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    John CookJohn Cook
    7/18/13 2:41pm

    From a Canadian reporter:

    Hi John,

    Thomas from CityNews Toronto…I was wondering if you could confirm where the CrackStarter money is going. I’ve heard:

    Somali Canadian Association of Etobicoke

    South Riverdale Community Health Center

    Unison Health and Community Services

    Ontario Regional Addictions Partnership Committee

    Thanks,

    Thomas

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      ThidrekrJohn Cook
      7/18/13 2:49pm

      Canadian libel laws are fairly strict compared to U.S. standards. That may be why they ask inane questions like this.

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      pricekxThidrekr
      7/18/13 3:00pm

      Yup...by sending a direct cut and paste in email and receiving a response, the reporter has completely covered his behind.

      In pretend world, I could see a scenario where after publishing this, it comes out Ford is on the board of directors of one of the charities. Gawker goes in an quietly 'updates' the post with a new charity, leaving Thomas the Reporter looking stupid tomorrow when he publishes the original list. Badabing Badaboom, he's cool because he has the confirmation directly from John Cooke's email. Life in the newsroom is happy again.

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    Nilla WafflerJohn Cook
    7/18/13 2:19pm

    Honestly I like this outcome better. Despite the fact that I love to see hypocrites publicly shamed I like to see disadvantaged/underserved people getting helped more.

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      SodyPopNilla Waffler
      7/18/13 2:28pm

      I discuss this more in another comment, but believe me, removing Ford from office also would've had a positive impact for disadvantaged/underserved people in this city. We're talking about a mayor who often is the lone vote against city grants for anti-violence and social programs; who refuses to take part in the city's massive Pride celebrations; who cuts taxes by defunding city services. The list goes on forever.

      This wasn't a matter of simply shaming a hypocrite; for those of us living in Toronto, it felt like our last real chance to remove an actively terrible and harmful person from office before the end of his term.

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      Nilla WafflerSodyPop
      7/18/13 2:36pm

      Yeah, he seems pretty awful. I'm not saying there wouldn't have been benefit from him leaving office, though it doubtless would not have been as concrete as immediate dollars flowing directly to organizations.

      My reaction, though, is similar to the stance I have to take with our many terrible American politicians. If we (or in this case you) vote him in, you have to live with the consequences, disgusting and infuriating as they may be.

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    MarkEbnerJohn Cook
    7/18/13 3:00pm

    Sure beats ferrying money across borders to pay off drug dealers.

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      John CookMarkEbner
      7/18/13 3:03pm

      Both eventualities have their charms.

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      MarkEbnerJohn Cook
      7/18/13 3:05pm

      We choose our dark roads.

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    KinglyCitrusJohn Cook
    7/18/13 2:11pm

    "Fuck drug-addicted poor people! Gawker sucks because journalism and my money, or something."

    -The Gawker Commentariat

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      SuperHybridSystem3KinglyCitrus
      7/18/13 2:13pm

      "OMG who cares if he smokes crack?! Why is it even Gawker's role to talk about this? All John Cook wants is page views!" — the next post

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      Johnny ChundersSuperHybridSystem3
      7/18/13 2:18pm

      GAWKER IS BIAS MEDIAS

      (The next post.)

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    Ken Yadiggit, AdiosJohn Cook
    7/18/13 2:19pm

    Cool cool cool.

    Still really disappointed we didn't get to see the video, but stoked on the charities this money is going to.

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      FashionShowAtLunchJohn Cook
      7/18/13 2:46pm

      Also can I get an a-freaking-men for yet another top-notch graphic from Jim Cooke?

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        JohninLAFashionShowAtLunch
        7/18/13 4:07pm

        Jim Cooke is potentially the most underrated person at Gawker.

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      ZestyPiquanteJohn Cook
      7/18/13 2:24pm

      I'd be more impressed, and would have donated, if the money had been going to charity from the start rather than to the get-rich-quick scheme of a drug dealer telling lies about my city's mayor. But its still nice to see you going ahead with "Plan B: Do Something Positive."

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        lemonlimepeachZestyPiquante
        7/18/13 2:55pm

        Do you honestly HONESTLY believe it wasn't him?

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        ZestyPiquantelemonlimepeach
        7/18/13 3:01pm

        There is no evidence aside from people not liking the Mayor that he has ever had any involvement in crack cocaine, any more than there is evidence that Councillor Adam Vaughan is a cockfighting enthusiast.

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      Go HawkeyesJohn Cook
      7/18/13 2:53pm

      Excuse me but $46,195.65 x 4 = $184,782.60

      Where, exactly, is that last penny going?

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        BadLagGo Hawkeyes
        7/18/13 5:24pm

        To Richard Pryor in Superman III

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        BadLagBadLag
        7/19/13 1:33pm

        I am happy 5 Gawkerites have got the reference to the movie.

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      Carrie Hunt and the SpoonerismsJohn Cook
      7/18/13 3:26pm

      For Americans who only see the crack-smoking side of our mayor, and not the incompetence side:

      Here he is debating a new light-rail transit proposal for Toronto the other day, likely his biggest decision as mayor. Rob Ford doesn't like LRT, and insists that Toronto build subways instead. The LRT proposal costs $1.8 billion, would serve 7 stations, and would be built underground and elevated so as to not interfere with traffic. The subway option would cost $2.3 billion and only serve three stations. We're literally talking about a billion-dollar decision being in the hands of this man.

      And yet here he is debating against LRT and proving that he has absolutely no fucking clue what he's debating, what the plan is or what LRT means. This is my mayor for my city of 3 million people. This man is spending my money, and he doesn't know what he's spending it on. (Oh: his side won. They're building the fucking subway.)

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        Missy PantsCarrie Hunt and the Spoonerisms
        7/18/13 4:05pm

        They won, but they don't have the money yet, they can only build if the province ponies up more money (and didn't they already say they wouldn't?).

        Did you see this? Its pretty good and it has maps!

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        ApassionataVonCMissy Pants
        7/18/13 4:22pm

        The province may still pony up the money to buy Scarborough ridings in the next election. The Liberals aren't afraid of buying ridings, and depending on how bad the 5 by-elections go, it may make them desperate enough to do it.

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      secretagentmanJohn Cook
      7/18/13 2:39pm

      This is terrific, all worthy causes. Thank you John. I think once the 'Project Traveller' (the raid made on the 'crack house' and Dixon Rd apartments associated with the dealers and video) warrants are made public, which is end of August, we'll get all the dirt on the video, and the aftermath.

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