Rob Ford's Toronto

[pattycakes]

The latest news says a break-in to a car and just because a car is parked outside an building does not necessarily mean that it has any connection to the building or its occupants.

Latest news - it was a police shooting - SIU involved. Doesn't look connected, but sure is close to the action.

 

[greenegg]

I was also thinking Glenn Healy.

 

[DSC]

Latest news - it was a police shooting - SIU involved. Doesn't look connected, but sure is close to the action.

The Star reports:


A 28-year-old man was taken to Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in stable, but serious condition, according to Toronto EMS.


Officers responded to Epping St. for a report of a male breaking into cars.


According to a SIU press release there was an altercation between the man and officers before he was shot.

 

[guitarchitect]

The more I think about it, the more I can't help but think that the police seizing Lisi at the Dry Cleaners - assuming they have been tracking him - could have also been to collect evidence. If he was "the guy" for Ford's dry cleaning, and the police arrested him while he was taking the dry cleaning there, they might be able to seize Ford's clothing and check both the contents and check for trace amounts of drugs - no?

Who knows really, maybe he didn't have any of Ford's stuff with him and it really was more of a way to get him into custody to start asking questions... but it'd certainly help with building a case

 

[mrtinfoilsocket]

I can't believe the Ford's are going to use "the left is out to get us" defense.

Once those arrests are made, they're done for. Even their supporters aren't that gullible.

I think that's some wishful thinking actually. I'm already seeing comments on the Toronto Sun from people who claim the police are now involved in the plot to "get" the Fords. Doug's already working on the foundations of that defense.

They'll also be able to use the "an arrest does not equal guilt!!" rallying cry... so that should buy them enough time to support him well into his next potential term.

 

[PinkLucy]

Those damn, downtown elite, bike riding, latte sipping Pinko cops!

 

[JWBF]

I can't believe the Ford's are going to use "the left is out to get us" defense.

Not too surprising. It's standard for fundamentalists to be paranoid, and suffer from a persecution complex. When "control" is wavering or disintegrating, and in the Fords case, the feeling of not being part of the "in crowd" anymore, then there has to be always an external reason or scapegoat.

That's how goes things when "reality" comes tumbling down.

 

[kicked it in the sun]

honestly, i just wish the wynne would demerge the cities and leave toronto proper to govern itself. bah.

anyway, i think it's pretty clear at this point that if ford gets popped, it'll likely be for 'perverting the course of justice' or 'obstruction of justice' or some such thing, related to his attempts (possibly successful) to obtain the videotape that showed him smoking crack. like, if he weren't such a toxic individual and a terrible mayor (not to mention introducing american-style "total war" politics to toronto), i'd be inclined to agree that this is near abusive. so he's a druggie and a drunk, if he could actually do a good job, i wouldn't care. the fact that he can't do a good job because he's incompetent, has bad ideas, and likely has an iq on the low side of average means that he can't handle "partying" too, i guess. it's a shame because his downfall could have been the catalyst for a cross-spectrum discussion of the wisdom and aims of drug prohibition and instead, the drugs and hardcore alcoholism are just another aspect of the grotesquerie.

 

[k10ery]

Well from our limited information, I can see Ford being charged with possession, solicitation, obstruction and probably conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.

Those aren't exactly light charges. It could lock the guy up for a very long time.

Nah, it won't work. Trying to obtain the video is not obstruction of judtice, until there is proof that the video is evidence of a crime. Now, if Ford say ordered Lisi to beat up the Bassos, he could certainly be charged with conspiracy or assault. But I can't see Lisi rolling on Ford for that - he's done time for assault before, knows he can handle it.

Maybe the Project Traveller wiretaps on the Bassos or the Dixon crew might have caught Price or Ford uttering threats or describing a conspiracy? That would be something I guess.

 

[animatronic]

The more I think about it, the more I can't help but think that the police seizing Lisi at the Dry Cleaners - assuming they have been tracking him - could have also been to collect evidence. If he was "the guy" for Ford's dry cleaning, and the police arrested him while he was taking the dry cleaning there, they might be able to seize Ford's clothing and check both the contents and check for trace amounts of drugs - no?

Who knows really, maybe he didn't have any of Ford's stuff with him and it really was more of a way to get him into custody to start asking questions... but it'd certainly help with building a case

More likely they did it to be able to search Lisi's house, not the dry cleaners. By busting him on a delivery they increase the odds of being able to charge for more than just possession, and reduce the risk of the takedown. My guess is that they are gearing up to charge Lisi and Price for the assault on the Bassos, which could extend to Ford(s) if the cops can prove that the hit was ordered from the top.

 

[dforthandbview]

Here's a theory: Wasn't Anthony Smith originally in possession of the video? What if, and this is a huge "what if", but what if Ford conspired with others to have Smith wacked in order to obtain possession of the video? That certainly gives another reason why lead homicide detective is involved. Smith was killed but rather than the new owners handing over the video to Ford they renege on the plan and tried to sell it. Doug Ford himself said the crackstarter campaign was a form of extortion. That was the only time he had ever used that word. Why would he say extortion if there was no real threat?

 

[animatronic]

What if, and this is a huge "what if", but what if Ford conspired with others to have Smith wacked in order to obtain possession of the video?

That assumes Ford knew the tape existed before Smith was offed. It's just as likely that Ford wasn't made aware of the tape until after Smith was out of the picture.

 

[k10ery]

That assumes Ford knew the tape existed before Smith was offed. It's just as likely that Ford wasn't made aware of the tape until after Smith was out of the picture.

Au contraire. Even in his drug addled state, Ford became aware of the recording while it was happening. He said something like "That better not be on" towards the end of the video. Anyway, through his (alleged) connection to the Dixon City Bloods, he would have learned it was out there, but not that it was being shopped to the media. Perhaps Smith and Siad were freelancing, and Ford encouraged Mohammed and Hashimi to get it back for him. Only when Gawker and the Star went public did Ford really panic, and send his closest allies (Price, Lisi, and Bellissimo) after it.

 

[eastcoastanddown]

That assumes Ford knew the tape existed before Smith was offed. It's just as likely that Ford wasn't made aware of the tape until after Smith was out of the picture.

When describing the video, both Gawker and the Star mentioned that the video ends with Ford looking in to the camera and saying something to the effect of "that better not be on". I think it's likely that Ford knew, or at least had his suspicions, fairly quickly that there might have been something up.

 

[evvabeing]

more entitlement...

ford_fest_bumped_high_school_crosscountry_meet_off_course

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/201...high_school_crosscountry_meet_off_course.html