A Florida sheriff who filed drug charges against a local mayor and later told reporters that his county "isn't Toronto" in an apparent reference to Rob Ford has some advice for our embattled mayor.
Bradford County Sheriff Gordon Smith presided over an investigation that resulted in the arrest of Hampton Mayor Barry Layne Moore on charges of possessing and selling Oxycodone earlier this week.
Speaking with CP24 Wednesday, Smith said Ford has “embarrassed” Toronto and needs to admit he has a problem and seek help.
“I am not always known to be politically correct, but my stance is that you have one guy that has made a mockery of your city. This guy just don’t quit and he is full of excuses and stupidity,” he said. “You just don’t smoke crack one time and you just don’t do that in some drunken stupor. You know there are a lot of people that get drunk and do stupid things, but they don’t pick up a crack pipe and decide to start smoking crack."
Ford has admitted to smoking crack cocaine in the last year, but he has not been charged with any criminal offences and has denied having a drug addiction.
Smith, who presides over a small county west of Jacksonville, said he understands why police have not been able to charge Ford, but said the mayor’s ability to elude any legal consequences is nonetheless unfortunate.
“I want to give a shout out to your police chief. I believe he is a stand-up guy and if he had any way to put him in jail I believe he would. It is just one of those things. You got him admitting it and you got him on video doing it. It’s tough and he (Ford) is just not going to stop. He has let the power corrupt him and he is just unstoppable.”
Scandal still attracting international attention
While media attention surrounding the mayor has died down in recent days, the issue clearly remains a hot topic with everyone from Smith to the New York Post weighing in on Wednesday.
The Post story detailed Ford’s recent criticism of Obamacare on Fox News with the headline “Crack mayor trashes Obamacare” attached to the story.
At city hall, a TV crew from Tokyo was also present.
“I am a little frustrated. I would have hoped the media attention would have died down a bit but certainly it is still in the forefront of people’s minds,” Coun. Paul Ainslie told CP24. “I want to let the residents know that the councillors are here to work, though. I met with some constituents this morning in the local coffee shop, and I am here at city hall for some meetings dealing with the budget.”
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