Gawker and the Toronto Star have raised $74,000 for alleged footage of a bleary-eyed Rob Ford saying he's ‘f---ing right wing' and that the liberal opposition is 'a f--.'
BY LEE MORAN
Monday, May 20, 2013
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford arrives at City Hall in Toronto amid allegations he smoked crack.
FRANK GUNN/AP
Footage allegedly showing the Mayor of Toronto smoking crack could soon be made public.
Gawker and the Toronto Star have launched an online crowd-funded campaign to buy the 90-second clip from Somali dealers who claim they filmed themselves selling the drug to Rob Ford.
Both organizations initially turned down the chance to release it for $200,000.
But they've now organized a petition on website Indiegogo — and have so far managed to raise an incredible $74,000.
Canadian politician Ford, 43, has denied smoking crack and called the claims "ridiculous."
Last week he said he was the victim of a smear-campaign and it was "another story with respect to the Toronto Star going after me."
But reporters from both the Star and Gawker have independently claimed to have seen the clip.
They both say it shows a bleary-eyed Ford, sitting in a chair, inhaling from what appears to be a glass crack pipe.
The explosive clip also shows the conservative politician saying that he's "f---ing right wing," calling a Canadian liberal politician "a f--," and talking about the local high school football team he coaches, made up of what he calls "f---ing minorities."
Near the end of the clip, Ford, who wears a white shirt with the top buttons undone, reportedly slumps in a chair after taking a deep hit from a glass pipe.
A phone rings off-camera, and Ford's eyes peek open.
"That phone better not be on," he says to the camera, according to the Star.
The video then cuts off.
Toronto police spokesman Mark Pugash said the force was "monitoring the situation closely."
Gawker and the Star said they wanted buy the video so Toronto citizens can watch it for themselves,
If the full amount of cash is not raised within eight days, they added, the donated money will be sent to a drugs treatment charity.
Source: Daily News