OPP to oversee Ford probe
Rob Ford has hit out at Bill Blair after the Ontario Provincial Police assumed an “oversight” role in the investigation into the mayor, saying the Toronto police chief “is playing political games.”
Blair made the request in a letter Wednesday to OPP commissioner Chris Lewis regarding Project Brazen 2, the code name for a monthslong probe into the mayor’s affairs that started with a video apparently showing Ford smoking a crack pipe.
“I am taking this step to avoid the distractions that have assumed such recent prominence,” Blair wrote. “The only public interest here is the continued investigation, without fear or favour, into evidence of possible criminality.”
Ford, upon arriving at city hall at 3 p.m. Wednesday, remained combative.
“The damage has already been done. The chief, obviously, is playing political games,” he said. “It should have been done from the very beginning.”
He was asked if he was worried about being charged. “Charged for what?” he said. “Charged for what? For an empty vodka bottle or urinating in the park? I want to know how much money they spent for surveilling me and renting planes. I want that number to come out. So that’s just a waste of taxpayers money.”
When pressed on whether he was saying the police wouldn’t find anything, the mayor remained silent.
At city hall, Coun. Doug Ford said he was pleased by the development. “I’m happy it won’t be so political — maybe,” he said.
Coun. Adam Vaughan, a former member of the police services board, reacted to the news with a grave face.
“It underscores just how
‘THE ONLY PUBLIC INTEREST HERE IS THE CONTINUED INVESTIGATION … INTO EVIDENCE OF POSSIBLE CRIMINALITY.’
BILL BLAIR
serious the allegations are and having the OPP come in just helps us make sure that we have confidence that the police work is police work and hopefully we’ll get some answers,” he said.
He would not speculate on whether charges may be coming against the mayor.
“I don’t share the Fords’ constant whining about unfair police powers. What today’s developments suggest is the situation is getting more and more serious and the investigation is going deeper and deeper into the relationship between the Fords and people who may or may not have committed illegal acts. It signals a much more serious investigation.”
The investigation has resulted in charges of drug trafficking and extortion against Alexander (Sandro) Lisi, Mayor Ford’s friend and one-time driver. The mayor admitted last year to smoking crack during a drunken stupor but has denied any criminal wrongdoing.
In a January video taken surreptitiously at a restaurant the mayor rambled and swore incoherently and used expletives to describe Blair.
—With files from Sarah Boesveld, Josh Visser and The Canadian Press