AUDIO: Ford brothers blame 'lefties' for latest legal woes
Rob Ford's mayoral campaign manager doesn't sound phased that a financial audit shows Team Ford broke the rules.
The mayor's older brother, Councillor Doug Ford, was in charge of Rob's run for Toronto's top job in 2010.
On Sunday's edition of NEWSTALK 1010's The City, Doug Ford insisted everything was on-the-level.
"We ran it transparent, open, and full-access because we had nothing to hide," he says.
Ford added that he thought that the auditor was fair in his assessment.
A forensic review of the books showed that Ford exceeded the legal limit for campaign expenses by just over $40,000, or roughly 3%.
It also referred to 11 cheques worth a total of $6,000 that were collected by the Ford campaign from corporate accounts, violating other sections of Ontario's Municipal Elections Act.
Mayor Ford claimed the complaint that launched the investigation is part of a larger conspiracy against his administration.
Rob Ford pointed the finger of blame at a cabal of 'relentless' but unnamed left-leaning city councillors.
While it is true that a small number of political activists have been taking it upon themselves to police the mayor's every move, the Brothers Ford provided no evidence to suggest the plot is as wide-spread as they claim.
"I have no problem defending myself, we just need a good group of people to run in the next election and we can single out these councillors that get supported by these lefties -- and that's exactly what they are -- tax-and-spend socialists."
Doug Ford expanded on his brother's comment, saying that these councillors are colluding with well-connected political advocacy groups.
"One (group) is called Fair Elections Toronto but there are other groups that have endless access to pro-bono lawyers, endless access to pro-bono accountants, and these folks had their hands in the cookie jar."
Councillor Ford went on to insinuate that these subversive forces are somehow supported or bankrolled by labour union leadership.
"I ask all of these folks that belong to a union to go in and look at what your union leadership is doing with your dues. Ask to find out where your money is being spent because a lot of these folks that voted for Rob don't realise their their money is going to attack the guy they voted for," he says.
There is a chance that Rob Ford could be ordered out of office as punishment for his MCA violations but such a move would be unprecedented in Ontario.
City Hall's 3-person Compliance Audit Committee will decide whether to drop the matter or move to reprimand the mayor at a meeting on February 25th.
Pursuing non-criminal charges could take as long as a year.