A pair of character reference letters Rob Ford wrote supporting two men with violent pasts have been released to the media.

One of the letters was written in support of friend and occasional driver Alexander Lisi and was filed with the court during Lisi's sentencing hearing for threatening to kill his former girlfriend in June.

The other letter was written to the city’s licencing tribunal last January, supporting a tow-truck driver who had previously been convicted of second-degree murder and had his licence suspended after being charged with stunt driving.

Both letters were written on city letterhead.

“Rob over his term has written numerous letters for people that have broken the law,” Ford’s councillor brother Doug told reporters at city hall Tuesday afternoon. “Rob doesn’t judge people, he doesn’t throw the book at people, he tries to help them.”

Ford’s relationship with Lisi has come under the microscope after Lisi was arrested and charged with several marijuana trafficking offences following a police raid on an Etobicoke dry cleaner earlier this month.

In his letter to the court in June, Ford said he has known Lisi for “several years” but did not specify the nature of the relationship.

“Mr. Lisi was an exemplary member of my campaign team, where he displayed exceptional leadership skills and worked hard both in and out of the campaign office,” the letter states. “Mr. Lisi has demonstrated to myself that he has a great work ethic and has always shown tact and diplomacy.”

Lisi was ultimately handed a suspended sentence and two years probation in the case and is currently appealing that conviction.

Asked about the letter as he left his office late Tuesday afternoon, Ford said "I write lots of letters and I support a lot of people" before declining further comment.

Ford then took issue with a reporter who continued to question him as he tried to close the elevator door.

"Can you move the camera please? Are you going to be that ignorant?" he asked.

Speaking about the letter Tuesday morning, Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly defended Ford’s right to support a friend.

“Friendship is a very important concept and most of us would like to think that our friends would stick with us not only in good times but in bad times as well, and if the mayor has that feeling for a friend where he is there for them when times are good and when times aren’t good, that’s the type of friend that I think most of us would like to have," Kelly told CP24.

Ford helped tow-truck driver get licence reinstated

The June letter written in support of Lisi wasn’t the first time Ford used his position as mayor to support a friend or acquaintance in a bind.

A letter obtained written on behalf of tow-truck driver Douglas Sedgewick in January and obtained by CTV News on Tuesday asks the city’s licencing tribunal committee to reinstate Sedgewick’s licence after it was suspended following a stunt driving conviction.

Sedgewick was convicted of second-degree murder in 1982 and served time for the offence.

“I have known Mr. Douglas Sedgewick through my role as an elected official active in the community,” the letter states. “Mr. Sedgewick is an employee of Bill & Son Towing and he has always conducted himself in a courteous and polite manner.”

The city’s licencing tribunal did overrule municipal staff and granted Sedgewick a conditional licence following a hearing, according to a report in the Toronto Star.

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