Even in self-imposed exile, Rob Ford is under official scrutiny
Even now, it’s hard to have much sympathy for Rob Ford, but let’s take a moment to consider how bad things continue to be for him. Even while he’s in rehab, and despite the fact that he’s already under criminal investigation, his rivals at city hall are still trying to expose more of his alleged improprieties.
The Globe reports that councillors are in the process of trying to convince the city’s integrity commissioner to reopen an investigation into Ford’s possible use of city staff and resources for personal benefit. (The integrity commissioner suspended the probe after Ford left town for treatment.) At the same time, mayoral candidate David Soknacki is raising money to fund a freedom-of-information request that he says may prove that the mayor used city resources for campaign purposes, which is against city rules. All of this is on top of the Globe’s recent investigation into Ford’s shady dealings on behalf of a client of his family company.
Misuse of city resources for personal purposes was at the heart of the conflict-of-interest lawsuit that almost resulted in Ford being removed from office in 2012. Even if the mayor emerges from rehab a new man, he’ll almost certainly find some of the same old problems waiting for him on his return.
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/city/rob-ford-still-under-scrutiny/&title=Even in self-imposed exile, Rob Ford is under official scrutiny&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/rob-ford-grin-full-width-624x395.jpg&description=[caption id="attachment_273200" align="alignnone" width="656"] (Image: Christopher Drost)[/caption]
Even now, it's hard to have much sympathy for Rob Ford, but let's take a moment to consider how bad things continue to be for him. Even while he's in rehab, and despite the fact that he's already under criminal investigation, his rivals at city hall are still trying to expose more of his alleged improprieties.
The Globe reports that councillors are in the process of trying to convince the city's integrity commissioner to reopen an investigation into Ford's possible use of city staff and resources for personal benefit. (The integrity commissioner suspended the probe after Ford left town for treatment.) At the same time, mayoral candidate David Soknacki is raising money to fund a freedom-of-information request that he says may prove that the mayor used city resources for campaign purposes, which is against city rules. All of this is on top of the Globe’s recent investigation into Ford's shady dealings on behalf of a client of his family company.
Misuse of city resources for personal purposes was at the heart of the conflict-of-interest lawsuit that almost resulted in Ford being removed from office in 2012. Even if the mayor emerges from rehab a new man, he'll almost certainly find some of the same old problems waiting for him on his return.){kind=link}
The need for an expanded investigation is made clear by this new information about the Fords repeatedly lassoing the City’s highest-paid employees to meetings meant to favour a Deco client, without revealing that crucial part. In his 2012 court appearance, Rob Ford has declared under oath that he had never read the documents outlining the regulations around his post as Mayor. It’s clear that he and his brother continue willfully disregarding conflict-of-interest rules. An investigation must be done and its findings, favourable or not, made public before Election Day.
I think at this point it’s safe to say the Fords are a deeply troubled family with some serious mental health issues. We need them out of public office…. yesterday.
It is possible for an individual to file a formal complaint (with specific reference to say, Ford’s behaviour violating the City’s code of conduct) with the Integrity Commissioner. Go to the city website toronto.ca for contact info and process steps. If we keep giving our bozo mayor more attention by complaining ineffectively in the media, nothing will get him out. Yes, he has mental health issues but from my observations of him as a councillor for a decade he is a bozo first and foremost, whose money and connections (Vaughan included) got him past the voter’s radar. Do something besides talk, please.
If we have only brother Doug and an anonymous doctors word that RF is in rehab or even when he went, I suspect that because the doctor wants to remain anonymous, we will really never know when he is released. Whose to say he’s not out now because he wouldn’t follow the rules or they just got sick of him or he got caught having a bottle or worse smuggled into him. Are we just supposed to take the word of liars?