Memo to the Toronto Star: Beware of Somalis Bearing Gifts

This thread may be removed because it deals with matters tightly controlled by the Terms and Conditions.

I did start another thread on this general topic but focused more on another (proscribed) area of discussion. That thread was removed.

This thread will probably be very short if allowed to stand but since the reputation of the Mayor of Toronto is involved and since the events with which the political life of the city has been overwhelmed for the last week or so have a very stong "pure press" angle to them, the defenders of the mayor insisting that the kafuffle is part of an ongoing smear campaign against the mayor initiated by the Toronto Star, I thought I should attempt to clarify matters somewhat with a caveat aimed at the Star.

The origin of the story that has occupied the Star is in a part of Toronto known as "Little Mogadishu". The story involves Somalis, who are known in law enforcement circles for infringing Canada's laws relative the importation of a commodity used by them in social gatherings. The "status" of this commodity in Canadian law would probably come as a surprise to most Canadians, including perhaps the Mayor.

Somalis are more known for this commodity than for a more famous commodity, the one featured in the Star's stories about the Mayor.

If I were the Star, before shelling out a large amount of money for a movie purporting to show one thing, I would endeavour to make absolutely sure I wasn't purchasing a movie about something else entirely.

The Star might well be walking into a trap.

I would like to be more explicit in what I am saying but the Terms and Conditions of posting in these forums forbids that kind of detail.

reply to post by ipsedixit


I don't live in Toronto, and am so happy about that. The press nonsense has been a race to the bottom ethically, imho. That the press was harrassing their mom and kids is serious, and that Doug asked them to stop and they haven't is sickening. It sure does smell like a smear campaign to me from where I sit.

reply to post by aboutface

When the Mayor was elected, he came in on a wave of revulsion for the previous regime in City Hall. The climate of entitlement, particularly to expense accounts and the idea that increased taxation was the go to contingency plan for new funding requirements were beginning to wear thin with the public.

Mayor Miller was perceived to have handled some big issues rather badly, although "cosmetically", he made a photogenic Chief Majistrate.

Rob Ford was the hornet at the picnic in council, continuing to tear strips off the administration for ignoring the long suffering public's concerns regarding spending. Under Miller, council gave the impression of capriciousness, of overturning agreements made with members of the business community regarding a bridge to the island airport and with restauranteurs who had spent money to comply with city smoking regulations only to have the whole system scrapped, with loss of money spent, when smoking was banned in restaurants outright.

When the gadfly then had the temerity to actually run for Mayor himself, the Toronto Star sneered at him and dismissed his campaign as "the angry man" campaign, attempting to portray Rob Ford as a disgruntled crackpot, who was reaching above himself into rarified regions where lowbrow penny pinchers like him didn't belong.

The Star was way out of sync with the public on this one. Ford was elected.

I think the Mayor was too vindictive after the election in refusing to accord the Star the respect it believed it deserved, but I don't think there is any question that they pulled no punches in attempting to derail his campaign.

Anyway, things have been very rocky between them ever since.

The Mayor will not be in office forever. I think he should settle down and focus on the task ahead. Make nice with the Star. Be a pro. Swallow pride. Court the Somali vote but don't party quite so hearty with them. He was elected for a reason and he should make sure to carry out the Mandate of the people of Toronto.

reply to post by ipsedixit

If I were the Star, before shelling out a large amount of money for a movie purporting to show one thing, I would endeavour to make absolutely sure I wasn't purchasing a movie about something else entirely.

The Star might well be walking into a trap.

The Star was never willing to cough up the money for the video. It was the Gawker that wants the video. The Star sent two reporters to watch the video, who researched Ford and family, who spent time reviewing pictures of them, to offer only their opinion on whether or not the video was true based on them being able to identify the mayor.

On the other hand, the Gawker, (A US pub) is interested in the video because it's juicy, and if they have it, they get to launch an international scandal to new heights.

The Star, got their story.

They don't need the video, only the implications that the video contains. And they were able to get that without the purchase. I think they did make an offer originally for 40,000... But once the Somalis saw that, they raised the bar to 100,000. Once the story got press, they raised it to 200,000 and now they can't be found.

The Somalis were being opportunist. Unrealistic one's at that. They should have sold the video at 40,000 which was the original offer. By biding their time, and letting the Star get what it wanted (A story, whether or not it was confirmed) they have not only eliminated probabilities of them getting money for it, they put giant targets on their back from anyone loyal to the mayor.

Given their disappearance, there is the possibility that someone from the mayor's camp got to them already. Maybe for hush money, or many loyal police officers grabbed them and they are awaiting on criminal charges for one thing or the other.

In any case, the Star, while they are obvious in their contempt for the mayor, they are not the one's to blame for the entire incident.

1. The Star only days before were trying to smear the major for sticking magnets on cars outside of a town hall meeting. They didn't fabricate the current story or create it from the backdrop. They merely jumped on the chance and were opportunistic like the Somalis. It seems they ever had much intent to pay out cash for the video. And they sure as hell aren't clever enough to concoct this whole drama up by themselves.

2. The Gawker were the only one's who showed any actual willingness to buy the video. But were doing so by raising funds publicly.

The only one's to blame here are the Somalis and the Mayor himself. Whether or not what was in that video is true, the picture posted looks like him, with a matching piece from the Mayor's sweatwear wardrobe, and he's been known to speak to anyone in the neighbourhood who wants to speak with him.

There's a recorded entrapment call from previous years still available online.

Whether or not the Somalis were to sell it to an open bidder, or back to the Mayor's camp it seems they would be guilty of criminal action in either respect. Obvious blackmail or extortion in the one aspect. The papers have mentioned a number of criminal charges in the other aspect.

Why do we judge so harshly on people's personal behaviour... On closed door comments... On what we know people are like when they aren't on the record?

Personally, I don't care about the Mayor in any fashion when it comes to his personal life, shouldn't a mayor's record only be relevant by his actions in office?

In any case... Seems this story is far from over. And if you look at the Globe and Mail, you will see that the Ford family is persona non grata when it comes to the media outlets right now.

reply to post by boncho


Is the Globe and Mail getting in on this just to raise its falling readership? I can fathom that newpapers have a dwindling readership and they want to milk this thing for all its worth.

However,when will the televised media say that enough is enough? It's a non-story because it's based on innuendo. I know I am so sick of hearing about every little suggestion and twist. We are not Hollywood, but it feels just as sleazy. Hasn't Toronto had enough? I know I have.

Originally posted by aboutface
reply to post by boncho

 

Is the Globe and Mail getting in on this just to raise its falling readership? I can fathom that newpapers have a dwindling readership and they want to milk this thing for all its worth.

However,when will the televised media say that enough is enough? It's a non-story because it's based on innuendo. I know I am so sick of hearing about every little suggestion and twist. We are not Hollywood, but it feels just as sleazy. Hasn't Toronto had enough? I know I have.

G&M has been investigating this for 18 months. It's not like they threw something together in a couple hours. This has been brewing for awhile. And the video was found because the papers to begin with started looking into these angles.

Keep in mind rumours have been floating around since Rob Ford landed in office. Behind the scenes some of the stuff coming out is well known (or often talked about) information.

Does anyone remember how successful the Toronto Sun was in destroying the political career of Jack Layton by bringing up a decades old incident involving police and Mr. Layton in a "massage parlour"/"suspected tug joint"?

More pertinent, does the Toronto Star remember? Does the Globe remember?

Going "tabloid" over decades old allegations regarding Doug Ford and sale of illegal commodities is likely to be just as effective, if the goal is to get rid of Mr. Ford as thoroughly as the Sun got rid of Mr. Layton.

Torontonians are not as stupid as the people who prop up the press façade of propriety for Toronto.

Torontonians know that if a magic wand were waved and every lawyer, every stock broker, every doctor, every nurse, every banker, every real estate broker and every other high and low flyer in this town who'd ever indulged in an illegal commodity were magically removed from the scene, the city would very likely lurch to a shuddering crawl.

The Mayor should just get on with his agenda. Cutting spending is THE MAJOR TABOO in Canadian politics. It's no wonder he is running into a media crapstorm of cyclonic proportions. They want this guy and his smarter brother outta there.

reply to post by ipsedixit


Exactamundo!

There are no squeaky clean individuals anywhere! If the media tries hard enough they can dig up dirt on Mother Theresa. It's the sleazy way the Star came out with the story. They've had a vendetta on Ford because of his policies for a long time. MSM journalism should be held to a higher standard. Leave the speculations and rumourmills to shady blogs and sites like this.

reply to post by Goldcurrent

Exactly, even down here in the gutter we are held to higher standards of sleaze non-tolerance than the Star and the Globe and the Sun.

I don't want to come down too hard on the Star in this case because I think they have been doing a pretty good job of "watchdog" journalism lately. Going after the grifters the bid riggers and other high volume parasites in government. All well and good. Those are important issues.

But don't they realize that they are in the process of cutting the legs out from under people they should be viewing as allies in the fight against cost inflation in government or "gubmint" as I like to call it?

Are they trying to make a case that the Mayor and his brother are using a fight against pork barreling at City Hall to mask a push to accelerate the importation and sale of illegal commodities in Toronto? I'm looking for the tie-in to some relevant political issue in this and I can't find it.

Our city has real problems, particularly in the area of transit planning. Ford has trimmed costs at City Hall. There are serious issues to deal with. The alleged drug problems of the Ford brothers are a waste of time and energy in my opinion.

Originally posted by RalagaNarHallas
-snip-

Marion Barry. Mayor of Washington. Re-elected for a second term after doing time.

Basically, Rob Ford will live or die politically on the basis of his job performance.

The Ford's have come out strong now saying the video doesn't exist and it's all a fabrication. Personally, I think their camp may have got to the Somalis before anyone else did. The Somalis are gone now apparently.

Also, they mentioned, if people want to start throwing stones in city hall, they will throw boulders back.

This is kind of funny, lets see how much dirt comes out on the people throwing accusations around now... The reporters investigating, have already had some come out about them.

The whole, "glass houses" saying comes into play here.

reply to post by ipsedixit
I believe the Star's story, and I think Ford's sudden reemergence is an indication the the Ford boys solved their problem. Interesting item in today's globe, though:

Toronto police spoke to Mayor Ford’s senior staffer after tip linked killing to alleged drug video

Link
...the inference being that the fellow who allegedly hooked Ford up with the dealers may have died for his efforts.

This little story is a long ways from being done.

Originally posted by JohnnyCanuck
I believe the Star's story, and I think Ford's sudden reemergence is an indication the the Ford boys solved their problem.

The problem with the Star's story is that they moved in for the kill and didn't have the killshot. They have create a huge impediment to doing business at City Hall. A lot of time has to be wasted dealing with this. Personally, even if the Mayor did smoke an illegal commodity, and that has not been proven, I don't care. I haven't heard important criticisms of his job performance. Most criticism is nit picking his vulgarities. I don't care how vulgar he is or how embarrassed Toronto's genteel social strata is over having him around.

People who voted for him wanted an end to the culture of entitlement at City Hall. He is delivering that, at least.

Interesting item in today's globe, though:
. . . .

the inference being that the fellow who allegedly hooked Ford up with the dealers may have died for his efforts.

This little story is a long ways from being done.

You could very well be right, although, from your linked story, it might be that the original owner of the video may have been killed in order to facilitate the offering of the video for sale, in other words, not in connection to an attempt to destroy or hide evidence against the Mayor. The way it is worded is ambivalent.

They went on to say that the video originally belonged to an individual who may have been killed for its potentially valuable contents, according to a source.

It would be a shame if the possible cover-up of what to me is a pettifogging issue, led to serious crime or to the ruination of a worthwhile development in Toronto politics, Ford's attempt to shake up the City Hall insider's club.

On the face of it though, it is not clear that the Globe story implies that.

reply to post by ipsedixit
You understand the concept of damning with faint praise, right? It's all very well to shake things up, but what has Ford done to improve the city? Show me what innovative thinking he has shown to maintain Toronto's stature as 'New York, run by the Swiss'. I don't like Rob Ford's vision of Toronto...principally because he cannot articulate one. Vulgar extends far beyond simply acting like an uncouth boob. It is also a dismissal of culture and beauty in favour of dross.

As to the video, I suspect he's going to be playing whack-a-mole for some time to come...dealers may not be smart but they do need to be cunning and it's unwise to have but one copy of an incriminating tape kicking around. Especially when people start dying.

Originally posted by ipsedixit
It would be a shame if the possible cover-up of what to me is a pettifogging issue, led to serious crime or to the ruination of a worthwhile development in Toronto politics, Ford's attempt to shake up the City Hall insider's club.
On the face of it though, it is not clear that the Globe story implies that.

The informant in the mayor’s office purported to know the address and unit number where the video was being held. They went on to say that the video originally belonged to an individual who may have been killed for its potentially valuable contents, according to a source. link

Oh, I think it does suggest a connection.

Originally posted by JohnnyCanuck
reply to post by ipsedixit

 

You understand the concept of damning with faint praise, right? It's all very well to shake things up, but what has Ford done to improve the city? Show me what innovative thinking he has shown to maintain Toronto's stature as 'New York, run by the Swiss'. I don't like Rob Ford's vision of Toronto...principally because he cannot articulate one. Vulgar extends far beyond simply acting like an uncouth boob. It is also a dismissal of culture and beauty in favour of dross.

For some reason people don't like Rob Ford. I think it was Picasso who said words to the effect of, "If you're not making enemies, you're not doing your job."

Here's Ford's vision of Toronto. It is a city where a coterie of insiders is not so comfortable at skimming fat off the city hall budget for themselves. It is a city where a candidate for the office of mayor could never have a slogan, "It's time for Tony.", indicating that a game of musical chairs was going on in City Hall. This happened some time ago, but it indicates a persisting mindset in Toronto.

In Ford's Toronto we will have to wait a little longer before the car is removed as a mode of urban transportation. That's a big one and is the subject of fierce fighting. It is a very divisive issue. These points are really outside the scope of this thread but I can tell you that during the last transit strike, I got where I was going a lot faster than on the TTC . . . and I was hitch-hiking.

As to the video, I suspect he's going to be playing whack-a-mole for some time to come...dealers may not be smart but they do need to be cunning and it's unwise to have but one copy of an incriminating tape kicking around. Especially when people start dying.

That's ATS think, and that's not a put-down. I hear you but I think that is far from what is going on. I hope the full details come out about all this, but personally, the idea of the Fords whacking drug dealers is too far fetched for me.

Originally posted by ipsedixit
Here's Ford's vision of Toronto. It is a city where a coterie of insiders is not so comfortable at skimming fat off the city hall budget for themselves. It is a city where a candidate for the office of mayor could never have a slogan, "It's time for Tony.", indicating that a game of musical chairs was going on in City Hall. In Ford's Toronto we will have to wait a little longer before the car is removed as a mode of urban transportation.

So you can't think of anything good he's done either, eh? There was the time he was trying to shut down "Liberries"...ah, never mind. Too easy.

Ford is an oaf, and that is the vision of the city that he projects. He is but one vote on Council, maybe not even that...could be he can only vote in a tie. He has his assigned roles. He should be a Leader....he is anything but. He should create consensus on Council so that it can move forward and leave partisan bickering behind. He can't. He should promote greatness, but it's beyond his ken.

But he did outsource some of the garbage pickup. Some vision.

Here's another interesting development. There is apparently an ad in google cache that is asking for a Mayor ford look-alike to "smoke a cigar" briefly, for a short film production:

Description:
Do you look like Mayor Rob Ford? I need someone who looks like Rob Ford to play the mayor in my film. It's a short shot of the mayor smoking a cigar and chuckling into the camera - as part of a montage. It's a dark comedy set in Toronto. Please send a photo for consideration and more information.
Location: Toronto
Compensation: 20 bucks and good cigar for 21 minutes of your time
Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
Please, no phone calls about this job!
Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.

Source

reply to post by ipsedixit
When I referred to 'whack-a-mole', it was not in reference to whacking the fellow who introduced Ford to his 'business associates', rather, to smacking down evidence of his misdeeds as they reappeared. Well it seems I was somewhat prescient in that regard. As the story continues to play out, two of Ford's staff have resigned "out of principal," Link and now one of the reporters who saw the video declares that other copies exist.

Gawker may have lost touch with the people who have the alleged Toronto Mayor Rob Ford video, but other copies of the footage exist. At least that's what Robyn Doolittle, The Toronto Star's city hall reporter, said in a radio interview Monday. "My information is that there is another copy of it," Doolittle said on the Dean Blundell Show on 102.1 The Edge. "Actually, there's at least one other copy, there might be two other copies," Doolittle said. "One is out of the city, and one is somewhere else." Link

This story ain't over by a long shot. Hey there, Ford Nation...need a little catchup with that?