New video emerges of ranting Toronto mayor
Rob Ford says he was “extremely inebriated” in new video clip during which he talks about wanting to kill someone.
A new video has surfaced showing Toronto Mayor Rob Ford threatening to “murder” someone and “poke his eyes out” in a rambling rage, deepening concerns among both critics and allies that he is no longer fit to lead Canada’s largest city.
Moments after the video was posted online, the mayor told reporters that he was “extremely, extremely inebriated” in it and “embarrassed” by it.
The context of the video is unknown, and it’s unclear who the target of Ford’s wrath is. The video appeared at length on the Toronto Star newspaper’s website.
I'm going to kill that (expletive) guy. No holds barred, brother. He dies or I die.
City councilors moved ahead in efforts to force Ford out of office, although there is no clear legal path for doing so.
Ford’s mother defended him later Thursday, saying she has advised him to work on his “huge weight problem,” get a driver, put an alcohol detector in his car and watch the company he keeps. But she insisted that her son, who has acknowledged a drinking problem, did not need to enter rehab.
The controversy surrounding Ford escalated last week when police announced they had obtained a different, long-sought video that shows Ford smoking a crack pipe. After months of evading the question, Ford admitted Tuesday to smoking crack in a “drunken stupor” about a year ago.
Despite immense pressure, the mayor has refused to resign or take a leave of absence.
Urged to resign
The 44-year-old Ford, who is married with two school-age children, said Thursday he made mistakes and `”all I can do is reassure the people. I don’t know what to say.”
“It’s extremely embarrassing. The whole world is going to see it,” he said.
In the blurry, shaky new video, Ford paces around, frantically waves his arms and rolls up his sleeves as he says he’ll “make sure” the unknown person is dead.
Ford tells another person in the room that he wants to “kill” someone.
“Cause I’m going to kill that (expletive) guy,'” Ford says. “No holds barred, brother. He dies or I die.”
The Toronto Sta r said that it bought the video for $5,000 from “a source who filmed it from someone else’s computer.” The newspaper said it was told “the person with the computer was there in the room.”
City Councilor James Pasternak urged Ford to make a “dignified exit.”