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Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti announces that he has resigned from the mayor's executive committee on Monday, Nov. 26, 2012.Matthew Sherwood/The Globe and Mail

When he quit Toronto Mayor Rob Ford's powerful executive committee – on the same November day the mayor was found guilty in a conflict of interest case – Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti said he made his decision at the urging of his constituents.

He offered a very different explanation Thursday.

Mr. Mammoliti told city hall reporters the real reason he stepped down from the executive was to investigate a conspiracy against him – a conspiracy that he said has led to his phones being tapped and him being followed.

"I felt that by sitting on the executive at the time, it would not have been appropriate for me to continue with an investigation and be a part of the administration," he said. "I can tell you that over the last number of weeks more information has come out and I promise you this, if we can prove what we think we're going to prove, there will be some councillors in this council who have a lot more to worry about than Mayor Ford."

When pressed for more information, Mr. Mammoliti said, "I can't get into much of the detail. But I can tell you that where it's pointing to is an area that I think is going to be disturbing to this whole city. I think there have been individuals that have for the last two years… come together and strategized around how they're going to get certain people."

A compliance audit earlier this month found Mr. Mammoliti broke campaign spending rules in the 2010 election. An audit committee will meet Feb. 4 to determine whether to commence legal proceedings.

He also made headlines last week when he proposed the city freeze taxes and make up the revenue with money generated by a temporary casino housed in a boat.

When asked Thursday if he has reported the conspiracy to police, Mr. Mammoliti said, "I won't do that unless I've got solid proof."

When asked what the purpose of the conspiracy was, he said, "To go after particular individuals in a personal way, and they include audits, they include pro-bono cases by some lawyers who have been involved, perhaps. They include going after those of us in a personal way and trying to dig information out in a personal way."

Councillor Gord Perks, who walked past reporters shortly after Mr. Mammoliti and was asked for his thoughts on the alleged conspiracy, said Mr. Mammoliti is always entertaining.

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