Mayor Rob Ford is backing down on his threat to take legal action against city council members who voted to strip him of key powers, including the ability to oversee a state of emergency.

In November, council voted overwhelmingly in favour of limiting the mayor’s involvement in city business and reducing his budget after he admitted to smoking crack cocaine and he was accused of erratic, offensive and odd behaviour.

Most of the powers were transferred to Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly.

Ford called the move a “coup d'état” and warned council he was considering court action to block or reverse their decision.

In an interview with CP24 on Friday, Ford indicated he doesn’t plan to follow through on that threat because he is tired of spending his own money on legal fees.

“We’ve spent over half a million dollars going to court,” Ford said.

Since Ford was elected mayor in 2010, lawyers have represented him in a conflict of interest trial, defamation lawsuit and an audit committee hearing.

“I could have asked the taxpayers to reimburse me, I won all three cases,” Ford told CP24 commentator Stephen LeDrew. “What am I going to keep going to court and spending my own money every time council does something that they shouldn’t do? Enough is enough. If they want to play their games, which they’re playing obviously, let the people speak at election time. I’m not going to waste any more money in court fighting something.”

In addition to those cases, one of Ford’s lawyers has provided legal advice and publicly defended him in media interviews over a cellphone video that allegedly shows him smoking from a glass pipe. He also sought legal opinion from a veteran municipal lawyer when his powers were taken away from him.

It appears at least one councillor wants Ford's powers to be returned to him for the remainder of council's current four-year term, which expires after October's election.

Ford will regain the powers if he is re-elected because the motion that was approved by council does not apply to future terms.

Coun. Giorgio Mammoliti said he is working with the city clerk's office to find out if and how the powers can be reinstated before then.

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