There's quite the line-up for paper copies of the Ford decision. Hoping to avoid getting trampled.
Waiting in line for the Ford judgment. Our ultra modern court system is handing out PAPER copies at 10.
RT @HULKMAYOR: HULKMAYOR STILL NO UNDERSTAND WHY EVERYBODY IN #TOpoli HATE KIDS SO MUCH. HULKMAYOR JUST FULL OF LOVE FOR CHILDREN.
RT @JohnLorinc: #TOpoli Enduring symbol of @TOMayorFord era: reporters waiting in lines in courthouses.
RT @HULKMAYOR: PEOPLE NEED REALIZE THAT EVERY TIME HULKMAYOR SMASH IT HURT HULKMAYOR MORE THAN HURT YOU. EXCEPT WHEN SMASH BIKE LANE THA ...
So bottomline: We won't have decision right at 10 a.m. There'll be a wait of some sort.
For those of you wondering, the decision will be posted to the Ontario courts website ... tomorrow. Ever so timely.
It could have been worse. Until many reporters complained, the plan was to send the decision to lawyers, leaving the city at their mercy.
OK, so 30 or so reporters are waiting in line for the Ford judgment, as if for toilet paper in 1970 Moscow.
And still we wait. Rumours fly. Chisel and monk jokes exhausted.
RT @MooreintheAM: Ford decision delayed by need to photocopy the document. What, the Gestetner machine was broken?
News that Clayton Ruby's firm planning press conference at 11:30 shows confidence court will have photocopies by then.
Mayor Rob Ford has been removed from office.
From judgment: "I declare the seat of the respondent, Robert Ford, on Toronto City Council, vacant."
When Ford run again? "I decline to impose any further disqualification from holding office beyond the current term."
Judge says he declines to disqualify Ford from running again 'beyond the current term.'
But what defines the end of the current term? Does the term end with today's decision or not?
The fateful words: 'I declare the seat of the respondent, Robert Ford, on Toronto City Council, vacant.'
Although Ford's seat has been declared vacant, the judge has suspended decision for 14 days because of the admin changes. #topoli
Ford has been given a 14-day reprieve from the judgment.
On the disqualification question, I'd be surprised if the judge weren't more clear if he intended to ban him from running again.
The second floor of city hall has filled with reporter on lookout for mayor.
"In view of respondent's leadership role in ensuring integrity in municipal gov, it is diff to accept an error in judgment defense based...
Ruby at press conference. Says the decision shows that nobody is above the law. #topoli
"While we're pleased to have won this case, we also saddened by it ... Rob Ford did this to Rob Ford," Ruby says.
Paul Magder, the citizen who brought down Ford, is speaking now. He starts by saying he loves the city. #topoli
Ruby says even his unclear on when the mayor can run again, based on the judge's wording re: the current term.
'If you want to hold office you have to act with integrity' - Clay Ruby.
Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti speaking with reporters now on the conflict of interest act: "This legislation - you can pick it apart with your teeth, anybody could. So the judge had no choice in ruling the way he did because this legislation is not geared for municipalities like ours."
Mammoliti: "What I'm concerned about is the city. What is the city supposed to do when the courts rule this way?"
In case you're wondering what the reaction from Queen's Park, it's been fairly quiet so far. Dalton McGuinty is doing a media availability after his meeting with the governor of Michigan later this afternoon, though it's not clear if he'll address Ford's conflict of interest case.
The Globe's Karen Howlett just sent this in after a scrum with Tory MPP Peter Shurman:
“I think it’s tragic when a political figure winds up in a position like this,” Ontario Progressive Conservative Peter Shurman told reporters at Queen's Park on Monday. “He has done a reasonably good job in our estimation of handling affairs at the City of Toronto, keeping costs in check, but he has some troubles which will have to be resolved.”
“I don’t think there’s anything to celebrate here,” Mr. Shurman said. “I think that Rob Ford has done what he thought was right and the courts say otherwise in the case of conflict of interest. He has the right to appeal and we should let that take its course.”
Mayor Ford has just arrived at his City Hall office. Reporters all shouting questions at him.
"Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose," Ford tells reporters
"The left-wing wants me out of here," he says
Mayor Ford vows to appeal. "I'm a fighter," he says in press conference at his office.
Ford says he'll be right back, whether it be a by-election or if it's the next election
Ford scheduled to appear in front of reporters again at 1 p.m. on an unrelated matter
There's quite the line-up for paper copies of the Ford decision. Hoping to avoid getting trampled.by Kelly Grant via twitter 11/26/2012 2:41:47 PM
Waiting in line for the Ford judgment. Our ultra modern court system is handing out PAPER copies at 10.by Marcus Gee via twitter 11/26/2012 2:44:16 PM
Get all the details on today's ruling: Coverage of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford's conflict of interest ruling http://bit.ly/Sox00w #toronto #toby Elizabeth Church via twitter 11/26/2012 2:53:16 PM
In case you're wondering what's next for Toronto, Kelly Grant wrote this explainer in today's paper that runs through the different scenarios and what could possibly happen: www.theglobeandmail.com
