In the first glimpse into how he is privately handling a ballooning drug and alcohol scandal, Mayor Rob Ford says he is receiving support from a team of health-care professionals for the “challenges” he is currently facing.
With his supportive wife Renata making an extremely rare appearance by his side, a defiant Ford denied allegations of cocaine use and was adamant that he is taking steps to address his problems.
Ford refused to divulge the nature of the help that he says he is receiving and he refused to identify the issues that he is getting help for, although he alluded to past incidents of binge drinking as he addressed reporters at city hall.
“I am taking accountability and receiving advice from people with expertise,” Ford said during a brief news conference. “I am accepting responsibility for the challenges I face. I would ask you please, please respect my family’s privacy.”
Ford said he is under “tremendous” stress and he has tried to move on since his earlier apologies, but the allegations of cocaine use, escorts and prostitution have pushed him over the line.
He said the latest allegations are an attack on his integrity as a father and husband.
Later, as she walked to a vehicle in city hall's underground parking garage, Renata Ford asked for privacy and supported her husband's refusal to resign or take a leave of absence.
“That’s why we have elections,” Renata Ford said.
Mayor apologizes for vulgar remark
In his prepared statement, the mayor apologized for using coarse language earlier in the day when he addressed claims that he made crude remarks to former staffer Olivia Gondek on St. Patrick’s Day almost two years ago.
“It says that I wanted to eat her p----, Olivia Gondek. I’ve never said that in my life to her, I would never do that. I’m happily married. I’ve got more than enough to eat at home,” Ford told stunned reporters in remarks that were shown on live television and replayed around the world.
Gondek told the Toronto Star that Ford never made the comments to her.
Ford vows to take legal action
Ford said he is planning to take legal action against three former members of his staff and a restaurant waiter who spoke to police about allegations of the mayor snorting cocaine and making lewd comments to women, and speculation that he was hanging out with a prostitute at city hall and a restaurant.
Before he attended a city council meeting, Ford told reporters the woman is not a prostitute and the allegations that became public Wednesday are hurting his wife.
“I don’t appreciate people calling Alana a prostitute. I’ve never had a prostitute here. I’m very happily married at home,” Ford said. “It hurts my wife when they’re calling a friend of mine a prostitute. Alana is not a prostitute, she’s a friend and it makes me sick how people are saying this.”
After landing himself in a fresh controversy, Ford admitted he may have been drinking and driving at times, responding to concerns raised by current and former staff members.
"I might have had some drinks and driven, which is absolutely wrong," he said.
MADD Canada (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) released a statement later Thursday saying the organization is “extremely concerned and frustrated” by Ford’s revelation.
“Driving under the influence of alcohol is inexcusable behaviour for any individual, let alone an elected official who is held to a higher standard,” the statement said.
MADD further urged the mayor “to consider the tragic consequences” that can occur as a result of driving while impaired.
The people who Ford says he plans to sue are former staff members Mark Towhey (chief of staff), George Christopoulos (press secretary) and Isaac Ransom (special assistant), and a waiter who was present when Ford was at Bier Markt on The Esplanade on the night of St. Patrick's Day in 2012.
Ford denied claims that "I was doing lines" of cocaine at the restaurant.
“That is outright lies, that is not true,” Ford said.
The mayor said he has no other choice but to take legal action.
“I can’t put up with it anymore,” Ford said.
The allegations or suspicions were raised by Ford's former staff members and the waiter during interviews they had with Toronto police officers who are investigating a video that allegedly shows the mayor smoking from a glass pipe. Ford has not given a statement to investigators.
Police notes from the interviews became public Wednesday after a judge allowed the release of previously-redacted pages in a 474-page document that was used to obtain a search warrant after Ford's friend, Alexander "Sandro" Lisi, was arrested on drug charges.
The document details evidence police gathered while doing surveillance of Ford, Lisi and others, and interviews with current and former mayor's office employees.
Ford previously admitted to smoking crack cocaine and being in a "drunken stupor" on multiple occasions, and during Wednesday's council session he admitted to buying illicit drugs within the last two years.
At a news conference Thursday, police Chief Bill Blair would not speculate about whether Ford could face criminal charges.
Councillors react to Ford's comments
Council members were quick to condemn Ford's use of coarse language.
"Under stress, he tends to revert to the language of the locker room and that's fine in the locker room or maybe at a frat party or having a good time with your buddies in private but not of the chief magistrate in public," deputy mayor Norm Kelly told reporters.
Earlier, Kelly repeated his call for Ford to step aside and get help for personal issues that he believes are interfering with his mayoral duties.
“Again, I and members of the council and apparently the public in two polls … are asking him to take some time off (and) rehabilitate himself so he can come back and occupy the office in the way we expect,” Kelly said.
Kelly said Ford’s moral authority to lead is eroding due to his refusal to seek treatment.
“It’s eroding to the point where if he doesn’t make a decision soon it will disappear,” he said.
One-time ally Coun. Denzil Minnan-Wong, who sponsored a motion urging the mayor to seek a leave of absence, said Ford’s use of graphic language was unacceptable.
“He used the P word in a very derogatory way. He’s crossed another line,” Minnan-Wong said. “He knew exactly what he was saying and he said something nobody should say.”
Minnan-Wong said he wants Ford to resign.
In light of the new allegations, Coun. Giorgio Mammoliti, one of Ford’s staunchest allies, laid down an ultimatum as he repeated his plea for the mayor to go to rehab.
“I will say very directly, you need treatment,” Mammoliti said as he spoke to reporters. “If you don’t do that by the end of the day, you’ve lost me as well.”
Ford's comments disappointing, Argos say
Ahead of a weekend CFL playoff game, Ford was wearing a Toronto Argonauts jersey when he made the comments.
In a statement, the club said Ford’s comments are disappointing.
“It's well-known that the mayor is a big fan and supporter of the game of football. The Toronto Argonauts organization is not in a position to comment on the manner of dress of public officials. The situation with respect to the mayor and his leadership is unseemly at best,” the Argos said. “These latest remarks, while wearing our team's jersey, are particularly disappointing given our organization's work in the community to help youth deal with issues of bullying prevention. We hope for the benefit of the wonderful citizens of Toronto and this great city that this situation is resolved expeditiously.”
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