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UPDATE: VIDEO: Bailao Pleads Guilty

Posted By: Dave Bradley · 1/28/2013 8:17:00 PM

Toronto City Councillor Ana Bailao has pleaded guilty to drunk driving charges, reversing her earlier choice to fight the case in court.

Bailao says she pleaded guilty to over 80, and had the impared driving charges dropped.

At no time though, did the city councillor contemplate resigning her seat at city hall.

Bailao says she has accepted a punishment of a 12 month ban on driving, and a $1000 fine.

She called it "a bad choice" and regrets getting in her car that night.

Bailao told reporters, she thought she was in control, but obviously she was wrong.

She admitted her blood alcohol was .130 when she was pulled over.

It was back on October 16th, that the City Councillor was stopped in the Bathurst and Harbord area, when Police noticed she was driving without headlights on.

Shortly after news broke, she held a press conference, where she called the event 'regrettable'.

Mayor Rob Ford responded, in a press release, late Monday afternoon:

"Councillor Ana Bailao did something wrong and she's taken full responsibility for her actions. I have faith in the justice system and the Court's decision regarding the appropriate consequences.  Ana is a good local Councillor, she works hard and represents her residents well at City Hall.  I look forward to continuing to work with her on Council."

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  • 36
  1. ohplease posted on 01/28/2013 04:07 PM
    .130 and Charges Dropped !!!!!! WOW, Now all you drunk drivers know what to do :-)
    1. CoffeeCon posted on 01/28/2013 05:37 PM
      @ohplease ..tell them your name is bailao?
  2. JoeLLB posted on 01/28/2013 04:13 PM
    Step down Bailao , You lack the integrity to be a Councillor. You will never have my vote or support.
  3. Will posted on 01/28/2013 04:23 PM
    I'm sooooooooooo happy that she listened to her, um, heart and spent so much time with, er, herself....and the tears, oh those tears. Well, I'm convinced, she should run for mayor.
  4. Scott posted on 01/28/2013 04:25 PM
    This is terrible. No criminal record? Only a one year suspension? A$1000.00 fine. What a crock, Other people get a record, $3000 fine and a 2 year suspension. It helps to be a politician. This is not justice.
  5. Chad posted on 01/28/2013 04:44 PM
    Do your hear that? Yup, all thoses killed by drunk drivers rolling over in their graves. Do we not have codes of conducts for our politions? I mean even students have to behave to stay on a school team.
  6. Pete posted on 01/28/2013 04:54 PM
    SLAP IN THE FACE FOR MADD CANADA HA, HA, HA !!!
    CHEERS !!!!!!!!!!
  7. proton posted on 01/28/2013 05:00 PM
    had first hand experience where police protect their own while making our lives miserable. This smells!
  8. Paul posted on 01/28/2013 07:18 PM
    I doubt it`s as simple as what`s been stated or I hope it isnt ! I went through this 5 years ago same charge but was reduced to careless which is essentialy the same as over 80.
    The rest of the process hopefully will include the Step program (1000.00) A interlock device for a year after her license is reinstated ( Approx. another 1500.00) or a driving restriction.
    Regardless of the plea as I understand and went through these other costs etc. are required also.

    By the way I am close to finishing up my costs approx 25000.00 to get through this 5 years later including insurance etc.

    Not condoning this in any way I learned my lesson !
  9. Xdrunk posted on 01/28/2013 08:17 PM
    I was charged for .09 2 years ago, pleaded guilty in court ( first time offence), was charged CRIMINALLY !!! I was offered no quarter. Was just 3 years away from retirement , got fired without question. Lost my house, and family. Only difference I see is that I was not a City Councillor. Wish I had your Judge F@#%$ Bailao..
    1. Paul posted on 01/28/2013 09:27 PM
      @Xdrunk Good point ! I posted earleir and forgot to mention that over 80 also carries a criminal charge ! Mine was .110 I managed with a ton of cash to get it down to careless JUST ! to avoid the criminal aspect and believe me I am not in the position to have forked that out.

      I would love to hear on CFRB a show on what this whole D&D thing carries along with it. People seem to think it's this fine you cant drive for a year, interlock devices etc. but to have a counseller of the STEP program on the air really explaining the powers the police have as to when and how you can be arrested would be a real eye opener for a lot of people.
      Many people I talk to either laugh or cant believe the circumstances under which you can be arrested. In fact it should almost be maditory in a driving course !
    2. Jack posted on 01/29/2013 07:35 AM
      @Xdrunk Who did you work for? Perhaps you were a cop, in that case you should lose your job. If you worked at Canadian Tire or Tim Hortons and lost your job I think you have a case for illegal termination.

      You lost your house and family......I think your story is a bit different than this councellors. You must have had drinking PROBLEM for it to have devastated your life as it did. Own up to it and things will get better.
    show more replies
  10. Johnnie W posted on 01/28/2013 08:46 PM
    Okay guys. this is how to get off.
    1. Plead Guilty
    2. Say you accept a punishment of a 12 month ban on driving, and a $1000 fine.
    3.Say you made a bad choice.
    4. Say you thought you were in control, but obviously was wrong.
    5. Admit your blood alcohol level what ever it is.
    6. Say you take full responsibility.
    7. Cry like a movie star while you go through this.
    8. Hand pick your judge.
    9. Thanks the police chief when its all over.
    10. Refuse to resign your job.
    Everything Should work out just fine. :-)
  11. rocket rider posted on 01/28/2013 09:32 PM
    Does she want a free Metropass from Council?
  12. Michael posted on 01/28/2013 10:05 PM
    Ford gets off for conflict of interest ,
    Bailao get off for drunk driving,
    what next, Harper gets off for murder..?
    What corruption.........
    1. Joe posted on 01/28/2013 10:33 PM
      @Michael Wow, what a brilliant statement! Drop the phony moral outrage.
    2. A.Jaques posted on 01/29/2013 09:35 AM
      @Michael Well Paul martin got away with a scandal of millions of dollars. So it is not as if corruption only favors the right or the left.
    show more replies
  13. proton posted on 01/29/2013 06:13 AM
    .13 is quite high, not just a tiny bit over .09. shocking she gets away with it and definitely should lose her council seat. that type of irresponsibility kills people but i guess councillors have a different set of rules than the rest of us, just like the police and their friends
  14. Beta posted on 01/29/2013 07:55 AM
    Don't forget.....she can no longer enter the U.S.

    Thats a big deal if you like to go to Florida, Michigan, New York, California. If she's flying somewhere she can't be on a plane that stops in the U.S. She can't be on a cruise that ports in the U.S.

    This would hurt me, I have family all over the U.S. , plus I like to shop there and attend a baseball game occasionally.
  15. Joe posted on 01/29/2013 10:28 AM
    Wow....Why did she have to appeal and waste the courts time.
    She should have pleaded guilty at the outset.
  16. rick posted on 01/29/2013 11:00 AM
    Just to lear the air for some posters on here -She doe now have a criminal record. It will be with her for life. She is not eligible to enter the U.S. for some 3 years depending on the customs officer she gets. She is officially a convicted criminal. The section she pleaded guilty to is in the Criminal Code of Canada. Section 236 - The fine she received is in line with what a first offender would receive.
    1. proton posted on 01/29/2013 12:56 PM
      @rick thanks for clarification. Why would impaired driving charge be dropped? Would that be due to bargaining by pleading guilty of being over .08? If so, are being over .08 and impaired driving 2 separate charges and they don't have to go hand in hand?
  17. sven posted on 01/29/2013 11:08 AM
    CRIMINAL! She has no integrity.
  18. Lori posted on 01/29/2013 11:33 AM
    Ever wonder why most politicians are considered to be liars? Maybe it's because when we finally get one who screws up really badly but takes the punishment and the blame, we still crucify them for days and weeks and months.
    Misery loves company, right?
  19. Rob posted on 01/29/2013 12:41 PM
    Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the mayor have an impaired driving conviction?
    Not condoning this in any way but its sad to see so many judgmental comments as if any of you have never done anything wrong.
  20. EM posted on 01/29/2013 03:19 PM
    When this woman was arrested the first place, where are all people that attacked me as I do not understand how fair this system is? Where is Barb? How was I able to guess that this charge is going to be dropped and it so happened? Go back and read what I posted then you will realize that I was right to the mark, why? Because it is not news anywhere. It is not about the crime you do it is who you are, who do you know, what you do, and what color you are. And you can scream bloody murder all you need those are facts.

    Do you know how many drinks you need to accumulate .130? I rest my case.

    EM
    1. BARB posted on 01/29/2013 03:55 PM
      @EM Barb here.....EM....it is not about race and not about color....so stop right there. She was convicted, she didn't get away with it. She will have a criminal record, she is paying the same fine and getting her license suspended for the same amount of time as anyone else. It will impact her life, her finances etc. Yes, maybe the sentence is light I don't know. It doesn't have anything to do with race or color, so stop with your racism crap. Every post you make screams racism, no matter what the topic. This is the last I will argue with you. You are a racist and you accuse the people in the HOME you chose of being racist. I can't stand that!
    show more replies
  21. EM posted on 01/29/2013 05:32 PM
    Proton

    No what happened here is that she walked into court with her tears, and the prosecutor dropped the impaired charge and charged her with a flimsy charge. They do this every time a powerful person walks in, I can bet that she did not even go to court, the lawyer with the prosecutor have a right to charge you with any offence in the book as long as you agree to pay the bill. Here is an example, you drive 140 in 100 zone, a Police officer files a case rightly, but a good lawyer and depending on how good and powerful you are, a prosecutor will agree to change that entire charge of speeding and charge you with poor lane change, which is minor and it does not affect your insurance let alone your criminal record, and your car does not get confiscated. This counselor was probably charged with failing to stop on a stop sign, she agreed to pay 1000 dollars and a one year suspension for it. Listen carefully there is no one stating what she was convicted with for that fine, but it has absolutely nothing to do with drinking and driving. On her record there is not going to be any indication that she drunk and drove, for that would have affected her driving record, her insurance and her going to United States.

    Tell me how EM a black man can walk with such a deal in Toronto !!!!!! Geez

    EM
  22. EM posted on 01/29/2013 06:12 PM
    Rick

    A criminal record of what if the impair driving charge was dropped? What was she charged with? And that is where the press should have helped some of us, the charge was dropped, what was she convicted of? You can never be convicted of a dropped charge, Please !!!!!

    And I just need a clarification here.

    EM
    1. Paul posted on 01/29/2013 07:17 PM
      @EM She was charged by all accounts with over .08 thats still a criminal charge.
  23. EM posted on 01/29/2013 08:18 PM
    Paul

    What source did you get that information from, for I have not seen the figure of .08 from anywhere. And how did .130 change to .08, did the prosecutor drop the drunk driving charge but charge her again for drunk driving of .08? What are the advantages and disadvantages? And look I am not here to make arguments I am simply trying to understand how the “fair” system treated her.

    EM
    1. Paul posted on 01/29/2013 08:45 PM
      @EM If you are charged with being over .08 as in this case its a crminal charge same as what I went through. I was charged with being over .08 i blew .110.

      .08 is the threshhold, her .130 shows she is over the limit.
  24. EM posted on 01/29/2013 09:38 PM
    Paul

    Thank you, and yes I have just talked to someone also who called me, it is the reporting style that threw many of us off the track. Reports have been stating that the impair charge was dropped. No the charge was not dropped it is the amount that was dropped. No I have no problem with that, I can leave with that. Thank you for taking the time. No that they do always if you do not give them a hard time and you do not cost them by going through a trial, and I have no problem with that, what has been bothering me is dropping the impair charge.

    We are good.

    EM
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