Toronto mayoral candidate Rob Ford admitted Thursday morning that he has been charged three times for criminal offences, including a 1999 incident in Florida where he refused to provide a breath sample while returning from a Valentine’s Day date with his wife.
Mr. Ford pleaded guilty to the charge the year before he became a city councillor.
At a hastily called news conference, Mr. Ford addressed his past after the Toronto Sun confronted him with evidence he was charged with marijuana possession in Florida in 1999; that charge was later dropped.
The Etobicoke councillor, who is the current mayoral frontrunner, said he was caught off guard by questions about drug charges.
“What I remember is failing to provide a breath sample. When I think about those charges, the marijuana charge was dismissed. So when somebody discussed this with me the first thing that pops in my head was failing to provide a breath sample,” Mr. Ford said.
“While the marijuana charge was dismissed, I entered a guilty plea for failing to provide a breath sample, received a fine and did some community service.”
Mr. Ford could not remember the amount of the fine. He completed 50 hours of community service coaching football in Toronto.
“I had a few drinks at Valentine’s Day dinner with my wife. It was a mistake, I shouldn’t have been driving but I owned up to my mistake,” he said.
Mr. Ford was on vacation in the Miami area with his then-fiancée when he was charged. The pair were driving back to their condominium, he said.
The mayoral candidate was subsequently elected to Toronto’s city council three times, although details of the Florida incident remained unknown until now.
“I truly believe this election is not about mistakes I made 11 1/2 years ago, by me or by any other candidate,” Mr. Ford went on. “I am not perfect. I have never claimed to be perfect. But I believe this is a city that needs strong leadership.”
Mr. Ford said he was also charged with assault twice: Once when he was 18, in conjunction with a hockey game, and again recently in relation to a family dispute.
Mr. Ford was cleared of the domestic assault charge in 2008 after the Crown deemed his wife’s statements inconsistent. Mr. Ford said at the time that he and his wife had fully reconciled.
Mr. Ford said he was caught off guard and adamantly denied having been charged when first approached by the Sun.
“No to answer your question,” Ford told the newspaper.
“I’m dead serious. When I say no, I mean never. No question, Now I’m getting offended. No means no.”
But after Ford was provided with details from a Florida state criminal history record obtained by the Sun, he admitted the incident.
“You think I’m BSing you but I’m not. It completely, totally slipped my mind.”
“I completely forgot about it until you mentioned it right now,” he said.
This is not the first time Mr. Ford has initially denied – or “forgotten” – unseemly incidents. Back in 2006, he denied accusations he was drunk and disorderly at an April 15 Maple Leafs game.
Three days later Mr. Ford told the National Post, “It’s hard to be thrown out of [a] hockey game when you weren’t even there.”
A few weeks later – after witnesses filed a complaint with the city – Mr. Ford admitted he attended the game, had too much to drink and shouted insults at other fans:
“I had one too many beers and I sincerely apologize. I’m only human, and I made a mistake. I don’t know what else I can say.”
That incident did not result in criminal charges.
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