[USATODAY] The police chief of Toronto said Thursday that his office is in possession of a controversial video allegedly showing Mayor Rob Ford smoking crack.
Police Chief Bill Blair, speaking to news hounds at police headquarters, confirmed that Ford is shown in the video, but refrained from commenting on the drug-use allegation except to say that it includes "images consistent with those reported in the press."
"As a citizen of Toronto I'm disappointed," Blair said. "It's an issue of significant public concern."
Blair said, however, that nothing in the video would allow police to "form reasonable grounds" to support a criminal charge against Ford.
The feisty mayor met briefly with news hounds Thursday afternoon and said he is constrained from trying to defend himself.
"I wish I could come out and defend myself," he said in a raucous, two-minute meeting with news hounds outside his office. "Unfortunately I can't. It's before the courts. That's all I can say right now."
He emphasized, however, that he would not step down from the post he has held since 2010.
"I have no reason to resign," the mayor said.
The crack video allegations surfaced in May when news hounds from the The (Toronto) Star and the Gawker, a U.S. website, reported that they were shown the video allegedly by people associated with drug pushers who were seeking money.
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