Rob Ford's Toronto

[cdr108]

http://www.torontosun.com/2013/05/23/rob-ford-told-to-go-to-rehab

Rob Ford told to go to rehab
First posted: Thursday, May 23, 2013 11:31 PM EDT | Updated: Thursday, May 23, 2013 11:52 PM EDT


Mayor Rob Ford fired his chief of staff Thursday after growing tired of Mark Towhey urging him to go to rehab, the Toronto Sun has learned.

Towhey was walked out of the mayor’s office by City Hall security and at least one councillor said his firing was “football” related.

But a source familiar with the situation told the Sun Towhey had been pushing Ford for a long time to deal with his “personal problems.”

“I am no longer the chief of staff, I did not resign,” he told surprised reporters as he left City Hall.

Both Ford’s office and Towhey wouldn’t speak about why he was sent packing after almost a year at the helm and years of loyal service.

The abrupt departure of the mayor’s top staffer comes as Ford remains embroiled in ongoing controversy surrounding an alleged video of him smoking what appears to be crack cocaine.

The mayor has called the allegations “ridiculous” but refused to address the claims further despite pleas from his allies.

When a story surfaced in March that Ford had a drinking problem, the mayor dismissed the story as “an outright lie.”

A source speaking on background said Towhey had been pushing Ford for a long time to deal with his “personal problems”.

Last week when the Gawker story alleging crack cocaine use broke, Ford’s senior staff outlined three options for Ford to respond to the scandal.

“The best one was to go away, deal with this and then come back,” the source said, adding that that option seemed the only “real way out of this.”

Ford chose the “fourth option,” to not do anything.

By Wednesday, Ford’s staff were down to urging him to embrace one option — go to rehab.

Towhey reportedly told Ford: “If you don’t do this, we’ve got nothing else, I can’t help you.”

That same day Ford found out he had been dumped as coach of the Don Bosco Eagles.

A “torn-up” Ford had to be talked out of having a party at his house with his football players organized with the help of mayor’s office staff.

Several sources say Towhey stressed to the mayor that he shouldn’t hold the football party because it was “the wrong thing to do.”

His chief of staff urged Ford to deal with his own issues rather than dragging the team into the fray.

“You need to go away, you need to deal with your problem,” Towhey told the mayor according to a source.

Ford screamed and yelled and told Towhey: “If that’s all you’ve got for me, then you might as well leave and don’t come back.”

Towhey left and the firing was formalized Thursday afternoon at City Hall with his march out the front door.

Ford’s press secretary did not respond to repeated attempts late Thursday for a comment on these specific allegations.

As he was ushered out of the mayor’s office, Towhey wouldn’t discuss what advice he had given the mayor.

“I have given the mayor my advice. He can choose to take it or not take it,” Towhey said, before driving out of the City Hall parking garage.

Councillor Jaye Robinson, a member of Ford’s executive committee, called the firing “ill-timed.”

“It was relayed to me by a staff member of the mayor’s office that this issue was related to football.”

don.peat@sunmedia.ca

 

[Dilla]

Conan is taking shots at Ford. This has got legs.

How confident are you in your source?

Well, he's not a bullshitter by trade, but this isn't first hand from the seller. I really doubt anyone knows exactly what's going on in that circle right now, but I believe that he's listening in on some broken telephone. As I said, grain of salt. My own instincts tell me this guy isn't going to let 200K slip by. Imagine being him and having that dangled in front of you. You'd move heaven and earth.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Lets hope Ford resigns to go to rehab...

 

[cassius]

"Last week when the Gawker story alleging crack cocaine use broke, Ford’s senior staff outlined three options for Ford to respond to the scandal."

I find the wording here interesting, coming from the Sun. No reference to the "evil" Star here. They're crediting (acknowledging) Gawker for breaking the story. I guess now that it's obvious which way the wind is blowing they don't want the Star as being the ultimate source behind the truth.

 

[Peepers]

It looks like a palace coup is in the works according to this report:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...llies-prepare-to-run-toronto/article12123758/

Mayor Rob Ford’s executive committee is preparing to take the extraordinary step of publicly urging Toronto’s troubled leader to confront allegations of drug use, and is making contingency plans to run the city in his absence.

Amid an escalating crisis of confidence in the city’s leadership, members of Mr. Ford’s cabinet-like executive committee are drafting a statement, expected to be released Friday, attempting to reassure residents of Canada’s largest city, say two councillors leading those discussions.

Today will be an interesting day at city hall!

 

[Dilla]

Yeah, forget the video. Stick a fork in it, it's done.

For the video seller, this is a lesson in the downside of greed. If you went for 100K, you'd have made something.

 

[TonyV]

An interesting day it will be I'm sure, and probably very ugly. It's impossible to imagine RF going quietly or relinquishing any control or "authority" even though he's frittered it all away. I'll be glued to the news.

 

[MetroMan]

This is all very entertaining from my perspective. It's like having a crystal ball. In the afternoon, I'm told something by my source and then hours later, the media is reporting it exactly as he had described it. Amazing. I don't think I've ever had such a pin-point accurate source like this before.

2PM

Towhey was the one who came up with the brilliant idea for Ford to admit, apologize, resign and return. There was no other way out.

11PM

“The best one was to go away, deal with this and then come back,” the source said, adding that that option seemed the only “real way out of this.”

5PM

Towhey made an ultimatum. Ford fired him.

11PM

Towhey reportedly told Ford: “If you don’t do this, we’ve got nothing else, I can’t help you.” Ford screamed and yelled and told Towhey: “If that’s all you’ve got for me, then you might as well leave and don’t come back.”

 

[Dilla]

This is all very entertaining from my perspective. It's like having a crystal ball. In the afternoon, I'm told something by my source and then hours later, the media is reporting it exactly as he had described it. Amazing. I don't think I've ever had such a pin-point accurate source like this before.

+1

Chalk up another for MM and UT.

 

[Wasp14]

This is all very entertaining from my perspective. It's like having a crystal ball. In the afternoon, I'm told something by my source and then hours later, the media is reporting it exactly as he had described it. Amazing. I don't think I've ever had such a pin-point accurate source like this before.

To play devil's advocate, weren't those easy conclusions to jump to? As soon as most people heard Towhey was fired they speculated that it had to do with telling Ford what to do.

 

[VoicesCarry]

The pace of contributions is picking back up with the dawn. Someone just gave $200. There's life in the Crackstarter yet!

 

[allabootmatt]

The pace of contributions is picking back up with the dawn. Someone just gave $200. There's life in the Crackstarter yet!

One of the things that's surprised me so far about this story is the almost complete absence of leaks from Ford's inner circle. With the raft of near-identical stories last night about Towhey's departure, clearly that dam has burst and either he or someone else in the mayor's office is steering the press. I expect we'll soon be hearing a lot more gory details, rather than endless 'Mayor yet to address allegations' articles.

 

[guitarchitect]

To play devil's advocate, weren't those easy conclusions to jump to? As soon as most people heard Towhey was fired they speculated that it had to do with telling Ford what to do.

Have you been following along? His source has been right about quite a lot of stuff...

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Deputy Mayor, Doug Holiday, has called a press conference for this morning at 9:30.

 

[PinkLucy]

From the Globe: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...n-toronto/article12123758/#dashboard/follows/

Mayor Rob Ford’s executive committee is preparing to take the extraordinary step of publicly urging Toronto’s troubled leader to confront allegations of drug use, and is making contingency plans to run the city in his absence.

Amid an escalating crisis of confidence in the city’s leadership, members of Mr. Ford’s cabinet-like executive committee are drafting a statement, expected to be released Friday, attempting to reassure residents of Canada’s largest city, say two councillors leading those discussions.

City Hall was the scene of frenetic activity and closed-door emergency meetings for much of Thursday after the mayor fired his chief of staff, one of his closest allies in the administration. The chief of staff, Mark Towhey, told his boss there was only one way out of a mounting scandal – seek help for your addiction, say two sources close to the administration.

It has not been established that Mr. Ford has an addiction.

Mr. Towhey made the demand as pressure mounted on Mr. Ford to respond to reports of a video showing him smoking crack cocaine, a source said. The plan was to quietly put the mayor on a plane to a rehab centre and issue a statement after he was gone.

Mr. Ford refused, the source said, and on Thursday Mr. Towhey was escorted by security from City Hall.

“He has a problem, he needs to go get help with it,” the source said.

Said another source close to the administration: “He has to address it, sooner rather than later,” referring to the controversy over the video.

The source said Mr. Ford’s agenda has been “crippled” by the current crisis.

The mayor’s office did not respond to requests for comment.

It’s been a week since news of the alleged video broke, and Mr. Ford dismissed the stories as “ridiculous.” Since then the scandal has catapulted the mayor into the international spotlight and made him the butt of jokes on late-night television.

With Mr. Ford ducking out a side door to avoid the cameras once again Thursday, the conviction is growing among many councillors that they need to take action, but they have few options.

“Right now I would say it is a train crash. That’s the only way to describe it,” said Councillor Jaye Robinson, a member of Mr. Ford’s executive committee who is drafting the statement. She met with the city clerk this week to run through possible scenarios, but the fact of the matter is only Mr. Ford has the power to decide his fate, she said.

No one can force him to give up his post, or even, as some are suggesting, take a leave.

“We were all for the mayor coming forward,” Ms. Robinson said. “Now we are trying to take it into our hands to ensure the city’s business moves forward.”

Councillor Peter Milczyn, another executive member involved in the discussions, said it is important to stress the city is working even if the stories about the mayor continue to be a “distraction.”

“It is honestly a fluid situation,” he said. “I honestly don’t know what headline I’ll wake up to tomorrow morning.”

Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday, who like Ms. Robinson is speaking out in the media with a “business as usual” message, accused some of his colleagues of using the crisis for their own political gain.

“They are just trying to get themselves into the story. It’s grandstanding,” he said.

Mr. Holyday expressed shock at Mr. Towhey’s departure, and said he is still hoping Mr. Ford will come forward and “clear the air.” Asked how the mayor will face the mounting crisis now that he has fired his top aide, he responded: “I hope he has another plan.”

A surreal atmosphere has settled over city hall as cameras and reporters stake out the hallways outside the mayor’s second-floor office from morning until supper time. Mr. Ford, well known for keeping his own counsel, has become more isolated by the day.

On Wednesday, the Toronto Catholic board delivered more bad news, telling Mr. Ford he could no longer coach the Don Bosco Eagles football team and banning him from the board’s schools. The move was long expected after Mr. Ford, in an interview, characterized the players as coming from gangs and broken homes. Still, it was devastating to Mr. Ford, who devoted huge amounts of time and energy to the team. “He was shattered,” said a source close to the mayor.

Just after the lunch hour on Thursday, the drama went up a notch as Mr. Towhey emerged from Mr. Ford’s office, his leather briefcase under his arm and the city’s head of security beside him. In city hall’s underground parking garage – where running reporters followed him – he paused to face the cameras.

“I am no longer the chief of staff. I did not resign,” said the former military captain and consultant, who rarely speaks for attribution.