Toronto mayor Rob Ford won't resign after admitting he smoked crack cocaine

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford said Tuesday
he won't resign, hours after admitting
he smoked crack cocaine, probably "in
one of my drunken stupors."
"I was elected to do a job and that’s
exactly what I’m going to continue
doing," Ford said during a press
conference at which he repeatedly
apologized.
"Folks, I have nothing left to hide."
Ford has been dogged by drug
allegations for months, ever since a
video surfaced that purportedly
showed him smoking crack. Toronto's
police chief recently confirmed that
police now have a copy of the video.
After initially denying the existence of
the video and sidestepping questions
about crack, Ford finally came clean
on Tuesday, telling a raucous group of
reporters that he had used the highly
addictive form of cocaine.
"Yes I have smoked crack cocaine,"
Ford said earlier on Tuesday.
"But, no, do I? Am I an addict? No.
Have I have tried it? Probably in one of
my drunken stupors, probably
approximately about a year ago," he
said.
At the press conference later in the
day, held amid growing calls for him to
step down, Ford apologized profusely
to voters — and to his brother Doug, a
city council member who had
defended the mayor by calling for the
police chief to resign.
"With today’s announcement, I know I
embarrassed everyone in the city and I
will be forever sorry," the blustery
politician said, his voice filled with
emotion at points.
"There is only person to blame for this
and that is myself.
"I know that admitting my mistake was
the right thing to do and I feel like a
thousand pounds have been lifted off
of my shoulders."
He said that while he knows he let
down his constituents, he has no
intention of stepping down and plans
to run for re-election next year.
"I love my job and I love this city. I
love saving the taxpayers money and I
love being your mayor," he said.
"For the sake of the taxpayers, we
must get back to work immediately."
Ford said that voters can decide next
year if they still want him to be mayor.
"We live in a democracy," he said.
Councillor Jaye Robinson said the
mayor should have taken a leave of
absence six months ago to address his
"health issues."
"Right now, he does not have a shred
of credibility," she said.
"It's a circus...We've become the
laughingstock of North America if not
the world."