Embattled Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, under pressure to quit after he admitted smoking crack cocaine and buying illegal drugs, vowed on Thursday to sue former aides that he said had lied about his behavior.
Police documents released on Wednesday quoted Ford associates as alleging the mayor had driven drunk, used racially abusive language, threatened staff, consorted with a woman suspected of being a prostitute and made obscene sexual suggestions to a female member of his staff. None of the allegations have been proved in court. Ford - who insists he will stay in office despite increasingly lurid allegations about his behavior that have made international headlines - named three ex-aides he intended to sue and said he was particularly unhappy about suggestions a female friend seen in his office late one evening was a prostitute. "I've never had a prostitute here. I'm happily married at home ... it makes me sick how people are saying this," he told reporters outside his office. "So, unfortunately, I have no other choice ... I can't put up with it any more, so I've named the names, litigation will be starting shortly. I've had enough," he said.
A Toronto libel lawyer, who declined to be identified because his firm was involved in a case linked to the mayor, told Reuters that Ford would have to prove the aides had been motivated by malice or had said things they knew to be untrue. "I would be surprised if any of these people get sued by the mayor," the lawyer said. Ford, who insists he will run for reelection in October 2014, also said he would sue a waiter at a restaurant who told police he thought the mayor had been snorting lines of cocaine.
Using obscene language, he denied he had sexually propositioned a former aide. But he also he appeared to admit he had driven after consuming alcohol, telling reporters: "I'm not perfect... None of you guys have ever ever had a drink and got behind the wheel, I know that." City council, which does not have the power to kick Ford out of office, overwhelmingly voted on Wednesday to urge Ford to take time off and deal with his personal problems. Ford refused. Even political allies say the mayor should step down, if only temporarily.
Ford was elected in 2010 on a tax-cutting agenda that he promises to continue. After months of denying news reports that he had been caught on video smoking crack cocaine, Ford admitted last week he had smoked crack "in one of my drunken stupors". "This is just getting worse. This is not funny any more. We need to think about how to protect the city from this man," City Councillor John Filion told CP24 television after Ford's latest comments.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}