Song: Steps Taken by Toronto Star to Get Mayor Rob Ford’s Side of the “Crack Cocaine” Video Story
Viewed: 31 - Published at: 7 years ago
Artist: Toronto Star
Year: 2013Viewed: 31 - Published at: 7 years ago
Appendix #1
Steps taken by Toronto Star to get Mayor Rob Ford’s side of the story on Thursday May 16 prior to publication of “crack cocaine” video story
The Gawker website published online at 8:28 pm on Thursday May 16 an account of how its editor, John Cook, saw the Mayor Ford crack video the previous week. Toronto Star editor Michael Cooke quickly assembled a group of reporters and editors in the newsroom, including Kevin Donovan and Robyn Doolittle, who had seen the video a month before and had been trying to obtain the video ever since. During that phase, the Star had promised the source who was trying to sell the video that it would not reveal the source’s identity or the fact that a video existed without permission of the source. The Star was released from that promise that evening. In addition, the Star learned that day that the source had attempted to sell the video to not only the Star, but Gawker and CNN.Following is a summary of Toronto Star attempts to contact Mayor RobFord that evening to ask him about the video and the attempts by individuals to sell the video. Please note that Mayor Ford and his staff, for more than a year at that time, had refused to respond to any verbal, emailed or hand delivered letters seeking comment on numerous other stories the Star was preparing.
Thursday evening:
9:04 pm: Robyn Doolittle both called and sent a text message to Ford’s chief of Staff Mark Towhey and press secretary George Christopolous asking them to comment on allegation that Mayor Ford was videotaped smoking crack and that people were trying to sell a video of this. Neither responded.9:15-10 pm: Kevin Donovan called Ford’s city hall line and his home line several times. There was no answer. Messages left for Ford asked him to comment on the Gawker story and also informed him that Star reporters had seen the video and requested comment on that. Donovan also called George Christopolous, press secretary. Christopolous did not respond to requests for comment.
9:30-10:30 pm: City Hall reporter Paul Moloney and photographer TaraWalton drove to Mayor Ford’s house in Etobicoke and knocked on door,seeking comment. There was no answer. Moloney rang the bell and knocked several times. Moloney wrote a note asking Mayor Ford to comment on the issue involving the crack video. Moloney put the note through the mail slot on Ford’s door. A man appeared who seemed to be acting as security for theFord house. He told Moloney and Walton to “move along.” Moloney andWalton then drove a short distance to Councillor Doug Ford’s house,knocked and received no answer. Moloney wrote a similar note and put it in the mail box at the councillor’s home. Moloney and Walton returned toMayor Ford’s house and again received no response.9:45 pm: Robyn Doolittle spoke to Dennis Morris, Mayor Ford’s lawyer.Doolittle explained the story the Star was working on and said she was seeking comment from Mayor Ford and if not, his lawyer. Morris said to Doolittle “how can you know what he is smoking.” Doolittle noted thatGawker had, that evening, quoted Morris saying that the Gawker account of the video was “false and defamatory.” Morris confirmed to Doolittle he had made that comment.9:45-10 pm: Reporter Dave Rider reached Ford Chief of Staff Mark Towhey at his home. Rider explained the story the Star was working on and Towhey abruptly hung up on the Star reporter.10 pm: Kevin Donovan called lawyer Dennis Morris to go over his comments and ask, again, if Mayor Ford would comment. Morris said he would speak on behalf of the mayor as his lawyer. Morris told Donovan that by viewing a video “how can you indicate what the person is actually doing or smoking.” Morris repeated his claim that the allegations against Mayor Ford were “false and defamatory.”The Star continued to try and get Mayor Ford to comment about the video that evening, on Friday and on successive days. Mayor Ford and his staff have ignored all attempts by the Star to interview them on the crack video matter.
Appendix #3
Toronto Star letter to Mayor Rob Ford seeking his side of the story regarding allegations about Garrison Ball and substance abuseMarch 22, 2013Dear Mayor Ford,We are writing to alert you to a story we are working on. The story deals with your being asked to leave the Garrison Ball and also the long term concern that you have a substance abuse problem that, at times, has affected your performance as Mayor of Toronto.Our hope is that you, or your staff, will speak with us today about these two matters.Contact information to arrange an interview is at the bottom of this email. Substance abuse of any kind is obviously a very difficult and sensitive issue. We are hoping that you will be able to shed light on this and how, if at all, it has affected you as Mayor.The Garrison BallWe have interviewed five people who have told us that you arrived at the event in some distress, clearly either under the influence of some substance (alcohol is the one most commonly mentioned) or suffering from a medical problem. We have further been told that organizers of this important military charity event, and some of the military people in attendance, were distressed by this. You apparently staggered and fell down the stairs,were seen to be inebriated or under some other distress near the coat check and the washroom, and were speaking in an incoherent, rambling, oddly excited manner.Organizers and others in attendance apparently encouraged Councillor Paul Ainslie to ask you to leave. Mr. Ainslie did encourage your chief of staff, Mark Towhey, to ask you to leave. You left the event.We would like to ask you to provide any additional information regarding this incident.Among our questions: Did you drink prior to the event, at the event, or both? How did you get the the event (by car on your own, or driven)? Where were you prior to the event and where were you after the event?A Substance abuse problem?For more than a year, we have been speaking to people involved in City Hall about the perception that you have an untreated substance abuse problem. The people we have spoken to are both current and former staff, and city councillors. Among them are people who like you and would prefer to see you get help. We have been told the following: Counselling or a rehab program has been suggested and rebuffed by you several times; an effort to have an important person with knowledge of substance abuse issues counsel you
was also rebuffed; your substance abuse issues have affected your job negatively (coming late to work or not coming at all on some days).
Note: A final paragraph of this letter has been redacted as it included questionsabout allegations the Star is continuing to investigate.
Please contact Kevin Donovan, today, to discuss this. He can be reached at 416-312-3503 or kdonovan@thestar.ca.
Kevin Donovan
Robyn Doolittle
Toronto Star
Appendix#3 (b)
Toronto Star letter to Mayor Rob Ford seeking his side of ongoing investigation into ‘crack cocaine’ video in week before May 30 report. Similar letters sent toDoug Ford, and five staffers in mayor’s office. These letters were published onthestar.com with the story.
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/05/30/rob_ford_video_scandal_mayor_ford_said_ he_knew_where_video_was_sources_say.html
Dear Mayor Ford,We are continuing to investigate allegations related to the video witnessed by twoToronto Star reporters. Today we published a story detailing a portion of DavidPrice's involvement.For Thursday's paper we are preparing a more detailed story which will state that on the day we published the story of the video (Friday, May 17) it was Mayor RobFord who blurted out to aides the exact address where drug dealers involved with the video could be found.To all of you who are receiving this letter, please be aware that we are asking these questions in the public interest about a serious matter. We strongly advise you to reach out to us to discuss this story. We want to hear your side of it. Most importantly, if there is anything you believe is not factual, or anything you would like to add, please contact us by this Wednesday at 3 pm.Here is what we believed transpired on Friday, May 17, the day the story of the video was published on the front page of the Toronto Star:
A meeting was called to discuss the video. We believe the following people we represent. Mayor Rob Ford, David Price, Earl Provost, and possibly communications aides George Christopoulos and Isaac Ransom. We are trying to reach these people and others through email or by telephone, although we do not have all the proper contact information at this time.During the meeting, when concern was raised about the existence of a video,Mayor Ford told staffers "not to worry" as he knows where the video is.To the surprise of some present, Mayor Ford then blurts out the Dixon Rd.address, including the two apartment units on the 17th floor, 1701 and 1703.Following this, as we reported in the Tuesday Star, David Price contacted Mark Towhey (we do not know if by telephone or in person) and asked him"hypothetically" what he should do if a "source" had told him where to locate the video. We are continuing to explore what David Price and others may have done over the next two weeks to try and obtain the video and to defuse the growing scandal with denials over the existence of the video.Questions:1. How did you know the address and apartment units. Is it because you purchased crack cocaine or another substance from people in those units?.2. Did you order David Price to go find the video?3. What were you planning to do if you secured the video?Please contact me at 416-312-3503 or atkdonovan@thestar.ca
Kevin Donovan
Investigative Editor
Toronto Star
Steps taken by Toronto Star to get Mayor Rob Ford’s side of the story on Thursday May 16 prior to publication of “crack cocaine” video story
The Gawker website published online at 8:28 pm on Thursday May 16 an account of how its editor, John Cook, saw the Mayor Ford crack video the previous week. Toronto Star editor Michael Cooke quickly assembled a group of reporters and editors in the newsroom, including Kevin Donovan and Robyn Doolittle, who had seen the video a month before and had been trying to obtain the video ever since. During that phase, the Star had promised the source who was trying to sell the video that it would not reveal the source’s identity or the fact that a video existed without permission of the source. The Star was released from that promise that evening. In addition, the Star learned that day that the source had attempted to sell the video to not only the Star, but Gawker and CNN.Following is a summary of Toronto Star attempts to contact Mayor RobFord that evening to ask him about the video and the attempts by individuals to sell the video. Please note that Mayor Ford and his staff, for more than a year at that time, had refused to respond to any verbal, emailed or hand delivered letters seeking comment on numerous other stories the Star was preparing.
Thursday evening:
9:04 pm: Robyn Doolittle both called and sent a text message to Ford’s chief of Staff Mark Towhey and press secretary George Christopolous asking them to comment on allegation that Mayor Ford was videotaped smoking crack and that people were trying to sell a video of this. Neither responded.9:15-10 pm: Kevin Donovan called Ford’s city hall line and his home line several times. There was no answer. Messages left for Ford asked him to comment on the Gawker story and also informed him that Star reporters had seen the video and requested comment on that. Donovan also called George Christopolous, press secretary. Christopolous did not respond to requests for comment.
9:30-10:30 pm: City Hall reporter Paul Moloney and photographer TaraWalton drove to Mayor Ford’s house in Etobicoke and knocked on door,seeking comment. There was no answer. Moloney rang the bell and knocked several times. Moloney wrote a note asking Mayor Ford to comment on the issue involving the crack video. Moloney put the note through the mail slot on Ford’s door. A man appeared who seemed to be acting as security for theFord house. He told Moloney and Walton to “move along.” Moloney andWalton then drove a short distance to Councillor Doug Ford’s house,knocked and received no answer. Moloney wrote a similar note and put it in the mail box at the councillor’s home. Moloney and Walton returned toMayor Ford’s house and again received no response.9:45 pm: Robyn Doolittle spoke to Dennis Morris, Mayor Ford’s lawyer.Doolittle explained the story the Star was working on and said she was seeking comment from Mayor Ford and if not, his lawyer. Morris said to Doolittle “how can you know what he is smoking.” Doolittle noted thatGawker had, that evening, quoted Morris saying that the Gawker account of the video was “false and defamatory.” Morris confirmed to Doolittle he had made that comment.9:45-10 pm: Reporter Dave Rider reached Ford Chief of Staff Mark Towhey at his home. Rider explained the story the Star was working on and Towhey abruptly hung up on the Star reporter.10 pm: Kevin Donovan called lawyer Dennis Morris to go over his comments and ask, again, if Mayor Ford would comment. Morris said he would speak on behalf of the mayor as his lawyer. Morris told Donovan that by viewing a video “how can you indicate what the person is actually doing or smoking.” Morris repeated his claim that the allegations against Mayor Ford were “false and defamatory.”The Star continued to try and get Mayor Ford to comment about the video that evening, on Friday and on successive days. Mayor Ford and his staff have ignored all attempts by the Star to interview them on the crack video matter.
Appendix #3
Toronto Star letter to Mayor Rob Ford seeking his side of the story regarding allegations about Garrison Ball and substance abuseMarch 22, 2013Dear Mayor Ford,We are writing to alert you to a story we are working on. The story deals with your being asked to leave the Garrison Ball and also the long term concern that you have a substance abuse problem that, at times, has affected your performance as Mayor of Toronto.Our hope is that you, or your staff, will speak with us today about these two matters.Contact information to arrange an interview is at the bottom of this email. Substance abuse of any kind is obviously a very difficult and sensitive issue. We are hoping that you will be able to shed light on this and how, if at all, it has affected you as Mayor.The Garrison BallWe have interviewed five people who have told us that you arrived at the event in some distress, clearly either under the influence of some substance (alcohol is the one most commonly mentioned) or suffering from a medical problem. We have further been told that organizers of this important military charity event, and some of the military people in attendance, were distressed by this. You apparently staggered and fell down the stairs,were seen to be inebriated or under some other distress near the coat check and the washroom, and were speaking in an incoherent, rambling, oddly excited manner.Organizers and others in attendance apparently encouraged Councillor Paul Ainslie to ask you to leave. Mr. Ainslie did encourage your chief of staff, Mark Towhey, to ask you to leave. You left the event.We would like to ask you to provide any additional information regarding this incident.Among our questions: Did you drink prior to the event, at the event, or both? How did you get the the event (by car on your own, or driven)? Where were you prior to the event and where were you after the event?A Substance abuse problem?For more than a year, we have been speaking to people involved in City Hall about the perception that you have an untreated substance abuse problem. The people we have spoken to are both current and former staff, and city councillors. Among them are people who like you and would prefer to see you get help. We have been told the following: Counselling or a rehab program has been suggested and rebuffed by you several times; an effort to have an important person with knowledge of substance abuse issues counsel you
was also rebuffed; your substance abuse issues have affected your job negatively (coming late to work or not coming at all on some days).
Note: A final paragraph of this letter has been redacted as it included questionsabout allegations the Star is continuing to investigate.
Please contact Kevin Donovan, today, to discuss this. He can be reached at 416-312-3503 or kdonovan@thestar.ca.
Kevin Donovan
Robyn Doolittle
Toronto Star
Appendix#3 (b)
Toronto Star letter to Mayor Rob Ford seeking his side of ongoing investigation into ‘crack cocaine’ video in week before May 30 report. Similar letters sent toDoug Ford, and five staffers in mayor’s office. These letters were published onthestar.com with the story.
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/05/30/rob_ford_video_scandal_mayor_ford_said_ he_knew_where_video_was_sources_say.html
Dear Mayor Ford,We are continuing to investigate allegations related to the video witnessed by twoToronto Star reporters. Today we published a story detailing a portion of DavidPrice's involvement.For Thursday's paper we are preparing a more detailed story which will state that on the day we published the story of the video (Friday, May 17) it was Mayor RobFord who blurted out to aides the exact address where drug dealers involved with the video could be found.To all of you who are receiving this letter, please be aware that we are asking these questions in the public interest about a serious matter. We strongly advise you to reach out to us to discuss this story. We want to hear your side of it. Most importantly, if there is anything you believe is not factual, or anything you would like to add, please contact us by this Wednesday at 3 pm.Here is what we believed transpired on Friday, May 17, the day the story of the video was published on the front page of the Toronto Star:
A meeting was called to discuss the video. We believe the following people we represent. Mayor Rob Ford, David Price, Earl Provost, and possibly communications aides George Christopoulos and Isaac Ransom. We are trying to reach these people and others through email or by telephone, although we do not have all the proper contact information at this time.During the meeting, when concern was raised about the existence of a video,Mayor Ford told staffers "not to worry" as he knows where the video is.To the surprise of some present, Mayor Ford then blurts out the Dixon Rd.address, including the two apartment units on the 17th floor, 1701 and 1703.Following this, as we reported in the Tuesday Star, David Price contacted Mark Towhey (we do not know if by telephone or in person) and asked him"hypothetically" what he should do if a "source" had told him where to locate the video. We are continuing to explore what David Price and others may have done over the next two weeks to try and obtain the video and to defuse the growing scandal with denials over the existence of the video.Questions:1. How did you know the address and apartment units. Is it because you purchased crack cocaine or another substance from people in those units?.2. Did you order David Price to go find the video?3. What were you planning to do if you secured the video?Please contact me at 416-312-3503 or atkdonovan@thestar.ca
Kevin Donovan
Investigative Editor
Toronto Star
( Toronto Star )
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