Nov 26 2012
Re-Elect Rob Ford (or Whoever Else is Available)
Yeah, Rob Ford screwed up. But enough to get the boot? Nah.
Toronto is a big city. A great city. It deserves good government and fiscal responsibility, not the socialist freak show it got for decades. Whether that agent of change is Rob Ford or some other candidate, it’s all good.
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When did Conservatives top being against conflict of interest? Ford should be booted a banned. Period.
Mr. Ford can run in the next election and I hope he wins a crushing majority. Nothing like the sounds of lefty heads exploding.
Patsplace
He won’t win with a crushing majority if he runs he might win but it would be with far less votes then last time.
Corruption is not a left or right issue. Is conflict of interest and using his office for personal financial gain acceptable or not? I think it is unacceptable and I have a hard time believing that conservatives believe it is acceptable.
Re: “Is conflict of interest and using his office for personal financial gain acceptable or not?”
I wasn’t aware of any “personal financial gain” on Ford’s part. None has been reported.
The conflict of interest did happen — and might easily have been prevented if a single city staff member that usually attend these meetings could have said “Uh, Mr. Ford, maybe you should step out for 5 minutes. Conflict of interest and all.” I’ve been to hundreds of municipal meetings — mayors and council members aren’t always clear on when they need to recuse themselves.
So, Ford erred. Is this worth losing his position as Mayor? Nope.
> I wasn’t aware of any “personal financial gain” on Ford’s part. None has been reported.
He took $3K of city funds for his charity, and voted against paying it back when the truth came out. Even if he was originally ignorant of the conflict of interest, he could’ve paid it back out of his own pocket and said “my bad”, but he didn’t.
Jnarvey
Then what should the judge have done?
Jeff
What really concerns me is people seem to think its fine if you break the rules if your trying to help people.
Re: “He took $3K of city funds for his charity” — well, here’s where we disagree on the meaning of “personal financial gain”.
The money went to help city youth get involved in sports — the kind of thing that cities fund all the time to keep kids out of trouble and instill positive values (teamwork, community spirit, etc). Ford didn’t shoot the $3K up his nose. Had he simply gone through a formal procedure at City Hall for putting in a grant, or used non-City stationery, we wouldn’t even be talking about this.
No question that Ford erred here. Worth booting him from office? Nah.
Jnarvey
I don’t think its the money going to football was the issue its it went to his team it might be time for a rule that says if your a mayor or sit on council you can’t be connected to sports or any groups.
Jonathon, he was told, repeatedly, that he was in conflict of interest. It’s like going to jail over not paying a parking ticket; it’s kind of dumb. This article might help: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/1296099–james-rob-ford-refused-to-protect-himself-from-himself
If I were a fiscal conservative, I would personally steer clear of the Fords as follow travelers or allies.