The Big 6 Newsmaker of the Year: Rob Ford
With 43% of your votes, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford is the Day 6 Newsmaker of 2013. Ford has only agreed to a handful of interviews since the crack video story broke in May, and often declines to answer questions. We've assembled a list of questions that some of the key reporters on the story and others would like Mayor Ford to answer. Mayor Ford was sent these questions on December 17, along with an invitation to answer them in an interview or in writing. Mayor Ford did not respond to our request. Some questions below refer to information from police documents, including the Project Brazen and Project Traveller "Information To Obtain" docs. Information from these documents has not been proven in a court of law.
DonPeat, The Toronto Sun:
1. Do you not feel shame about what you have done?
2. What happened the night and early morning of April 20 at 15 Windsor?
3. What makes you think Toronto residents will ever trust you again enough to re-elect you in 2014?
4. Why won't you speak to Toronto Police investigators?
5. What does getting high on crack cocaine feel like?
Christie Blatchford, The National Post:
6. How could you have said, in front of all those TV cameras, what you did about your wife? Do you have any idea how coarse you sounded? And why did you then and do you always, offer a quick "I apologize" and expect to be immediately forgiven?
7. Do you have any friends who don't have criminal records and, without naming them, who are they in a general way?
8. Why do you think losing weight is your biggest challenge given your acknowledged binge drinking and occasional drug use?
Jonathan Goldstein, Wiretap, CBC Radio:
9. When was the moment you realized this whole thing might have gotten away from you?
Robyn Doolittle, The Toronto Star:
10. At the end of the so-called crack video, you look directly at the person filming and say: "That better not be on." What happened next?
11. Wiretaps suggest you offered the dealer $5000 and a car in exchange for the footage and that he intended on asking you for between $100,000-$150,000. Were you being extorted?
(Note: Rob Ford called these an allegations an "outright lie" in a December 5 appearance on the Washington, DC radio program The Sports Junkies.)
12. If you had never gone into politics, what do you think your life would look like right now?
Jackson Proskow, Municipal Affairs Reporter, Global News:
13. What was in those packages you exchanged with Sandro Lisi?
14. How did you come to know the people who provided you with crack cocaine?
15. Have you ever drank or used drugs at work?
Greg McArthur, The Globe and Mail:
16. Between May 16 and 18, less than 48 hours after the Star and Gawker published stories about you smoking crack cocaine, 13 phone calls were made to Sandro Lisi from phones belonging to you. What did you discuss with him? Why did you need to speak with him so many times?
17. Over that same period Mr. Lisi also made a number of phone calls to two alleged drug dealers who had a copy of the video. Toronto police say that over those two days, Mr. Lisi told them they would harmed if they didn't hand over the video. What did Mr. Lisi tell you about his conversations with the accused drug dealers?
18. During those two days, Mr. Lisi also made five phone calls to the home of Fabio Basso, your longtime friend who lives in the alleged "crackhouse" where the video was made. And on May 21st, three days after he called Mr. Basso, someone burst into that home and assaulted Mr. Basso and his family members. Since then, have you spoken to Mr. Basso? If so, what did he say about the attack? If not, why not.
Jayme Poisson, The Toronto Star:
19. Mayor Ford, after the mass shooting on Danzig St. in 2012, you said that you had declared "war" on gangs in this city. On Project Traveller wiretaps, alleged members of the Dixon City Bloods street gang describe several situations involving you and drugs. The men who tried to sell the now notorious "crack video" are also alleged members of this gang, and are now facing gun and drug trafficking charges. Can you give us a complete and honest account of your association and dealings with these alleged Dixon City Blood gang members?
20. Did you, or anyone associated with you, offer $5,000 and a car or any other reward in exchange for videos or photos documenting your drug use?
Kevin Donovan, Toronto Star:
21. Mayor Ford, from the moment I saw the video of you smoking crack cocaine I have had a nagging question. Who is the man, a friend it seems, who is loudly goading you off camera into making rude, racially charged and homophobic statements? What is the name of that person?
22. Mayor Ford, when the Toronto Star exposed your involvement with Sandro Lisi, who had tried to retrieve the video and who had told people he was your drug dealer, you pointedly told the world you do not "throw my friends under the bus." Was this a message to Mr. Lisi in the hope that he would not turn police informant on you?
23. Mayor, you have described yourself as a family man and the best father there is. Do you think it was wise to have Sandro Lisi, a man convicted of threatening to kill a young woman, attend a child's soccer game? Would you please tell us what Mr. Lisi gave you that day and what you gave him in return.
24. Mayor Ford, many of the people you surround yourself with have criminal records, some for drugs, some for violence. Do you intentionally seek these people out and if so, for what reason?
George Stroumbolopoulos, George Stroumbolopoulos Tonight:
25. Why is your brother always there in interviews?
26. If you were in City Council and a Mayor acted like you did, would you call for their resignation? (Note: Ford responded to City Council's vote to limit his powers on Nov. 15.)
Natalie Alcoba, The National Post:
27. Mayor Ford, your former press secretary, George Christopoulos, told police that you said you knew Anthony Smith, the man pictured with you in the notorious photo taken outside 15 Windsor Road. Smith was a suspected member of the Dixon City Bloods who was gunned down outside a down-town nightclub in March. You've commented on the photo before - but I want to ask you specifically, did you know Anthony Smith? Do you know anything about why Anthony Smith was killed?
28. Mayor Ford, since you were elected, how often did you go to the house on Windsor Road that police believe to be a crack house? What did you do there?
Mary Walsh, This Hour Has 22 Minutes
29. Why do you always lie first and tell the truth later, why not simplify your life and tell the truth first?
http://www.cbc.ca/day6/big-6/2013/12/27/the-big-6-newsmaker-of-the-year-rob-ford/
