Embattled Toronto Mayor Rob Ford will reportedly take a leave of absence to seek assistance for his substance abuse issues.
According to ABC News, Ford's attorney, Dennis Morris, said the 44-year-old acknowledged his struggles and wants to take action. The news comes after the Toronto Sun claims to have secured "raunchy" audio footage of a heavily intoxicated Ford making lewd comments in a Toronto bar Monday night:
The audio recording, covertly taped by a patron of Sullie Gorman’s Monday night, captures the mayor being unruly as he’s ordering booze at the Royal York Rd. bar, complaining about his wife Renata and making lewd comments about mayoral contender Karen Stintz.
Stintz and her campaign reportedly want an immediate apology from Ford:
Stintz on Ford: Comments released tonight are deeply offensive..That a sitting mayor would make such shocking, bigoted remarks is disgusting
Stintz: "This is the not first time Ford has made misogynistic comments. Unfortunately, there are many that keep giving Rob Ford a pass."
Stintz' campaign says they want "full apology" from Ford "not only to Stintz but all in this great city who expect more from their mayor."
Furthermore, the Globe and Mail says two of its reporters have viewed yet another video of Ford smoking crack in the early hours of Saturday morning.
From the Associated Press:
None
Ford's decision to step away from his campaign and these new allegations come nearly a year after Gawker broke the news of a video showing Ford smoking crack existing, and Ford's eventual admission to smoking crack last November. In between have been a series of puzzling events that, while amusing to the general public, have been nothing short of embarrassing for the mayor and his family.
Ford, who is up for re-election in October, will keep his name on the ballot.
UPDATE: Ford has released a statement on the matter:
Tonight I want to take some time to speak from my heart to the people of Toronto. It’s not easy to be vulnerable and this is one of the most difficult times in my life. I have a problem with alcohol, and the choices I have made while under the influence. I have struggled with this for some time.
According to CP24, Toronto Star editor Michael Cooke said the paper plans to publish a story about two unruly nights Ford spent at Toronto's Muzik nightclub. It's there that Ford allegedly got into a confrontation with Justin Bieber after the pop star made a joke about the crack video:
UPDATE #2: According to the Toronto Star, witnesses reportedly watched Ford do cocaine at Muzik nightclub in April. In addition, the Star claims the alleged Bieber encounter took place on Mar. 15 and went as follows:
On March 15, an hour before he disappeared into a washroom at Muzik, Ford ran into pop star Justin Bieber in a common area of the exclusive nightclub near Toronto’s waterfront, according to witnesses. Ford tried to shake Bieber’s hand and became enraged when Bieber jokingly asked him, “Did you bring any crack to smoke?”
The plot thickens.
[via ABC News, Toronto Sun, Globe and Mail, CP24, Toronto Star and Associated Press]
RELATED: Great Moments in Ratchet Politics
RELATED: FAQ: The Users Guide to Rob Ford, Toronto's Crack-Smoking Mayor, Who Is a Crackhead*
RELATED: 10 Less Offensive Things Rob Ford Could Have Admitted to Eating
RELATED: Canuck the Hustle: Rob Ford Campaign Slogans That Could Get Him Re-Elected
Send tips, photos and news developments to cityguidetips@complex.com.
