Councillor Doug Ford heads to the podium to read a prepared statement outside his brother Rob's office at Toronto City Hall on May 22, 2013. Rob Ford, the mayor of Toronto, is at the centre of a scandal centred around a video allegedly showing him smoking a crack pipe.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford is an honest and hard-working man with integrity, his brother says.
Councillor Doug Ford met reporters at city hall Wednesday and said he believes his brother when he denies the drug allegations against him.
"Rob is telling me these stories are untrue, that these accusations are ridiculous, and I believe him," Councillor Ford said.
The councillor said his brother has dedicated his life to serving others and is a man of the people.
Councillor Ford refused to take questions from reporters following his statement.
The mayor has yet to speak in detail about allegations he was caught on video using crack cocaine. He offered a brief denial last week, calling the allegations "ridiculous," but has refused to discuss them further.
Councillor Ford said his brother has already addressed the allegations, adding, "I don't know how much more he can say." He characterized the allegations as untrue.
"If the mayor stopped and held a press conference every time the media made up a story about him, we would never have accomplished what we have," he said. "If the mayor wants to make a statement, his press secretary will notify the media. There's no reason for you to be staking out his house and following him around town."
Councillor Ford spent much of the news conference recapping his brother's accomplishments in office. Reporters shouted questions at him several times, but he ignored them and continued reading his prepared statement.
Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday, who stood by the mayor's side on Friday, said at some point the mayor will have to address the reports.
"I certainly want to hear something from Rob, not from Doug, and hopefully we will," he said after listening to Councillor Ford's statement.
Mr. Holyday said he has talked to the mayor, but so far with no result. "He listens well," he said. "But sometimes we don't see much in the way of action. I don't know what is going on there. I think there are lawyers at play and there are other things happening. I don't know what they are."
In a tweet shortly after Councillor Ford's news conference, Councillor Josh Matlow said: "The only person who can move our city past this is Mayor Ford by honestly addressing questions. The mayor must put Toronto before himself."