The integrity commissioner, Janet Leiper, released the report the same day she released a separate report criticizing Councillor Doug Ford, the mayor’s brother, for violating council’s code of conduct by using “intimidating language” toward an activist.
Leiper says her office asked Rob Ford six times over 13 months for confirmation that he had complied with the 2010 reimbursement order. In late October, after almost 14 months, Ford sent her letters from three of the lobbyists in which they said they did not want to be reimbursed.
Four days later, Leiper wrote, “I wrote to Mayor Ford to confirm his obligation to obey council's decision. I advised Mayor Ford that asking lobbyist-donors for the additional favour of forgiving repayment could amount to a breach of the Lobbyist Code of Conduct.”
Ford, she wrote, has not responded to this correspondence. His spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Leiper found that 11 lobbyists or clients of lobbyists had donated a total of $3,150 to the foundation, in amounts between $50 and $500, between August 2009 and May 2010. Seven had lobbied Ford or had registered an intention to lobby him.
The Rob Ford Football Foundation helps schools start football programs. Ford, who coaches Etobicoke’s Don Bosco Catholic Secondary School Eagles, solicited donations using his official city letterhead.
Council agreed with Leiper’s finding that Ford, then a councillor, improperly solicited donations from lobbyists, improperly used his influence to obtain donations, and improperly used city property and services to obtain donations.
Original Article
Source: Star
Author: Daniel Dale
No comments:
Post a Comment