Watch: Alan Carter reports on the latest news about Rob Ford
TORONTO – Mayor Rob Ford is expected to address calls for his resignation amid allegations around a video of him smoking what looks like crack cocaine on his Sunday radio show.
That update comes after Ford met with Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly on Saturday. Kelly had been deputized to communicate the “concerns” of several members of Ford’s executive committee. Neither he nor Ford would comment on the meeting or its outcome.
Earlier that day, Ford had informed reporters outside his office that he has no plans to step down, reiterating his stance of Thursday afternoon, hours after Police Chief Bill Blair acknowledged investigators have a video of the mayor depicting images “consistent with those that had been previously reported in the press.”
But police allege Ford’s friend Alexander “Sandro” Lisi went to great lengths to obtain that video days after reports first surfaced in Gawker and the Toronto Star. Lisi made a brief court appearance Friday on an extortion charge: He’s accused of threatening two young men in an attempt to get the video.
Mayoral geography: Map of key locations in the Lisi – Ford investigations
Dual revelations from Blair’s statement and court documents detailing the investigation have elicited calls from Ford’s friends and foes alike to step down or take a temporary leave.
Watch: Councillor Vaughan speaks about Ford’s impact on City Council
Councillor James Pasternak called the events surrounding the mayor both “disappointing” and “disconcerting,” but stopped short in calling for the mayor’s resignation.
However, other councillors say it is time for the mayor to step down.
Watch: Councillor Berardinetti: Ford must ‘consider his impact on the city’
Watch: Councillor Carroll reacts to meeting between Ford and Deputy Mayor
Councillor Doug Ford came to his brother’s defence Friday morning in an interview on AM640’s The John Oakley Show.
“Rob hasn’t been charged with anything. He hasn’t broken a law and he’s being convicted, he’s being convicted by the media. That’s not too hard to see,” said Ford.
Councillor Frank Di Giorgio also defended the mayor Thursday and said he isn’t going to rush to judgement.
As for his meeting with the deputy mayor, Kelly’s staff says the meeting with Ford will be private and no media update is expected until Monday.
Read more: Complete coverage of the Rob Ford story
With files from Global News’ James Armstrong, Andrew Russell, David Shum and The Canadian Press
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