Toronto mayor Rob Ford told me crack claim a lie, says brother
US comedians make Rob Ford butt of jokes as Toronto boss continues to say nothing about purported video showing him smoking crack
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford's brother said Ford has told him that reports of a purported video that appears to show the mayor smoking crack cocaine are untrue and that the media is trying to destroy his brother.
The story has caused an uproar in Canada, and the mayor and Toronto have become the butt of jokes on late night TV in the US. Ford has to yet to make substantive comments or take questions.
City councillor Doug Ford took to a microphone at City Hall on Wednesday to deliver a long, rambling attack on the media in defence of his brother.
"Rob is telling me these stories are untrue, that these allegations are ridiculous, and I believe him," Ford said. A politician had never been targeted in Canada as much as his brother, who was right to ignore questions from the media, said Doug Ford, who also refused to answer reporters' questions.
"If the mayor stopped and held a press conference every time the media made up a story about him, we would never have accomplished what we have."