Hurray! Now that Rob Ford has been shown that laws and rules don’t apply to him, he’s once again free to use city resources for his own personal pet projects like the Rob Ford Football Foundation.
Yesterday it was revealed that Chris Fickel, a Ford office staffer, had sent out a solicitation email to Marshall McLuhan Catholic Secondary School (note how those rich, elite public schools are not part of Ford’s ongoing efforts). Fickel is a regular part of Ford’s program, regularly appearing in photos with the teams, driving a city hall car to practices and games, etc.
In Fickel’s defense (not that he needs one), the email was sent from a GMail account. While it was time-stamped 4:37 p.m. on a Thursday afternoon, the fact that Rob Ford is regularly and mostly absent from his duties indicates that this may not actually have been done “on city time” (which, according to Ford, is any time he says).
And who gives a rat’s ass anyways — Rob Ford says it’s okay so just shut the fuck up and accept it.
Don Bosco, Rob’s old alma mater and the shining jewel in his infamous football foundation, is set to produce an official “will of the people”, of sorts, as both school staff and the community recently tossed around their feelings on the mayor’s involvement in the institution’s sports program (he coaches football there).
This follows a very public airing of grievances against Ford’s characterization of the community (and especially its black kids), as being poor, disadvantaged, and basically one step away from becoming drug dealers, pimps, and whores. Ford said similar things about other schools in his foundation, places like Forest Hill where the average income hovers at around $100K. Yeah, I know, it’s not rich by today’s standards, but it ain’t exactly no skid row neither.
And that reason is why the Don Bosco folks are talking about potentially putting the mayor out to pasture. The article didn’t impart the impression that the community is roiling with rage, but there’s definitely disquiet and unhappiness at being made out to seem like a ghetto (which it most certainly is not).
In case you can’t read between the very wide lines of this story: Rob Ford’s own school is claiming that the mayor misrepresented them, and are mulling kicking him out because of community disquiet. And these are his people, his old school, his old community.
So do you remember Rob Ford’s big court case where he came this close to being tossed out of office? He squeaked by on the technicality that City Council had no authority to force him to repay donations from lobbyists, and therefore the entire case was null and void?
As you may recall, the fact that Ford was using his position improperly was never at issue; all parties (with the exception of Ford and his buddies), agreed that what he did was wrong. To quote presiding judge Hackland, “…it is difficult to accept an error in judgment defence based essentially on a stubborn sense of entitlement (concerning his football foundation) and a dismissive and confrontational attitude to the Integrity Commissioner and the Code of Conduct.”
Being held to account obviously chafed the fat man something fierce because there was no end to his vitriol. Anyone who would dare question what he did (especially people who were competent and required by provincial legislation), MUST BE FIRED! After all, if the Fuhrer decrees it…
So I can’t imagine how Ford is going to deal with the fact that he was today found to be openly continuing to use his name to ask for donations from lobbyists, but he also once again ran away to his beloved American bosom to avoid any scrutiny or painful brow-furrowing (a.k.a. thinking). Second vacation in three months — just like any regular TV mobster waiting for the “heat” to die down.
Let me reiterate that in case you missed it: the thing that Ford got in trouble for and almost got him fired (were it not for a technicality), is exactly what he has continued to do since the case was dropped!
There’s no way in the universe he can still claim ignorance, or that it was some sort of decade-long bout of abject ineptitude — something that in any company would have been just cause for a firing a long long time ago.
Even the lobbyists being targeted know what the problem is:
Andy Manahan, executive director of the Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario, said he received a letter on Jan. 28 — only three days after Ford won his appeal in the conflict of interest saga that began with his decision to solicit donations from lobbyists in 2009.
“You never know what a mayor’s office could do to put a monkey wrench into your dealings with the city.”
“I don’t think it’s appropriate to take those sort of lists and send out letters to people who have dealings with the city,” Manahan said. “Again, there could be repercussions. There’s potential.”
…
The second registered lobbyist asked not to be named for fear of alienating the Ford administration. He said, “I think it’s kind of suspicious. The only interactions I’ve had with him were on city business or as a lobbyist registrant.”
He added: “It goes back to: are you allowed to use names and contact information from business dealings to raise funds? Is that permitted? It sure seems strange.”
…
Ford also sent a fundraising letter in the past two months to a non-lobbyist who does business with the city and whose fortunes he could directly influence: Brian Ashton, president of the Canadian National Exhibition Association, which stages the annual fair.
As mayor, Ford is automatically a member of the association board; if Ashton seeks re-election, Ford could vote for or against him. Under its new governance model, the association will pay rent of more than $3 million to the city in 2013.
“It’s awkward because if you’re doing business with the city in any fashion, do you feel a sense of obligation?” said Ashton, a former centrist councillor who retired from politics in 2010. “If you don’t (donate), will that influence his impression or support of your organization?”
Ashton is currently urging council members not to put a casino at Exhibition Place. He said the fundraising letters are “unnerving” because “the Fords are very powerful in Toronto.”
“I just hope that (Rob Ford) separates the two and doesn’t allow fundraising efforts to influence decisions with respect to the casino or any other CNE business,” Ashton said.
Since Rob Ford seems completely incapable of defending himself or making any public comments on his own, someone on his staff had to step in with what is now the standard Rob Ford “but it was just a mistake!” excuse:
“It is our understanding that the Football Foundation makes every attempt to remove registered lobbyists from its mass mailing lists. If errors were made, they were inadvertent. The Foundation will review and look for ways to improve its processes,” the statement from Ford’s office reads. “In any case, it is our understanding that the Foundation has not received any donations from lobbyists and it is Foundation policy to return such donations if they were to be received in error.”
And, of course, brother Dougie has to include his customary addenda:
Ford told Leiper in 2010 that he did not check to see whether the people to whom he was planning to send letters were lobbyists or appointees to city boards.
Anyone can determine whether someone is a registered lobbyist by typing a name into the publicly accessible lobbyist registry. But Doug Ford said Wednesday that he does not think his brother does so, even today.
“No. I don’t believe it makes a difference who it is. Because there are so many companies that are registered in the City of Toronto; if you look, there’s probably a couple thousand of them,” Doug Ford said.
“It depends on what you call a lobbyist or not. Rob can’t stand lobbyists; he’s the guy who fights against lobbyists. But it depends on who you call a lobbyist. Do you call ‘ABC Company,’ that wants to open up, and they’re registered, and they need to talk to councillors — are they lobbyists? I guess they are.”
Depends on who you call a lobbyist? Only if you’re an illiterate drip who’s incapable of performing a simple web search, Dougie:
But despite all this, I have to admit that there’s a sick, twisted logic behind why the Fords would be continuing on their merry, law-breaking way; the last three cases have shown that the law doesn’t apply to them, and even if they’re questioned they can just shrug, claim they’re stupid, and off they go … go get ’em tiger, go rape the city for the Conservative dynasty!
All those people who feel sorry for poor, voiceless, ganged-upon mayor Ford should consider that both he and his puppet-master / brother have a weekly radio show on Newstalk 1010 where they regularly cross the line on both taste and legality. They only allow callers who toe their line, and unrepentantly take the opportunity to openly insult and denigrate both fellow councillors and any citizens who disagree with the mayor’s “agenda”.
“This is what happens from a person that has never run a business in their entire lives,” Ford jabbed on-air in typical manner at Stintz after discovering that the contract for the concessions in the TTC (the candy / magazine stands, fast-food outlets, etc.), were sole-sourced. That means that no one else competed (or had a chance to compete), for the bid.
To be fair, sole-sourced contracts are something Ford raged about (along with Asians, gays, cyclists, pedestrians, etc.), and I think it could be successfully argued that they’re generally not a good idea. And perhaps Ford could’ve prevented it, or at least brought it to light before any contract was signed, but of course he couldn’t do that because His Lardness was too fucking busy coaching his high school football team to actually do his job.
Ford had missed countless meetings on numerous topics, including many that Stintz had requested prior to the deal. In fact, the deal was on the mayor’s desk since October 2012, completely ignored and unchallenged because Fordo can’t be bothered to do his job. That’s at least 4 months that he failed to perform his duties. That’s four months where he openly lied to the citizenry, claiming he was saving the city money, running the best administration the city’s ever seen, etc., when in reality he was fucking off early every day (or simply not showing up), to go coach his team.
And this from a man that claims that City Hall should be run like a business. Really, Robbie? If this was a business, your ass would have been fired a long time ago!
But Ford is a rich, entitled, rude career politician who’s built up a reputation of abusing power, deceit, hatred, insults, deflection and blame. This is why so many people are out for his head — Miller never faced this many lawsuits, and I’m going to guess it’s because he actually tried to do his job.
Now that the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act has basically been tossed to the curb (after really only one test run — Ford is the only mayor corrupt enough for it so far), the citizens of Toronto have no options. No options to impeach or otherwise remove Ford for his complete and abject failure to both do and be able to do his job (I can’t imagine what job he’d be suitable for, to be honest). Toronto is now set up to see a run of the worst, divisive, ineffective, and just plain stupid administration we’ve ever seen, voted in by a whopping 25% “majority” of Torontonians.
Ford will continue to fail to fulfill his campaign promises, insult the people he demands to lord over (i.e. everyone), skip work to go play, ignore laws and rules, ignore his duties, and just generally stay the deep-down dickhead that he is. After all, what’s to hold him to account on any of it?
Every once in a while I get to talking to random people on the streets about Rob Ford, and invariably the comment, “that’s some mayor you guys elected”, gets tossed out.
So just so everyone’s clear on this: NO WE FUCKING DIDN’T!
In fact, the record clearly shows that almost no one in the city proper voted for Ford. Just because he happens to have gotten elected by light thinkers living on the periphery of the vast region that comprises the city doesn’t mean that the city majority actually voted for him. In fact, in the final tally, only 25% of the Toronto borders, from Scarborough to Etobicoke, actually voted for Ford (about 50% of Toronto voted, and about 50% of those people voted for Ford). He didn’t get a majority by any means, he simply got the most votes in a race where votes were split between a number of people.
Ford Nation doesn’t seem to get this simple fact — adding 1 and 1 seems to be a feat for these people so that’s not surprising — and they maintain (usually on heady sounding boards like the Toronto Sun’s article response threads, brilliant groups like “I Hate The War on Rob Ford“, or brainiac power circles like the “Toronto Taxpayers Coalition“), that because he was elected by a “majority” (sorry, not even close), he should have dictatorial powers. And how dare the city practice representative democracy by allowing 43 other democratically elected Councillors to contradict His Highness on HIS MANDATE! (doesn’t matter how many votes those Councillors got or how many people they represent).
This is why the remaining 75% of Toronto (probably much more at this point), are pissed off with Ford and his hand-up-the-ass puppet master / brother Doug.
They don’t represent us.
None of their efforts are benefiting downtown residents, which is seen by their supporters as a sort of “yeah, fuck you downtown!” response to those of us “elites” who live here (in neighbourhoods like Regent Park). And I get that the suburbs haven’t exactly gotten the infrastructure that they need, but that doesn’t mean that downtown residents are living some sort of glamorous lifestyle on the backs of taxpayers (oh, and we also pay taxes … shocker!) And they should know that — they use the same fucking transit lines and roads that they themselves congest, that we do. Or would, if only they weren’t such selfish fucks about it.
But that’s my own generalization and it’s unfair, in exactly the same way as putting all the focus on the suburbs and completely neglecting to take care of downtown is. Difference is that I can both see and admit to it. And that, along with a complete inability to see issues for what they are, are Rob-Doug’s abject failures.
Yeah, that’s right — removing the Jarvis Street bike lane based on a lie and at the taxpayers’ expense, isn’t going to ease any of the congestion issues anywhere else in the city, and barely on Jarvis at that (all the idiots that applauded this move are still sitting in traffic on the DVP, Gardiner, 401, etc.)
And cutting the vehicle registration tax saves drivers (again, mostly outside of the city), mere pennies a day amounting to a pittance in the pocket of fools who continue to rage at the real problems that are being ignored (you mean Ford hasn’t fixed traffic or parking or the price of gas?! Those damn Leftards!).
Oh, and that failure of the removal of the Land Transfer Tax (“guaranteed!” over and over again), would’ve saved people the same amount of money that Ford claimed the city was suddenly in the red for. In other words, he knew it would leave the city in a financial hole, lied about it, tried to blame it on his predecessor, and all openly under the noses of the same rubes that received Ford’s scorn because he didn’t get his way on the plastic bag tax. Yeah, he’ll turn on you faster than a rabid dog if he senses any trouble — and thanks for your support!
I wouldn’t blame you if you knew little about the upcoming trial of our ignominious, embarrassing mayor, Rob Ford.
I follow him and his merry band of criminals and I must admit that even I didn’t know the full extent of the abuses of power and influence that are to be tried at the upcoming court date, but hopefully I can make sense of it all in this post and you’ll be able to see why this is such a serious issue (and why the man has to go).
The facts thus far…
Ford is very much the front man for the Rob Ford Football Foundation which, under his name and to his political benefit, funds a number of schools around Toronto. Here’s Rob himself to introduce it:
According to the Notice of Application by Clayton Ruby’s office — he’s the lawyer leading the charge against the Mayor — Ford used the City of Toronto logo on both the envelope and letter to solicit donations to his charity prior to the 2010 election. Just to make sure everyone knew it was Rob, he had it gold-embossed with yet another City of Toronto logo and “Rob Ford Etobicoke North Councillor” on it.
This can easily be seen as vote buying — you donate to Rob’s foundation, he gets you tax receipts and special favours when he gets into the Mayor’s seat. Even if that never happens (though with Ford, it most likely would), the chance of it happening is eliminated by having things like the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act (in fact, that’s the sole reason for this law to exist in the first place!)
Maybe Robbie didn’t know that it could be perceived this way?
Not a fucking chance.
He had done something similar twice before (noted in the same Notice), and was slapped on the wrist for it by Janet Leiper, the Integrity Commissioner. There are also numerous previous examples that clearly demonstrate that Ford was sensitive, sometimes too much so, to conflicts of interest at City Hall. So claiming that he didn’t know would be an outright and easily provable lie.
But this is just the beginning of the story.
In mid-August of 2010, Ford had a formal complaint lodged against him on this issue which was investigated by the Integrity Commissioner. There are some out there, like Giorgio Mammoliti, the same Councillor, and Ford’s personal buddy on Council, who said he’ll openly break the law if things aren’t done his way, who suggest that the I.C. has it in for Ford, basically suggesting that because she’s doing her job, she’s engaging in some sort of personal vendetta.
My own meeting with the Integrity Commissioner suggests she’s one of the most balanced, fair, and carefully-treading individuals I’ve ever met; by far the most professional and unbiased lawyer the city could find. The video above demonstrates exactly the same demeanor I encountered.
But I guess neither Mammoliti nor Ford can possibly imagine that an Integrity Commissioner might be engaged in, oh, I don’t know, investigating breaches of integrity. Keep in mind, too, that she doesn’t do this of her own volition; investigations only ever begin when a citizen files a formal complaint, including an affidavit, under oath (it’s not easy and requires a lot of hoop jumping).
Maybe this is why, instead of speaking to allegations of impropriety, Rob Ford spent his time “explaining” how his program works, how the “Rob Ford Football Foundation” is not in any way about him but about the kids, how he’s not involved in the process at all except that the schools involved make requests directly through him by sending him invoices, he then sends the requisitions onto his foundation, and they send out cheques and cheritable receipts to donors, and so on. All perfectly above board!
Notice towards the end of the video where he holds up the letterhead (sent to Toronto schools), demonstrating that it doesn’t mention that he’s mayor — “you would have no idea that I was a politician … if you didn’t know, obviously, if you were in another city” (Council understandably laughs). The sample letter simply just shows his mug in the corner and “ROB FORD” in big, bold, banner type at the top. So, yeah, no connection to Ford at all.
Ford then admits that he used City letterhead during his campaign: “I was wrong! I took all that off!”
You may be asking why he’s babbling about having to repay money out of his own pocket in that video.
Well, that August 2010 investigation I mentioned earlier found that Ford had breached the City Council Code of Conduct (on numerous occassions), and that in order to avoid being held to account for it, he should repay the lobbyists who donated money to his foundation.
Had he simply given the money back, a mere $3,150 (pittance for a millionaire), he could’ve simply walked away from the affair and continued on his jolly way (a Code of Conduct violation isn’t as serious as something like the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act).
But he ignored what was then a mere recommendation to repay and later that month Council voted that he violated the Code of Conduct and ordered him, under a legally binding obligation, to pay back the lobbyists.
Oh, and Rob Ford voted on that, and an additional motion to reconsider.
If you still don’t get what’s wrong with this, consider why we wouldn’t allow criminals to sit as both their own jury and judge — that’s very clearly a conflict of interest, exactly like Rob Ford sitting in on a vote to dismiss a punishment against him.
But Ford did it, and this wouldn’t be the last time.
Finally, in October, Ford claimed that he had written to the lobbyists and they said they didn’t want their money back. (Their politician is bought and paid for, after all)
The Integrity Commissioner replied that the Lobbyist Registrar (yet another office now involved), had contacted the lobbyists and told them that they were violating the Lobbyist Code of Conduct. The lobbyists wisely pulled back their offer to let Ford off the hook and demanded their money back.
Okay, let’s catch our breath here for a second and do a quick wrap-up (because it ain’t over yet):
Ford used City of Toronto letterhead, plus his name and position all over envelopes and letters sent to lobbyists asking for donations to his football charity during the election, to which he admitted: He used his influence and office to solicit donations for the Rob Ford Football Foundation
He was warned multiple times prior to this incident about similar breaches, and had on numerous occassions recused himself from votes which might indicate a conflict of interest for him: He clearly knows about conflicts of interest and about recusal from votes
The Rob Ford Football Foundation does not operate at arms length, requiring schools to send invoices and requests directly to Rob Ford: He is directly involved in the day-to-day operations of his foundation, not disconnected from it as he claims
The Integrity Commissioner warned Ford that this was a big no-no (remember this wasn’t the first time either), and gave him an out (considering his wealth, it woulnd’t have been a huge burden). When Ford didn’t respond, Council voted that he must repay the money, by law — Ford voted against that motion, and then again to reconsider it: He knowingly broke the Municipal Conflict if Interest Act twice
The Integrity Commissioner followed up many times to remind both Rob and Council that he had failed to follow up. Instead of doing as he was required to do, by law, he wrote lobbyists asking to be forgiven. The Integrity Commissioner replied to both the lobbyists and Ford that this would amount to further breaches: He tried to weasel out of his obligation and ignored the law
Well, you know, this isn’t enough for Ford. He isn’t satisfied with repeatedly flaunting being above the law or endangering the city’s citizens, he has to drive home his complete and utter lack of respect for his office, the rule of law, and even common decency.
I guess the Councillors who previously voted on this forgot what it was all about (or were tired of it), and decided unanimously to adopt the motion.
Oh, and Ford voted on this one too.
But not before another vote (on which Ford also voted), that would’ve extended the time he had to repay until October 15 of this year. Of course, kind of a moot point since the follow-up motion got Ford off completely, but I put it in for a total vote tally (I’m not including additional votes to extend speakers’ times and to end the debate — which Ford was also in on).
So at this point, over a historic journey of about two years…
Ford directly, knowingly, brazenly contravened the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act no less than four times.
He believes it’s okay to influence City Hall, and especially the Mayor, through underhanded lobbying techniques via obvious sham organizations, and to do it all out in the broad daylight for everyone to see.
I’m going to cover this endless stream of bickering over whether or not Ford takes his office seriously, or whether or not he remembers a single damn thing, in the next post. If you get a moment, read it through (it’s about 132 pages) — I’m sure that now that you know the facts, you’ll find Fords answers as outrageous and insulting as I do.
And if you happen to have the day off this September 5th, perhaps I’ll see you down at the Provincial Courts, where if there is any rule of law and justice, they must surely prevail.
Sarah and I tuned in yesterday afternoon and we were surprised to hear what sounded like real remorse in Rob’s voice. If he was faking it, he did a great job. And I accept it — as far as it went — because Robbie was very specific about what he was apologizing for: being plastered at Taste of Danforth this year, and being even more off-the-hook at an earlier St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
More than once, Rob re-iterated that this is specifically what he was apologizing for — make no mistake.
So first off, thank you, Mayor Ford, for what I perceived as genuine contrition and a recognition that being publicly intoxicated is unseemly. Your Freudian but refreshingly honest slip that this “hopefully” won’t happen again was good to hear. And you know what? Although I don’t recall going to the extent that you did, I admit to having some crazy fun party nights myself so I’m not going to be a dick and hold you to to what your brother calls “lily-white holier-than-thou” standards. It’s true, very few of us are innocent on that end.
I hope that a search through TCL’s archives will reveal that your partying or drug use were never really the issue, though you have to admit that some drugs really do affect the mind more than others, and as someone charged with the health and welfare of millions, I don’t think it’s unrealistic that such things should be considered while holding the office of Mayor.
The real issue is that you have been and continue to tip-toe around your truthlessness.
[Ford] adamantly denied having been charged when first approached by the Sun.
“No to answer your question,” Ford said.
“I’m dead serious. When I say no, I mean never. No question. Now I’m getting offended. No means no.”
But after Ford was provided with details from a Florida state criminal history record obtained by the Sun, he admitted the incident.
“I completely forgot about it until you mentioned it right now,” he said.
I mean, that’s it in a nutshell. Someone challenges you with something, and your first response is to attack them. I’m sure it’d be physical if only it was legal. Often you resort to insults that both you and your brother hurl in equal measure. It’s not inaccurate to say that denial, anger, deflection, and many things un-mayorly — and moreover uncivil — are the product of your natural demeanour.
So in the end, you’re not sorry at all, your apology is a lie, and your original statement is a lie. Liar McLiarPants.
And don’t try to blame the drugs — they might make you feel invincible, carefree, etc., but there are no substances that I’m aware of that make you an incessant liar.
If you recognized these things, the voice acting you do on the air would be genuinely convincing — sounding like you’re sorry, and saying things that indicate the same would really be something.
Actually saying something would also be helpful, because currently you’ve got your brother on LeDrew’s program filling your void and suggesting that you were probably just taking an innocent hour-long stroll from your place to the infamous crack video location and just happened to be accosted by some friendly fellows with whom you posed for one of the “tens of thousands” of photos that you pose for every year.
Or, maybe the other explanation that Councillor Ford is putting forth is that you just happened to be driving in that neighbourhood (or were being driven), and simply popped out for an impromptu, sweatshirted photo op with a bunch of strangers, all of which incidentally happened in front of a famous crack house.
All of the substantiated evidence points to something more and something very obvious, yet here you are still not being terribly forthright. You won’t address anything until, once again, the evidence is too obvious and stark. And then you’ll probably chalk it up to yet another misunderstanding.
Only thing is, we’d all have to be awfully dumb to keep misunderstanding what you’re really doing, Mayor Ford.
As Rob and Doug Ford took to the airwaves to promote their continuing assholery in picking on exclusively one councillor for his vote (19 other councillors voted the same way as Ainslie — obviously they’re not singling him out!), in Rob’s most recent pet project (subways for Scarborough), the compounded stream of pure lies and disrespect for both voters (a.k.a. taxpayers), and just plain common sense hit new heights.
In fact, it can now be accurately, and without exaggeration, be stated that most of what comes out of Rob and Doug Ford’s mouths are complete and utter lies. And when, on the rare occasion that they manage to say something even remotely truthful and accurate, they still manage to fill their claims with all sorts of bullshit, derision, and spiteful hypocrisy. What the Fords say and what they do are more often than not exact opposites; just browse a bit through this blog — the number of examples is staggering.
Here’s just a smattering from the radio show:
Caller Paul from Scarborough challenged the Fords’ claims that the Scarborough LRT, the above-ground alternative to the subway, will lead to “ripping up roads” and all of the other deceitful fear mongering that the two Fords have been menacing Torontonians with. He accurately called them “liars”, and provided a variety of facts to back this claim. Turns out the environmental assesments have all been paid for and done, and most of the LRT route would cover the existing Scarborough Rapid Transit tracks (i.e. no ripping up of roads, etc.) The Ford “plan” scraps all of those years of effort and costs a whack of money (based on previous EA costs, $1 million seems like a conservative number), in favour of back-of-the-napkin calculations, seemingly done by a 3-year-old (though apparently no one’s seen it so that’s really just a best guess).
Doug’s dismissive response was to entirely ignore all of these facts and instead respond with the usual Fordian drivel, “Do you believe in a two-tier transit system?”. No facts, no reports (even skewed ones!) to his singular claim — nope, Doug just called Paul a “liar” and then proceeded to heap lie upon deception upon insult.
Doug also included Josh Matlow in his dis session, most likely because Matlow is one of those disgusting downtown “elites” who know how to count and read; according to the Fords, all Toronto newspapers and magazines are tools of the wasteful “elite” now that they’re questioning the brothers, so start burning your books, Ford Nation!
So in case you missed that, Rob Ford not only knowingly allowed secret Pan Am spending to occur on his watch without lifting a finger (this doesn’t even include the number of times that the Games were before Council as votes, reports, etc.), but he personally appointed the people who he now feigns outrage at. Not that there’s any insinuations of impropriety, mind you — unlike Ford, all of the Pan Am executives’ bonuses were above board. And while I agree that the bonuses are quite exorbitant, it doesn’t address the fact that Rob and his brother knew about them for years and did absolutely nothing about them. Actually, that’s not 100% correct — Ford is directly responsible for ensuring that some of those people received the exorbitant bonuses.
The bullshit didn’t stop there.
Rob continued by telling guest sports commentator Mike Toth about the lessons he learned from coaching football — the importance of being on time — a wonderful example to teach newcomers to Canada what the word “hipocrisy” means. If that example doesn’t quite hit home, there’s always the follow-up statement that Robbie made on the radio show by repeating his claim that City Hall has a spending problem, not a revenue problem, and he calls bullshit on higher taxes and other revenue “tools”. What he actually meant is that he thinks you’re so fucking stupid that you won’t remember that he voted to increase property taxes by 1.6% all while simultaneously decrying any tax hikes, and at the same time hiking trasit fare and reducing services, championing massive police budget increases, cutting Councillor pay, wasting hundreds of thousands in unjustified firings, and millions in ass-backwards (some believe illegal) decisions … hell, I could go on for hours, but you get the picture.
It’s gotten to the point where that old joke has taken on a sad new gravity:
You know when the Fords are lying when they open their mouths.
Rob Ford and his brother sure do hang out with some interesting people.
For example, Allesandro “Sandro” Lisi, friend of the Fords, occassional driver and bodyguard for Rob:
“Toronto police are investigating attempts by associates of Mayor Rob Ford to retrieve the crack cocaine video.
One target of the investigation is Alexander “Sandro” Lisi, 35, a Range Rover-driving Etobicoke man with a criminal history of threatening and assaulting women, who has been acting as an occasional driver and security guard for the mayor.” Toronto Star, August 16, 2013
***
“Alessandro (Sandro) Lisi, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford’s friend and occasional driver, has been charged with possession and trafficking of marijuana, police confirmed this morning.
Police have also charged Lisi, 35, with conspiracy to commit an indictable offence and possession of the proceeds of crime.” Huffington Post Canada, October 1, 2013
***
“Calls mounted Tuesday for Mayor Rob Ford to address reports that he and his associates are under investigation by Toronto police, just as new allegations emerged about an attempt by Alexander Lisi to swap drugs for the mayor’s stolen cellphone.
Asked about the reports, a jubilant Mayor Ford, en route to council to debate the proposed Scarborough subway, emphatically shook his head and chanted: “Subways, subways, subways!”” National Post, October 8, 2013
Then there’s David Price, Ford’s buddy, financial adviser, former football coach, and ex-“director of logistics and operations” at City Hall (a position created specially for Price by Robbie):
“Just before news of the alleged crack video broke, Price was accompanying Ford at an Etobicoke community council meeting, where a controversial condo project was being discussed. Mid-meeting, Ford suddenly went to the parking lot to place magnets on parked cars.
When reporters began following Ford to ask why he had left the meeting, Ford answered a few questions before saying he would take no more. Price then physically blocked reporters from pursuing Ford, and scoffed at the suggestion from a reporter that Ford should be attending the meeting.
“He can do whatever he wants. Putting magnets on a community event — what do you expect him to be, up on stage?” Price said.” Toronto Star, May 31, 2013
***
“David Price, a senior staff member in Toronto Mayor Rob Ford’s office, has been suspended after a phone call to a local newspaper.
The controversy comes in response to an exclusive CBC News story reporting that Price made repeated calls to Ford’s weekly radio show identifying himself only as “Dave” from various parts of the city.
The calls (there were at least six) would often praise Ford and his brother Coun. Doug Ford for their work at city hall. Price, a longtime friend of the Ford brothers, wasn’t on the mayor’s staff at the time the calls were made.” CBC News, June 26, 2013
***
“David Price, Mr. Ford’s director of operations and logistics, allegedly yelled at a transit employee and damaged a door at the Georgetown GO Transit station on Aug. 27, a source told The Globe.” The Globe and Mail, September 19, 2013
***
“Marc Surette, who owns the Trackside Cafe in the station, told the Toronto Sun Price missed a train that day and told the attendant to “fuck off” before slamming one of the stations wooden doors open, causing it to hit an outside ledge and crack. When Surette confronted Price about his behaviour, the Ford staffer replied: “Yeah, fuck you dickhead, what are you going to do about it?”
Price has not responded to a request for comment about the incident.
His boss, Mayor Ford, didn’t have much to say about the incident Thursday when he finally addressed it.
“It’s actually no one’s business what happens in my office,” Ford said after a press conference celebrating the one-year anniversary of his trade mission to Chicago. “I take care of the people that work for me and they do a great job, as you see.”” Toronto Sun, September 19, 2013
***
“Dave Price’s alleged hostile behaviour toward a female attendant and door-slamming has raised eyebrows at the normally quiet station, Surette said.
“He leaves you on edge when he comes in here,” Surette said. “The whole building goes quiet when that man walks in the door. It’s kind of crazy.”
Price has had at least two “major freak outs” in the past 10 months and at least four altercations with GO staff at the station because of his frustration over Metrolinx’s Presto card.
“I think he’s had two really big freak outs before this but also some smaller exchanges as well where he just gets loud and obnoxious with the attendant,” Surette said.” Toronto Sun, September 19, 2013
Let’s not forget Gene Jones, personally appointed by Ford to replace then-TCHC (Toronto Community Housing Corp.) head Keiko Nakamura:
“And Mr. Ford said while he’s gratified the seven unelected board members took his hint and have left, he’d like to see the rest of the housing corporation’s leadership do the same. He hopes to have a brand new board up and running “probably within a month or so.”
“I’m glad that they’ve resigned. Now we can move forward,” he said. “We’re going to get this board back on its feet and restore the trust.”
The city’s auditor-general, Jeff Griffiths, whose reports found “pervasive” violations of the housing corporation’s own policies when it came to awarding contracts, is none too pleased himself. He said in a presentation to the TCHC’s board the flagrant disregard for spending policy was among the worst he’s seen in years.” The Globe and Mail, March 3, 2011
***
“Mayor Rob Ford is sticking by Toronto Community Housing CEO Gene Jones following a new report that claims the CEO is being investigated for his hiring practices.
“He’s come in. He’s cleaned house. He’s done what he has to do. I support him 100 per cent,” Ford told reporters after touring a TCHC building at 3101 Weston Rd. Wednesday. “So if people want to take shots at him, I’m gonna stick up for him.”
A report Wednesday in the Toronto Star says city ombudsman Fiona Crean is investigating complaints that Jones hired and promoted managers without allowing other staff to compete for the jobs.” CP24, September 18, 2013
***
“Ford urged the TCHC to investigate any possible corruption and fully backed CEO Gene Jones in the wake of news the corporation has a forensic accounting investigation underway into dealings with its subsidiary companies — HSI and 200 Wellesley St. E. — that was spawned out of the forensic audit ordered by the board last spring.” Toronto Sun, September 18, 2013
***
“While Mr. Ford attends to tales of leaky fridges, foul garbage chutes and hearing aids that have fallen down the drain, the city’s massive housing agency continues to be dogged by controversy.
Outside the 18-storey tower, the man hired more than a year ago to turn around the Toronto Community Housing Corp. tells reporters to expect more bad news after revelations on Wednesday that the organization is investigating yet more allegations of wrong-doing.
And then there’s Payman Aboodowleh, a.k.a. Peter Payman, a.k.a. Pejman Aboodowleh, personally recruited by Ford to coach his beloved Don Bosco Eagles high school football team:
“Peter Payman was identified in game programs as a coach for Don Bosco Catholic Secondary School’s football team until the end of last season. But years before he joined the mayor on the sidelines, that same man served as an enforcer for Alessandro “Sandro” Lisi, one of the key figures in the illegal drug scandal that has dogged Mr. Ford’s administration, The Globe and Mail has learned.
…
Although he is called Peter Payman in the school’s football literature, his real name is Payman Aboodowleh, a 38-year-old who has a history of violent crimes, including assaulting a peace officer, assaulting his brother and breaking and entering.
But Mr. Aboodowleh’s violent history was not revealed to administrators in the Toronto Catholic District School Board, which says it was supplied a false name for his police records check, a requirement for anyone who volunteers in the board’s schools.
…
Mr. Aboodowleh also started the 2011 season as a coach and at that time also submitted a criminal records check application form, the board and police say. This time, however, his real name was provided, but before his background check was completed by the Toronto Police Service, he was asked to leave the team by the then principal because of a “nose-to-nose altercation” with a player at practice, Mr. Yan said. (Mr. Aboodowleh’s return to the team the next season was requested by the mayor, Mr. Yan said.)
Even if that 2011 reference check had been completed, it likely would not have turned up some of Mr. Aboodowleh’s recent convictions, such as his 2009 conviction for assaulting a peace officer and dangerous driving. That’s because he has yet another alias – Pejman Aboodowleh – that he has used during some of his interactions with law enforcement. That name happens to be the former name of Mr. Aboodowleh’s younger brother who was forced to legally change his name in 2003, two sources say, because his older brother Payman’s use of his younger sibling’s identity during encounters with police.” The Globe and Mail, October 9, 2013
And these are just a few in a long line of characters who interact with Rob and Doug regularly, have unprecedented access to City Hall and undue influence over the mayor and his brother, and are presumably just the type of straight-shooting, honest, stand-up folks that the Fords and their “Nation” insist on. The trend is, after all, is hard to miss:
“As an Etobicoke dry cleaner under a cloud of drug charges sought to reassemble his ransacked shop and life, a Toronto police source confirmed that a special detail of investigators is indeed probing Mayor Rob Ford.
The squad, led by accomplished homicide Det.-Sgt. Gary Giroux, has also been delving into the affairs of the mayor’s associates, leading to this week’s arrest of his friend and sometimes driver, Alexander “Sandro” Lisi, for trafficking of marijuana, conspiracy to traffic, marijuana possession and possession of proceeds of crime.
Jamshid Bahrami was also rounded up in the same police operation that unfurled in a well-travelled plaza near Eglinton and Kipling avenues on Tuesday.” National Post, October 4, 2013
***
“He [Rob Ford] talks about his sister, complaining, “the media never got it straight.”
How’s this for an explanation: “The killer wasn’t her ex-husband, it was an old boyfriend.”
As Ford tells it, Kathy Ford’s first boyfriend was Mike, before she married Jeff and had a daughter.
After divorcing Jeff, she lived six years with Ennio, bearing a son. She left Ennio and went back to Mike, and they rented a cottage up north.
Ford: In 1998, “from what I was told (by the kids), Ennio knocked on the cottage door and Mike answered it and Ennio shot him in the head” with a sawed-off shotgun. Charges were laid; Ennio went to prison for manslaughter.
In 2005, Ford says someone else “shot the top of her head off.” Press reports suggest it was an accident; two men were charged with firearms-related offences.
She’s functioning well, he says, living with her two children and on methadone for her heroin addiction.” Toronto Star, April 21, 2010
***
“Mayor Rob Ford’s former brother-in-law, Ennio Stirpe, glared at a judge and cursed after hearing he had been sentenced to 18 years in prison for a knife attack that blinded a Vaughan woman in one eye.
He muttered the curse out of Justice Michelle Fuerst’s hearing range in Newmarket court on Friday.
…
Fuerst also ordered Stirpe to complete a manslaughter prison term for the 1998 shotgun slaying of the boyfriend of Ford’s sister, Kathy.
Stirpe was on parole at the time of the October 2008 knife attack in his basement apartment.” Toronto Star, March 16, 2012
***
“As questions mount over why police are investigating the city’s mayor, Rob Ford’s brother on Monday said he was “mistaken” to have suggested police were conducting aerial surveillance on the family home in Etobicoke.
While Mayor Ford has yet to address revelations that he and his associates are the targets of a Toronto police investigation, Councillor Ford last week substantiated reports that a Cessna aircraft was used to track the mayor, telling the Toronto Sun he saw the plane over his mother’s home for five straight days in August. He said he “gave them the finger” and later called police, who told him the plane was related to an airport bust, but he did not believe them. “You know when a plane is surveilling you,” Councillor Ford told the Sun.” National Post, October 7, 2013
***
“Doug Ford, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford’s brother, sold hashish for several years in the 1980s. Another brother, Randy, was also involved in the drug trade and was once charged in relation to a drug-related kidnapping. Their sister, Kathy, has been the victim of drug-related gun violence.” The Globe and Mail, May 25, 2013
***
“Consider what we have been told in media reports over the past four months. That an infamous photograph of the mayor that emerged with the alleged drug video was taken at a house occupied by a long-time friend of Mr. Ford, Fabio Basso, who has had brushes with the law.
That one of the men in that photo has been murdered and two others rounded up by police in a drugs-and-guns raid. That Mr. Ford tried to visit another friend who has been in trouble with the law, Bruno Bellissimo, at a Toronto jail. Sources told The Globe and Mail that police have interviewed members of the mayor’s staff about people including Mr. Lisi, and attempts to retrieve the alleged drug video.” The Globe and Mail, October 3, 2013
***
“Doug Ford says that he does not believe the Toronto Star journalists who wrote about an internal police document describing the origin of a police investigation involving his brother, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, and some of his associates.
…
Doug Ford said he believes the police, but not the Star reporters who cited the police document. He also said he is concerned that the police leaked the document, then quickly said he doesn’t think the police did so.” Toronto Star, October 8, 2013
***
“Reporter: Is your brother under investigation? Isn’t that something you want to know?
Doug Ford: I think that’s up to the police chief to make his comments, but again I support the police but I’m very concerned; it’s very disturbing if the police are breaking the law, which I don’t believe they are for a second. That’s why I question Kevin Donovan and the Toronto Star.
…
Doug Ford: I support any investigation that took place. I support the police investigation. I support the police. That’s it. I just hope the police aren’t working hand in hand with the Toronto Star. That’s it.” Toronto Star, October 8, 2013
While still keeping with the theme, some audacious flip-flopping (a.k.a. lies), by the Fords amidst this sweeping context of drugs, gangs, violence, guns, paranoia, and corruption seem like trifling farts in the wind:
NO NEW TAXES!
““I support building new rapid transit and I stress rapid transit — streetcars and LRTs, folks, are not rapid transit,” Ford said. “What I do not support is the province’s plan to slap new taxes on the back of hard-working families in this great province.
“They call them revenue tools folks but we all know it is just a fancy name for taxes.”
…
“Toronto council took a firm position … They stood beside me and said ‘no’ to these new taxes yet the province is moving ahead,” he said.
Although Metrolinx did hold public meetings on the revenue tools, Ford accused the province of “not consulting with the public.”
Ford said the taxes could cost Toronto families $500 to $1,000 per year “if not more.”
“Ask yourself, what will my family have to give up to pay for these new taxes?” he said. “The province is asking all of us to tighten our belts … When are they going to lead by example? When are they going to tighten their belt to pay for transit?”
The mayor said he won’t support any new taxes until Wynne exhausts “all the other options available to her.”” Toronto Sun, May 28, 2013
NEW TAXES!
“Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has thrown down the gauntlet, declaring on Friday that he is not wavering on his promise to bring more subways to Scarborough — he’s even said he’s willing to raise taxes.
…
Ford says subways are “what the taxpayers of Scarborough want.”
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