Toronto mayor warns more scandal may come

TORONTO - Agence France-Presse

Mayor Ford denied he is an addict of crack-smoking. REUTERS photo

Toronto’s crack-smoking mayor Rob Ford warned Nov. 13 yet more scandals may come out as he faced a grilling by the city council but denied he was an addict.

Ford admitted he had purchased illegal drugs in the past two years. He also steadfastly refused to quit as councilors debated a motion asking the mayor to take a leave of absence in order to seek treatment for substance abuse. “I have made mistakes, personal mistakes, but these mistakes were not in this council chamber,” the mayor said. Asked if he is an addict, Ford replied bluntly: “absolutely not.” He insisted that his troubles involved only “a few isolated incidents” of public intoxication. But he admitted to buying illicit drugs in the past two years. Ford said he could not assure council that there were no more skeletons in his closet. “I don’t know. I don’t know, there might be like a coat hanger left in my closet. I don’t know. I don’t know what is left,” he said.