Mayor Rob Ford caught in another video controversy; sun rises in the east

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford is the subject of another tipsy public video, he remains obstinate in the face of obvious concerns and, even more shocking, the sun rose in the east again this morning.

Despite an intensifying mayoral campaign, few people who have observed the years of sordid exploits from Toronto's mayor expect him to clean up his act or take the matter seriously at this point.

They'd sure like him to. With polls suggesting has better than a fighting chance at re-election in October, it would be hoped that a second term under Ford would go smoothly. More fighting for taxpayers, less fighting for another round before last call.

The most recent exhibit appeared this week in a video obtained by CTV News from a Mississauga mother and young son, who stopped for a picture with Ford and received instead footage of a stumbling, slurring, swearing Ford leaving city hall.

[ Related: Rob Ford heard swearing, slurring speech in new video ]

The video was reportedly shot Saturday night and shows the mayor wearing green St. Patrick's Day beads.

At one point during the recording, Ford swears loudly while stumbling toward a cab with a group of unidentified men, leaving the stunned 13-year-old and his mother in his wake.

When asked about the video during a St. Patrick's Day parade the following day, Ford said he was at city hall late in order to return phone calls. He did not admit to drinking, but did request reporters "give me a break."

At this point, discussing Ford's history with public intoxication is exhausting, like reliving the glory days with a high school buddy who still lives in his parents' basement.

Last year, Ford admitted to smoking crack cocaine and lying about it for months. He vowed to clean up his act and stop drinking, although that promise was later amended into irrelevance before and after the release of a video showing a visibly inebriated Ford stumbling and swearing at the Steak Queen restaurant in Etobicoke.

But the one day that does bear reference is the drunk, raucous night Ford spent celebrating St. Patrick's Day in 2012. That was the day Ford reportedly partied at the Bier Markt before returning to his office and, according to an email from security staff, wandered through city hall after hours with "a half-empty bottle of St-Remy French Brandy."

[ Related: Spacey responds to Rob Ford request for a photo with post on Twitter ]

Accounts of that evening's events were provided to Toronto police by various staff members and bar employees, and are all available here.

The 2012 St. Patrick's Day incident prompted some of the earliest allegations of drug use against Ford, as well as claims of drunk driving, racist comments, reports of cavorting with escorts and physically attacking staff members.

When the police documents related to that night were released publicly last year, Ford threatened to sue people who had spoken to the police and denied offering to perform oral sex on a female staff member by declaring, "I have more than enough to eat at home."

That was one party everyone will be talking about at the 10-year reunion. This latest St. Patrick's Day video? We'll have forgotten about this one by the time the election rolls around.

At least Ford's bizarre beef with actor Kevin Spacey gets points for creativity.

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