Crackstarter - Gawker crowdfunding the Rob Ford crack tape: good or evil?

It's over 140,000 with 4 days left, I would be pretty shocked if it stalls out without hitting the goal now.

This model is predicting it hits 200 tomorrow early, for whatever it's worth: http://kodonnell.ca/tmp/gawker-indigogo-will-it-fund.php

xp clem iirc if you don't hit the target indiegogo automatically gives back the money

sorry - the model is predicting early Saturday

hopefully we can blow up the entire earth before that has a chance to happen

everyone open yr can of beans

First images released!

http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2013/04/13/marion-barry-68b733933b6fba72b571890df4d1d60dfc0e4f99.jpg

Oh, wait. Wrong mayor.

Did you guys talk about how Ford's chief of staff was just fired?

― polyphonic, Thursday, May 23, 2013 2:52 PM (2 hours ago)

Escorted out of the building by security, supposedly, no explanation whatsoever given. Meanwhile, a columnist at the right-wing Toronto Sun wonders why Ford hasn't aggressively sued the Toronto Star over the story.

Yes, that's a real puzzler--what could possibly be giving him pause?

Maybe I'm wrong, but I read that "why not sue?" op-ed was the Sun's way of acknowledging that his failure to sue could only mean one thing: he did it. They also ran an "explain or resign" editorial today.

http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/straighttalk/archives/2013/05/20130523-072740.html
"So why hasn't he sued? The answer likely lies in the fact that as between Ford and the Star, only Ford knows if he has smoked crack and if there might be an authentic video. If he sues and the video surfaces and is authenticated, he'd lose and be stuck with a fortune in legal fees. But if the video is a fake Ford should win a large award."

Also, if he sues, then can't the video be subpoenaed as evidence?

The lead editorial was unambiguously a plea for Ford to start talking. The other columnist, though--Alan Shanoff--I found him a little ambiguous. My interpretation is that he's whistling past the graveyard, presenting both possibilities but starting from an assumption of Ford's innocence. But maybe you're right--he may also be coyly suggesting Ford's guilt.

xp clem iirc if you don't hit the target indiegogo automatically gives back the money

indigogo let's the fundraiser choose:

Your Money, Your Choice

Keep all the money you raise, even if you don't meet your goal. Or, opt for Fixed Funding and only keep your money if your campaign reaches its goal.

lets

(although it looks like they chose the fixed funding model in this case)

No "If the goal is not met, I want my money to be handed over to the drug dealers anyway, for their courage and civil-mindedness in bringing this matter to light" option.

xxxp yeah - Shanoff definitely playing it like he accepts Ford's innocence, but I think unwinding the "why not sue?" argument - and explaining exactly how all-in The Star went on it and how vulnerable they would be if this was false - is actually a great way to say to Sun readers that it's time to accept that Ford did it. Maybe I'm reading too much into it.

Somebody just kicked in $10,000 and claimed the phone Gawker had offered as a prize.

Gawker walking it back hardcore - this update just posted sounds like they don't think they'll get the tape: http://gawker.com/rob-ford-crackstarter-update-509596078

over 160k now!! i don't think they're back tracking, just acknowledging that they/we might not get it.

and it seems Towhey was fired for telling Ford to get help. that will probably be the front pages tomorrow.

Crackstarter Update: You're buying someone a lot of crack

Rob has officially opened his mouth, denied everything and blamed the Star. now we can anticipate the usual post-Ford-talking crackstarter bump.

Carefully chosen verb tenses:

http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/05/24/transcript-rob-fords-statement-to-media-on-crack-allegations/

"I do not use crack cocaine, nor am I an addict of crack cocaine."

Depends which meaning of "use" you use.

"I do not use crack cocaine (to season my food), nor am I am addict of crack cocaine (but rather one primarily of water and carbon)"

"I do not currently have crack cocaine in my system. I think."

"As for a video, I cannot comment on a video that I have never seen or does not exist."

"Or," not "nor." Because if it were "nor," commenting would be pretty easy. By the way, if you've never seen footage of Ford, you won't appreciate how unbelievably right it would be if Chris Farley were around to play him in an SNL sketch.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/globe-investigation-the-ford-familys-history-with-drug-dealing/article12153014/

hashstarter?

I went to a film last week with an old high-school friend, and, no lie, this is close to exactly what he told me (he mentioned Rob and Doug, but not the other brothers)--what he'd been told by other friends, I should mention, not anything he had direct knowledge of. I didn't post anything here because it seemed irresponsible and, for all I know, slanderous. (Not that the Ford brothers have their lawyers monitoring ILX.) But the Globe story kind of brushes such concerns aside.

I don't read the Globe--they're still basically to the right, no? As dogged and stubborn as Ford has been so far, I'd be surprised if he doesn't step down within a week or two.

The Globe endorsed Rob Ford, they are right-leaning.

Highly doubt either of them will step down though - it would take undeniable physical evidence or criminal charges, neither of which seem likely right now. . There's still no proof of anything - not even a named source in either the crack or the hash story, so they have deniability.

Short of the video getting out, I think they're probably okay from a legal standpoint, yes. But I suspect the pressure to resign--more from their own side than the other--will begin to spiral out of control.

it's possible but given their history and tenacity, i don't see them caving in ever if they don't absolutely have to. these dudes don't wanna go back to running the label factory any time soon

the hand wringing over paying for stories is pretty ridiculous, news companies make big money off these things but if any source were to get a cut its a huge lol moral outrage, reminds me of a contorted logic behind not paying college athletes, only thing that matters imho is that the story is true

I think the key will be Holyday and the other conservatives on City Council. (I never follow municipal politics, suddenly I'm an expert.) Nixon was ready to fight impeachment all the way until Goldwater made it clear to him that he had next to no support within the party anymore, at which point he accepted the inevitable. That's a bit different--in Nixon's case, that would have had a direct bearing on impeachment hearings, and Ford doesn't face that--but Nixon was also famous for his stubbornness.

If they decide to dig in, should be quite a spectacle. I don't think things would ever settle down for the rest of their term...I imagine people would be coming out the woodwork the whole rest of the way. ("I did some ether with Doug Ford in 1988!)

This Kickstarter is, most of all, a fundraising for Gawker itself, right? Think abt the publicity and the clicks mahnnn.

I'm quite cynical and wary about this whole thing. I expect a lot of drugs dealers will go crate digging in their collection of 'doing drugs with famous ppl', with an inflation of the price as a result.

Oh, I've no doubt they will get to the 200k. If they are, say, 10k short near the end Gawker will spring for it themselves, surely. They can't 'afford' it to fail now.

During some twitter arguing between Gawker & the Star yesterday I think I saw Cook say they don't even get credit for Canadian page views? Incredible.

This latest hash story is a bit of a letdown - the only shock is that the Globe is speaking against the party line really

gawker could def come up w 200k for a story, they prob just think this one isnt worth it

clemenza - i've had friends tell me similar things too (high friends in places). never that they were dealing things by the POUND, mind you, but still dealing. so this is both shocking and not-shocking to me.

Willing to sell my third-hand testimony for a couple of Tim Hortons gift cards.

The only activity I disapproved of in that article was that Rob Ford snitched on kids smoking pot on school property... and his sister being a Nazi, of course.

Minor-league high school suburban hash-slinging is probably the most likeable thing Doug Ford's ever done.

Like others above, I don't think the Globe story is exactly Woodward & Bernstein bringing down Nixon. If it were a standalone out of the blue, I'd probably say ancient history and who cares?

But in context, I think it's justified. The present scandal is very relevant to Ford's job performance, and if, as appears likely, the phantom video never comes to light, the truth of the accusations will have to be weighed circumstantially. And on those grounds, I think the Globe is right in publishing the story.

Great line from Josh Marshall (with a nice Nixon allusion): "If I were advising on-the-ropes Toronto Mayor Rob Ford I’d advise him to get ahead of this story by becoming the first major elected official to come out in favor of medical crack. Instead he’s come forward with perhaps the most painful non-denial crack denial ever."

Has anyone made a "bitch set me up" comment yet because I will

agree. in itself the doug ford story isn't much, but as part of establishing a pattern that shows they are serial liars and huge hypocrites about drugs and law & order it might be significant. I still think someone will need a smoking gun to actually dislodge Ford, though. The only problem is stories like the Globe's today feed into the Fords' media vendetta narrative, so eventually the papers are going to need to really undeniably prove what they are asserting.

About $25,000 away now.

would be willing to bet that tape is long gone

And of course Doug has premier hopes - the sooner squashed the better.

Also, I bet the person who donated 10 grand to crackstarter is Mel Lastman, knowing his own legacy will be comfortably eclipsed.

Conspiracy types think the Fords reached out and bought the video themselves.

"As for a video, I cannot comment on a video captured with a blue Virgin Mobile cellphone that no longer exists."

As bad as the silences are, they start to make sense every time Rob or Doug speak up:

http://globalnews.ca/news/589636/doug-ford-calls-drug-trade-allegations-sleazy-journalism/

Rotary Club good, Jackson Proskow hypocrite, let's call an election tomorrow.

xp lol. you're not right. if the mayor of the fourth largest by population city in north america has substance abuse issues it's a perfectly legitimate story for press to cover. the press coverage was even fairly sympathetic, i.e. "lol look at this incorrigible mayor who boozes like crazy and smokes crack"

You know I'm at least little right, you just don't want to admit to yourself, because it's pretty sick stuff.

― larry appleton, Wednesday, March 23, 2016 4:00 PM (7 minutes ago)

sick stuff. sad!

he wasn't exactly going to rehab and cleaning up his act before anything was published

he died of cancer. cancer doesn't read gawker.

cancer stopped reading after caity left iirc

gawker is cancer

for the record - i never laughed about any of the crack stuff. what make me sick was that a drunk driving pathological lair could hold office and have such a rabid following in the first place. he humiliated the entire city and reveled in the attention. that's what was sickening about all this. i was embarrassed. as well as insulted and angry when he refused to step down, he obviously was not going to get any work done at all (not that he was killing it in the first place). it was no secret he'd been doing this for a long time and he was not capable of changing. none of that is gawkers fault.

Pretty much this.

CP24 coverage was pretty awful in glossing any number of his gross and shameful incompetence in office, and his reactionary and regressive policies (god, remember the whole ferris wheel thing), not to mention his principally unrepentant taunting of both law and common decency, as "some people had political differences". Not surprised, but still disgusted, that him being wildly unpopular and controversial in the worst ways becomes "a marginal section disagrees with his politics (not to mention everything else)"

Also, You know I'm at least little right, you just don't want to admit to yourself is super trolly in its transformation of misunderstanding into self-righteousness, for any of the reasons listed above.

gawker is cancer

― Οὖτις, Wednesday, March 23, 2016 4:30 PM (5 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

well, then we're halfway to curing it, then.

(then, then)

i am no defender of gawker, but if a mayor of a major city is out there smoking crack there is nothing for the media to do except report on it. this wasn't a conde nast executive situation.

nice of gawker to elect rob ford into public office

i am no defender of gawker, but if a mayor of a major city is out there smoking crack there is nothing for the media to do except report on it. this wasn't a conde nast executive situation.

Crackstarter. End of story.

Isn't Balky needing help with something

No

I'm going to smoke some weed, this shit's bumming me out. RIP Rob Ford and Balky.

Great piece:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/ivortossell/rob-ford-the-honest-liar#.sgOv3m1Q7

feeling this one a lot: http://tvo.org/article/current-affairs/shared-values/andray-domise-the-rob-ford-legacy-that-many-refuse-to-confront

I remember how we all laughed at him falling apart. Well, not me, it made me sick to my stomach.

"I remember when we all did that terrible thing. Well, not me, I'm awesome."

Wow, Domise is a great writer for a politician.

Just got a fundraising e-mail from Domise about a community project that started a while ago. I hope he runs in the by-election (when?), hope he wins, and I may volunteer again. But he should hold off on e-mails for at least a little while.

This is terrifying (from the Buzzfeed article above):
" hired as his personal driver a drug-dealing friend who was convicted of threatening to kill a woman, and who carried around a vial of bedbugs as a threat to his enemies; "

what's terrifying is how much support he continued to enjoy.

New Yorker piece about Ford as a blueprint for Trump. (New piece--there's a similar one that was written a year or two ago.)

http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-calculated-populism-of-rob-ford

A few months ago, I should say--it only feels like two years of candidate Trump.

Robyn Doolittle, lead reporter in the crack story who went on to write Crazy Town:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/my-relationship-with-rob-ford-its-complicated/article29397563/

Older brother--who, as I'm sure I've said before on this thread, I consider even worse--says a by-election should be called immediately (because that's what Rob would have wanted), and he's "not sure" yet if he will run.

I hope, but sincerely doubt, he'll sit this one out. The seat should be contested by the people who ran last time in an impossible situation: Ford had gone public with his cancer, so everybody running against him had to almost abstain from saying anything critical out of common decency. (I don't think he was in rehab yet.) Absent Ford, I think Domise will run and win, but there was another woman in her early 20s who did quite well too. Putting the ward and the city through another Ford election and another Ford term on council is disheartening in so many ways. (If nothing else, I assume this campaign would be substantially uglier than last time.) If he does run, he'll win. Ugh.

at least if he gets in as a councilor it means he can't run for the PC leadership. i really fucking hope that party has learned it's lesson with Hudak, that they need to move towards the center and not away from it. would love to be able to consider them an option again.
on the other hand, i don't think he stands a chance with the PCs, whereas councilor would be a cakewalk for him. but - the people of ward 2 made their bed when the voted in a very obviously sick (in every sense of the word) rob ford. they've basically being going without real representation for a decade now anyways – what's another two years.

Yeah, I'm of the second view: he'd never win provincially (an election, I mean--I guess he could get the nomination), so I'd rather have him go that route.

Little Nephew Jr. running; what a drag. Part of me wants Domise to take a chance, most of me says don't bother.

http://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2016/05/04/byelection-to-be-held-to-fill-rob-fords-seat.html

lil guy

according to that article his birth name is Michael Stirpe

I'm glad they're rewriting the fact that it was a female reporter who investigated Rob Ford. Why have a woman be a lead character when a man could do it? Ammaright? https://t.co/Nx3holhuZW

— robyndoolittle (@robyndoolittle) April 10, 2018

srsly

caroline dhavernas is even canadian!

https://giphy.com/gifs/television-hannibal-3cXQ1pfu2Vf3O

Thermo and I are to blame.

at least if (Doug) gets in as a councilor it means he can't run for the PC leadership. i really fucking hope that party has learned it's lesson with Hudak, that they need to move towards the center and not away from it. would love to be able to consider them an option again. on the other hand, i don't think he stands a chance with the PCs...

― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Friday, April 1, 2016

Yeah, I'm of the second view: he'd never win provincially (an election, I mean--I guess he could get the nomination), so I'd rather have him go that route.

― clemenza, Saturday, April 2, 2016