The Toronto Star reported that a group of Somali men are attempting to sell a video that shows Toronto Mayor Rob Ford smoking crack cocaine. Ford vehemently denied that such a video existed, calling it "ridiculous," according to the Toronto Globe and Mail.
"This is just another example of the Toronto Star going after me," Ford told reporters.
Ford does have a history with the Toronto tabloid, he got in a fight with a photographer from the paper in 2012, according to USA Today.
The video in question was shown to two reporters from the Toronto Star, the paper described the contents of the video:
"It appears to show Ford in a room, sitting in a chair, wearing a white shirt, top buttons open, inhaling from what appears to be a glass crack pipe. Ford is incoherent, trading jibes with an off-camera speaker who goads the clearly impaired mayor by raising topics including Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau and the Don Bosco high school football team Ford coaches. 'I'm f---ing right-wing,' Ford appears to mutter at one point. 'Everyone expects me to be right-wing. I'm just supposed to be this great...' and his voice trails off."
John Cook, a reporter for Gawker, also was shown the video. Cook verifies that the person within the video is indeed Mayor Rob Ford.
"Rob Ford, Mayor of Toronto is the only person visible in the frame. It is well-lit, clear," Cook wrote. "He seems to keep trying to light the pipe, but keeps stopping to laugh. He is red-faced and sweaty, heaving with each breath. Finally he finds his moment and he lights up. He inhales."
The men who showed the video to both the Toronto Star reporters and to Cook have offered to sell the video to the media, reportedly asking for $1 million to start, according to the Toronto Star. Eventually they were willing to settle for six figures.
In order to get the video out there Gawker and Cook have decided to attempt to raise money to buy the video themselves. In what they are calling a "Crackstarter" they are attempting to raise $200,000 to purchase the video and make it public. If you are interested in making a donation go here.
Ford and his office are refusing to make any official comment on the video, according to USA Today.
