Toronto Mayor In Crack Scandal

Toronto is the largest city in Canada and Rob Ford is the popular mayor there. So popular, he has survived several scandals and may survive the latest, and the most bizarre.

Last month, a report on Gawker purportedly showed the mayor smoking crack cocaine with a couple of “Somali drug lords.” And if that wasn’t enough, there was a video of the event for sale to the media. The price? A hefty $200,000.

The denials came quickly and, while none of the Canadian news outlets offered up the money, someone started a crowdfunding effort to raise the money. The total was reached (and exceeded), but it now appears the video is no longer available. This has led to a new round of suspicions that either Mayor Ford already bought the revealing tape or the even worse rumor that the sellers were killed.

So is Mayor Ford on drugs? The Globe and Mail reported last week that Mayor Ford’s campaign manager said he would not work for the Mayor’s reelection unless Ford went into rehabilitation for drug abuse.

If this sounds strangely familiar, it recalls the scandal when D.C. Mayor Marion Barry was busted by the FBI for smoking crack in a hotel room. Barry got six months in prison but reemerged to run and win both a D.C. council position and then the mayoral election a few years later.

The charges continue to fly in the Mayor Ford case and it is unlikely the matter will be completely resolved. Supporters say it’s just mud being thrown or lean toward forgiveness. Opponents feel the mayor is an embarrassment to both the city and Canada in general and want to see him removed.

Those who have experience with drug abuse are not surprised that an upstanding citizen might be using. Like no other behavior, drug abuse gives equal opportunity to both the righteous and the fallen. No one is completely immune and for whatever reason, the powerful seem to enjoy risking it all for a walk on the dirty side.