Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair is taking legal action against Councillor Doug Ford, based on comments he made earlier in August about the chief wanting "payback" against the mayor.
CTV Toronto has confirmed that Doug Ford was served a defamation notice early Monday evening. The notice relates to Ford’s accusation that Blair leaked information that police were preparing to subpoena Toronto Mayor Rob Ford -- to testify at the preliminary hearing of accused friend Alexander Lisi.
On Aug. 1, Ford told reporters at City Hall that Blair leaked the information as "payback."
"When you have the leadership of the police department releasing a subpoena to the media before they release it to the mayor, you wonder why we need a change at the top," Doug Ford told reporters then. "It's a little payback..."
Later that day, Blair said in a statement that Doug Ford was "lying" and he intended to take legal action.
At the time, Doug Ford refused to elaborate on what he meant by "payback," but had said in the past that the ongoing police investigation of the mayor was politically motivated.
Blair became the target of the mayor's anger over a police probe into claims of a video showing the mayor smoking crack cocaine.
Ford later admitted to smoking crack "in a drunken stupor," but accused Blair of wasting taxpayers' money with the investigation, especially when no charges were filed.
Tuesday’s defamation notice asks Doug Ford to retract his allegations and publicly apologize.
Taxpayers' money will not be used toward legal fees, a spokesperson for the chief said, explaining that the chief was taking action personally.
