The mayor of Toronto is saying he smoked crack "probably a year ago" when he was in a "drunken stupor." 
 
 Rob Ford's admission to reporters Tuesday follows months of accusations during which the embattled mayor refused to step down. The allegations that he had been caught on video smoking crack surfaced in May. 
 
 "Yes, I have smoked crack cocaine," Ford told reporters Tuesday outside his office. "There have been times when I've been in a drunken stupor. That's why I want to see the tape. I want everyone in the city to see this tape. I don't even recall there being a tape or video. I want to see the state that I was in." 
 
 Police said last week it had obtained a copy of the video. ||||| Toronto Coun. Doug Ford says police Chief Bill Blair is biased against his brother, Mayor Rob Ford, and should step down temporarily. 
 
 Doug Ford, who made the comments Tuesday on CBC's Metro Morning, said Blair "is the most political police chief we've ever had" and "needs to step down immediately." 
 
 His remarks came just a few hours ahead of Rob Ford's stunning admission that he has, in fact, smoked crack cocaine — the latest twist in the scandal that has surrounded the mayor for months since reports first surfaced of a video, now in police hands, that is alleged to show him smoking the illegal drug. 
 
 Toronto Coun. Doug Ford has called on Toronto police Chief Bill Blair to resign. (CBC) 
 
 The video has yet to be made public. 
 
 Last week, police charged Rob Ford's friend and occasional driver, Alexander Lisi, also known as Sandro or Alessandro, with extortion. At a news conference last Thursday, Blair confirmed that a tape exists that is “consistent” with what had been described in the media reports. 
 
 Blair added he was "disappointed" at the contents of two videotapes, adding they're a "traumatic issue" for the city and its reputation. 
 
 But Doug Ford says those comments show Blair has overstepped his role as police chief. 
 
 "He should not have made those comments," Ford told Metro Morning host Matt Galloway Tuesday morning. 
 
 "He's created a bias towards the mayor," said Ford, who also said he and his brother support front-line police officers "100 per cent." 
 
 "He believes he's the judge, jury and executioner." 
 
 Blair was among the officials on hand later Tuesday morning as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) launched its holiday season campaign. 
 
 Speaking to reporters afterwards, Blair restated he will not respond to "personal attacks." 
 
 "We are guided by the rule of law and the public interest," he said. "I can assure the people of Toronto we continue to do our job." 
 
 Alok Mukherjee, chair of the Police Services Board, which provides civilian oversight of the police department, said he received a text message from Doug Ford on Tuesday morning, saying the councillor wanted to meet with him to make a complaint about Blair being motivated by political considerations. 
 
 Mukherjee responded to Ford in writing, saying a meeting would be inappropriate and under the Police Services Act, he's prevented from following through on one. 
 
 Mukherjee said a meeting with Doug Ford would be viewed as interfering with a police investigation, and he advised Ford to file a complaint with the Ontario independent police review director. 
 
 'The police chief doesn't intimidate me' 
 
 Ford repeated many of his arguments during a news conference at city hall later later in the day, calling for a probe into both Blair's remarks and into what he alleged was a conflict of interest between the chief and police board member Andy Pringle. Ford claims the pair took a fishing trip together. 
 
 'This place is turning into Gotham City.' - City Coun. Denzil Minnan-Wong 
 
 "I would like to find out who paid for this trip. I would like to know if there was any conversation about political issues during that trip. I would like to know if any issues were discussed about the mayor during that trip," said Ford. 
 
 He called on Pringle to resign from the Toronto Police Services Board. 
 
 "We cannot have a police board member being the police chief's fishing buddy," he added. 
 
 Ford went on to address his apparent "war" with the chief. 
 
 "The police chief doesn't intimidate me," he said. "We don't live in a police state." 
 
 Others on city council sided with Blair and defended Pringle, including Coun. Denzil Minnan-Wong, a member of the mayor's executive committee, who compared the city's current state of affairs to something out of a comic book. 
 
 "This place is turning into Gotham City," Minnan-Wong told reporters at city hall. 
 
 "That it has been lowered to this level is not something, I think, we should be supporting. I think all members of council need to speak up," he added. 
 
 Mayor won't attend Blair gala 
 
 Coun. John Filion also criticized the strategy the mayor and his brother are employing. 
 
 “They are polarizing the city, or attempting to polarize the city, in such an unhealthy way,” Filion told reporters at city hall on Tuesday. 
 
 “They are attempting to drive a wedge and make a distinction between the chief of police and the front-line officers, and you see that distinction in every comment they make. That is just so damaging, irresponsible [and] appalling.” 
 
 On his Sunday radio show, Rob Ford apologized without specifically stating what behaviour he's apologizing for. The mayor also called on Blair to make the tape public. 
 
 On Monday, it was learned that Rob Ford will not be at Blair's Chief of Police Gala, an annual event that raises money for victims' services and where the mayor is usually a guest at the head table. 
 
 Both Ford and event organizers agreed the mayor should not attend the event, given the recent headlines. ||||| Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images 
 
 Rob Ford fessed up this afternoon, finally admitting that he has indeed smoked crack. "Yes, I have smoked crack cocaine, probably in one of my drunken stupors," the Toronto mayor told surprised reporters at City Hall, adding that it "probably [happened] approximately about a year ago." 
 
 Despite the admission, however, the mayor claims that he never lied to the media during his previous denials because those were in response to questions about whether he smokes (present-tense) crack. "I wasn't lying," he told reporters. "You didn't ask the correct questions. No, I'm not an addict. And, no, I do not do drugs. I made mistakes in the past. All I can do is apologize." 
 
 
 
 Advertisement 
 
 For those that need a refresher: In May, Gawker and the Star both reported that their journalists had seen a video of Ford, Toronto's Quimby-like mayor, smoking what by both accounts was pretty clearly crack cocaine. Neither outlet published the video for one simple reason: The man who took it was hoping to secure himself a six-figure payday for its release, a total that neither the American website nor the Canadian newspaper were willing to pony up. 
 
 Ford denied the accusations, declaring shortly after the initial reports: "I do not use crack cocaine. Nor am I an addict of crack cocaine." As we learned last week, the tape is now in the hands of local police. It hasn't been made public yet, but it is expected to see the light of day in court before all is said and done. 
 
 
 
 [Update 5 p.m.: At a late afternoon press conference, Ford said he would not resign from office—and even promised to run for re-election next year.] 
 
 
 
 ***Follow @JoshVoorhees and the rest of the @slatest team on Twitter.*** ||||| The curtain has drawn on a dramatic day at Toronto City Hall in which Mayor Rob Ford admitted that he had smoked crack cocaine, though the defiant chief magistrate is making no plans to step down from his job. 
 
 Ford made the shocking admission late Tuesday morning and spoke again with reporters hours later, describing his shame at hiding the truth from his family and colleagues. 
 
 The admission was "the most difficult and embarrassing thing I have ever had to do," Ford told a crush of media gathered at city hall. 
 
 The mayor, speaking in a slow, grave tone and wearing an NFL logos tie, said he was "ashamed" but felt like "1,000 pounds have been lifted off my shoulders" after his earlier admission that he has used crack cocaine. 
 
 Toronto Mayor Rob Ford told reporters late Tuesday that publicly admitting he had smoked crack cocaine was the most embarrassing moment of his life. (Chris Young/Canadian Press) 
 
 "To the residents of Toronto, I know I have let you down and I can't do anything else but apologize and apologize, and I'm so sorry," he said. 
 
 
 
 The mayor also absolved his brother, Coun. Doug Ford, of having any knowledge about his substance abuse issues. 
 
 
 
 "I kept this from my family — especially my brother, Doug — my staff, my council colleagues, because I was embarrassed and ashamed," he said, with his brother standing to his right. 
 
 Despite the many calls for him to step down, Ford said he still had a job to do at city hall. 
 
 "I was elected to do a job and that’s exactly what I’m going to continue doing," Ford said, telling reporters that voters will decide next year when the municipal election is held if he should keep his job as mayor. 
 
 Ford’s admission that he had smoked crack cocaine comes after months of denials. 
 
 "Folks, I have nothing left to hide," Ford said. 
 
 ‘I have smoked crack cocaine’ 
 
 When Ford made his admission during the midday, he told reporters it probably occurred "in one of my drunken stupors" about a year ago. 
 
 "Yes, I have smoked crack cocaine," Ford said. 
 
 "But, no — do I? Am I an addict? No. Have I tried it? Um, probably in one of my drunken stupors, probably approximately about a year ago." 
 
 The mayor suggested that he hadn’t been lying when reporters previously asked him about his drug use, questions raised after a series of media reports about an alleged video of him smoking crack cocaine. 
 
 The mayor had denied that video’s existence, but Toronto police Chief Bill Blair has said it is now in the possession of police. Ford has since called for that video to be released for all to see. 
 
 "So, I wasn’t lying. You didn’t ask the correct questions,” Ford said Tuesday, referring to the prior questions he had faced about using drugs. 
 
 "No, I’m not an addict and no, I do not do drugs. I made mistakes in the past and all I can do is apologize, but it is what it is and I can’t change the past." 
 
 "Yes, I've made mistakes, all I can do now is apologize and move on," the mayor said. "I can apologize to my family, my friends, my colleagues and the people of this great city." 
 
 The CBC’s Jamie Strashin reported Tuesday that Ford’s staff members were told about the plans to admit his drug use only minutes before the mayor spoke to reporters. 
 
 Ford colleagues react 
 
 Ford'sadmission of drug use drew immediate response from colleagues at city hall. Many are calling for the mayor to step aside to sort out his personal issues. 
 
 Coun. Jaye Robinson said that Ford does not have even “a shred of credibility,” and she wants to see him take a leave of absence. 
 
 Coun. Jaye Robinson says the mayor does not have even 'a shred of credibility,' following his admission that he has smoked crack cocaine. (CBC) 
 
 "The real issue is getting the mayor to address his health issues, step aside [and] take a leave of absence, as I’ve been saying for six long months," said Robinson. "And now he’s coming forward and he’s admitting that there is clearly a problem here." 
 
 Robinson was previously a member of the mayor’s executive committee, though she was ousted from her position as the chair of the community and recreation development committee after she urged Ford to take a leave of absence. 
 
 After the mayor held his second news conference to apologize, Coun. Josh Matlow said that Ford simply needs to go. 
 
 The same day that Ford admitted to using crack cocaine, news broke that councillors have prepared at least two separate motions related to his behaviour. 
 
 Coun. John Filion represents Ward 23, Willowdale, an area he says is "hugely overpopulated" with condos. (Patrick Morrell/CBC) 
 
 One motion from Coun. John Filion seeks to strip the mayor of his ability to hire or fire the deputy mayor, or any of the standing committee chairs. 
 
 A second motion from Coun. Denzil Minnan-Wong calls on the mayor to apologize, co-operate with police in their investigation and to take a temporary leave of absence. 
 
 "I think it’s time for him to take a break," Minnan-Wong said when speaking with reporters on Tuesday afternoon, about an hour after the mayor admitted to having smoked crack cocaine. 
 
 Other councillors tweeted reactions: 
 
 Premier Kathleen Wynne said Tuesday that she had heard the mayor’s admission, but left it to the police and the judicial system to "take action." 
 
 When speaking with reporters, Wynne said that what has been going at city hall "is of great concern to everyone in the city of Toronto." 
 
 The city’s former deputy mayor Doug Holyday said Tuesday that he respects what Ford has accomplished as mayor, but that the mayor must deal with the issues in his personal life. 
 
 Holyday won a seat in the provincial legislature during a summer byelection, which led to his recent departure from city hall. 
 
 It was unclear Tuesday how Ford's sudden admission of prior drug use will affect his future as Toronto's mayor. There is no legal mechanism to remove him from office for using drugs. 
 
 Ford, 44, was elected as the mayor of Toronto three years ago. He still has another year to go in his current term. The mayor has said he intends to run for a second term.Days ago, he predicted that next year’s election campaign is going to be "a bloodbath." 
 
 A controversial tenure 
 
 During his time as mayor, Ford has consistently drawn headlines both for his work at city hall and his life outside of it. 
 
 Alongside the recent questions about his drug use, Ford has also faced questions about the people he associates with in his private life. 
 
 Toronto police undertook an investigation into allegations regarding the video, which involved following the mayor and other individuals. Ground and aerial surveillance were used. 
 
 That investigation saw police charge Alexander Lisi, also known as Sandro or Alessandro, with extortion. 
 
 Ford has said that Lisi, who has served as an occasional driver for the mayor, is a friend. 
 
 The drug controversy is not the only high-profile challenge Ford has faced in office. 
 
 He faced a conflict-of-interest challenge that saw a judge order him removed from office, but he ended up winning an appeal and hanging onto his job. 
 
 Ford also faced a defamation lawsuit that was eventually dismissed. 
 
 On a number of occasions, Ford has been accused of acting strangely or inappropriately at public events. During his most recent Sunday radio broadcast, he apologized for "mistakes" he had made, including getting “hammered” at the Taste of the Danforth street festival this year and in letting things get out of control on St. Patrick’s Day last year. 
 
 Recently, Ford faced criticism for writing reference letters for Lisi, who also faces drug charges and has been convicted of threatening to kill his girlfriend, as well as for a tow truck driver who is a convicted murderer.
– Embattled Toronto Mayor Rob Ford admitted that he'd at least used crack today, in what the CBC describes as a "scrum" with reporters outside city hall. "Yes, I have smoked crack cocaine," he said. "Am I an addict? No. Have I tried it? Um, probably in one of my drunken stupors, probably approximately a year ago." He insisted that he was technically telling the truth when he said earlier this year that he didn't use crack cocaine, because he doesn't light up habitually. "I wasn't lying. You didn't ask the correct question." "There have been times when I've been in a drunken stupor," he said, according to the AP. "That's why I want to see the tape. … I want to see the state that I was in." Ford has clung to his office in the face of calls for his resignation. In another twist in the story, his brother, city councilor Doug Ford, called on police chief Bill Blair to resign today, alleging that Blair was biased against Rob Ford. Slate has audio of today's full and hilarious exchange between Rob Ford and reporters. And then there's this.