at the media, the problem is most people believe it's true, and that the story wasn't made up out of thin air. We haven't seen the video, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen.

Attacking someone based on appearance/or how he carries himself is shallow.

Attacking someone with the sole purpose of circumventing democracy because he doesn't lean your way politically is pretty bush league - This isn't about making Rob Ford look bad (he does a pretty good job himself at that) it's about running him out of office. Better ways to do that - so maybe not shallow. But this entire thing is reaching new heights, and to me an outsider I can't decide who makes Toronto look worse- Rob Ford or his detractors.

I know it's "politics" but this is out of control.