Rob Ford Crackstarter Campaign

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   quotationsposted 10 years ago

   As many of my fellow Canadians already know, the mayor of Toronto, the largest city in Canada and the Fifth largest city in North America is alleged to have been filmed smoking rack cocaine in the company of known drug dealers. Reporters from Gawker and the TorontoStar say they have seen the video, which is being offered for sale for $200,000.
   
   Now Gawker has started a crowd funding campaign on IndieGogo that they call a "crackstarter" aimed at raising the money needed to buy the video. Meanwhile our great Mayor Ford continues to say that the allegations are "ridiculous" and that this is a witch hunt.
   
   I for one would like to see the video and find out one way or another. Anyone else in on donating some money? The campaign is already at over $79,000 but if they don't reach $200,000 in the next seven days the campaign gets cancelled and the money returned to the donors.
   
   Let's find out if Rob Ford's forehead is drenched in poutine sweat because he is the incarnation of Chris Farley or because he likes to hit that pipe. I think that posting a direct link may not be allowed, so just google "crackstarter"

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      Quilligrapherposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I am afraid I do not understand. Are you helping to raise funds to reward an obvious extortionist? If the 200K is raised, who owns the rights to the film and who collects the publication fees for its use? Sounds like a scam to me.
      

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         Mighty Momposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         I agree, Quill.
         If this photo is legitimate journalism (a definition which is under some debate these days),
         there would not be any kind of fee associated with seeing it.
         The mayor does sound like a character who doesn't really give a fig about
         public opinion of him.
         If, for some reason he gets relieved of his mayoral duties in Toronto, there is plenty
         of opportunity for him in the US!

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            quotationsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            I think you are misunderstanding, - the money is not going to pay the news outlet to show the video. They are trying to crowdsource the funding so that they can buy the rights to video and make it public. By the way I have nothing to do with the campaign. I am just discussing the issue because as a Canadian I find this fascinating.
            
            Paying for videos shot by the public is common practice for news outlets. What is novel in this case is that they are using a public funding method to raise the funds. If it works it may signal a shift in how journalists and news organizations do business. Its interesting on many levels - first because of what the video supposedly shows and secondly for the fact that whether it sees the light of day or not will depend on public participation. Quite interesting I think.

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         quotationsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         I am just making people aware of what is going on. I think that this is a big issue. If you are Canadian you will know that the Mayor Ford has had a slew of bizarre behaviour leading up to this, and if the underlying issue is a crack addiction then the public needs to know. The fact that the Mayor is supposedly shown on video with known members of the underworld, including having his arms around a man who was shot a short time later in a gangland shooting makes it a big deal in my opinion.
         
         The video is being offered for sale by the people who made it. If it is purchased by Gawker.com one of the leading sites on the net, it will be published for everyone to see and decide what it really shows.
         
         I doubt this is a scam, as journalists from the Toronto Star also confirm that they saw the video but bowed out when they could not meet the asking price. They had offered 40,000 for it.
         
         I don't see this as extortion, any more than any of the videos taken by non-journalists and shown on news outlets are routinely purchased by CNN and other news outlets. The fact is that the copyright owner is entitled to compensation for its use. Are the people who made the video fine upstanding citizens? No, but then people don't smoke crack in the company of fine upstanding citizens.
         
         I also don't see this as extortion since as far as I know no one has tried to blackmail Ford to keep the video from being shown.

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      A Little TRUTHposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      There are plenty of politicians who have done far, far, FAR worse things than put some smoke into HIS OWN lungs.  Things like killing thousands or even millions of people, keeping millions in poverty, keeping millions in debt, keeping millions in fear … I better stop.
      
      What Mr. Ford may or may not have done with some smoke is irrelevant (especially if mirrors were involved too).  If you’re going to focus any attention on Mr. Ford, it would be far more relevant to ask: WHY is someone shining the light on HIM, and why NOW, instead of any of a number of other politicians who could just as easily have something exposed on THEM?

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   Uninvited Writerposted 10 years ago

   I don't like Rob Ford but I will not pay to see a video that may or may not be true. Sounds a bit like blackmail to me.

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   Mighty Momposted 10 years ago

   No, I understand what's happening. Someone is trying to make big money off what
   is most likely a faked tape.
   If it for some reason IS true,  the makers of the video could probably command more
   money from Mr. Ford himself or their family than they are asking the public for.
   So they are shortchanging themselves.

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      quotationsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Honestly, having observed his antics over these past few years, I would not be shocked if the tape is real and I would surprised if it is faked. Crack would explain a lot of what has gone on so far. I think of it as a pay per view model. I hope we get to see the tape.

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         Uninvited Writerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Of course, even if it is true he will never admit it and blame the Toronto Star.

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            quotationsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            That seems to be his strategy so far. Which is why I have donated to the crackstarter campaign. I really hope that the video gets published and Toronto gets saved from this disgrace of a mayor.

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   SomewayOuttaHereposted 10 years ago

   "Let's find out if Rob Ford's forehead is drenched in poutine sweat because he is the incarnation of Chris Farley or because he likes to hit that pipe."...now, that's funny.
   
   I only pay attention to what happens in TO because I used to live there.....however and only because CBC picked up his story....in the west....no one really cares or knows of his previous antics....so not all Canadians are up on what the ford is doing or not doing
   
   I think he is an 'urban hillbilly'...as well as his bro......
   
   he is avoiding the issue...because he is an idjut who keeps getting himself into trouble.....i don't feel i need to see the video...but i'm sure it'll be released...the money will be raised...but...i figure he'll be gone from his position by then.....he probably won't resign so easily...not because he needs the money...he likes the power......
   
   quite frankly i can't believe 'chris' is actually the mayor of TO anyway.....

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      quotationsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      The campaign is at $107,026 and climbing! I can't wait to see the video. The best pay per view event ever.
      
      By the way I don't live in Toronto, but I have many friends who do and I feel sorry for what has happened to their great city. The sooner the fool is gone the sooner they can start to fix the damage.

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         SomewayOuttaHereposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         ha ha ha...about the donations rising! i guess there are folks that wanna see chris or should i say 'the ford'

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   Uninvited Writerposted 10 years ago

   He still thinks if he says nothing and gets his brother to speak instead it will just go away...

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   psycheskinnerposted 10 years ago

   I, personally,  can think of more worthy uses of my money than a no doubt blurry video of someone who may or may not be the politician in question. I very much doubt it will clear anything up.

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      quotationsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      The reporters who have seen the video say that the image is quite clear and well lighted. The campaign is at 134,000. Yeah!

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         psycheskinnerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         If third party descriptions were considered reliable, would we need to see it at all?  It makes me think this has to do with rubber-necking rather than investigation.

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         Quilligrapherposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Hey there, Quotation. Okay if I toss in another opinon about this remarkable project that has an entire city drooling in anticipation?
         
         While I am impressed by the amount of attention generated by this pay-per-view exposé of a public figure, I find it hard to reconcile the public’s exuberance when viewed from within the context of the real world. For example, there are hundreds of Toronto Charities for Children that could put another $200K to good use.
         
         I am thinking about the hundreds of charities and non-profit organizations in the Greater Toronto Area that help children. They offer services such as shelter, education, research, support, mentorship, guidance, activities, sports, nutrition and more. {1}
         
         Maybe, I am one of just a few who are looking through the eyes of these kids and seeing a frivolous and pathetic waste of money.
         
         {1} http://www.toronto-charities.ca/childrens-charities

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            Uninvited Writerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            I agree, there are much better things to do with your money.

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            SomewayOuttaHereposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            of course it is a waste of money....however...it is being raised.  people will spend their money in any way they choose....some people want to see the ford finally ousted from his mayoral role and probably many donors have no idea about TO politics...they just see gossip/scandal...the ford should have been tossed out a long time ago.  He does represent a city that is known around the world...he has no class....he is an ass...200K to get rid of him is a small amount to pay for damage control...he will eventually cost TO much more in the long run...however...........the raising of the funds was started by an american group.....Canadians don't normally get into the trash the way gawker does/has...
            
            the people that will benefit from the money raised  are probably drug dealers....maybe they will donate it to charity...i'm sure they are paying attention to comments made by people around this....i bet gawker doesn't care...they just want a story
            
            I guess you could say....the ones stirring the pot around raising money....is gawker...i doubt a Canadian group would have stirred the pot the way gawker is...but that is what they do, right?

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               quotationsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               I agree that 200,000 is a small price for damage control and to save Toronto. This is assuming that this guy won't survive politically if he is shown on tape actually doing what they allege.
               
               We are only about $39,000 away from the goal. Ford's end looks like it is in sight!

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                  Uninvited Writerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                  Ford fired his Chief of Staff yesterday after a "discussion." I bet you anything he tried to convince the mayor to discuss this topic instead of running away from it.

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                     quotationsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                     The sad thing is if the video does not come out then Ford's strategy of denial will work. And unfortunately there is no guarantee that even if the money is raised that Gawker will be able to buy the video. I would not be surprised if someone has already had a chat with the dealers who took the video and convinced them that it would be bad for their health to make it public. After all the story is that these same dealers supply a number of elite Torontonians so who knows what connections they have.

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                        Uninvited Writerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                        Now Councillors are talking to reporters (unnamed) about him being drunk or high at meetings. This thing is getting bigger and bigger with or without the video.

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   SomewayOuttaHereposted 10 years ago

   hey quotations, looks like chris...err ...the ford has made the vid disappear.....looks like gawker will donate the 200k plus to a toronto charity...some charities don't want the money..they say it's tainted..sally ann will take it!
   
   the ford didn't attend the Canadian mayor's conference in Van. BC - some folks were glad!!!! ha ha ha

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      quotationsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      This is sad. I was looking forward to watching this video.
      
      However I think that the focus on the video is a bit of a red herring. There is a picture of the mayor looking pretty wasted with his arm around a known drug dealer (who later ended up being killed execution style) and another man whose face has been pixelated. Both of the men are wearing hoodies inddors. The picture is said to be an outtake from the now missing video.
      
      The mayor has not offered a good explanation of why he is in socializing in some shady characters.

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         SomewayOuttaHereposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         well....the explanation is that he poses with many people including criminals by accident...however he says he wouldn't have known who they were, he just poses with whoever wants to pose with him.....i don't believe him...he's an idjut!
         
         do you remember Mel Lastman (I think it was him) shaking hands with a member of the hell's angels...and then he said he didn't know who the HA were?  now, i figure old Mel was probably for real and telling the truth...he could be a dumbass sometimes

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            quotationsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            That explanation rings hollow, especially since the reporters state that the photo is a screen capture from the longer video. So according to them he did not just pose for one picture, it's part of the video that they describe. And he certainly looks under the influence in that picture.
            
            I am disappointed that the video has not yet surfaced but I suspect that there are a few copies floating around. I cannot believe that whoever took it resisted the temptation to forward copies to a few friends.
            
            Plus if he is a cocaine user he is going to have to be careful the next time he visits the projects to meet his supplier. No telling when a journalist might be hiding in the bushes with a telephoto lens.

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