Reported dealings of Mayor Rob Ford’s friend leads to fresh doubts on leadershipReports on dealings of Mayor Rob Ford’s friend leads to fresh doubts on leadership

Fresh allegations surrounding the drug dealings of a friend and occasional driver of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford have sparked a fresh round of concern about his ability to govern as the mayor returns from what was to be a celebrated trip to Austin, Tex.

Ford’s return from Austin, where he met with politicians and attended the Austin City Limits Music Festival, was marked by fresh reports detailing the alleged actions of Alexander Lisi. The newly published reports cite police documents that claim Lisi tried to trade marijuana for Ford's missing cell phone.

According to the Toronto Star, that attempt was noticed by police and helped kick-start a secret investigation into Lisi's habits. That investigation, dubbed Project Brazen 2, resulted in the recent arrest and charge of Lisi and a dry cleaner allegedly participating in a drug trafficking enterprise.

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Ford lost his work cellphone in March, and it is not clear what information or data may be contained on the device that might have prompted his friend to attempt to retrieve it. (It is not believed to be the cell phone on which Star staff members reportedly watched a video of the mayor smoking from what appeared to be a crack pipe.)

The Toronto Sun has corroborated the Star's story. Ford declined to discuss the report with the newspaper.

This whole investigation is an offshoot of Project Traveller, a massive bust that hit alleged gun and drug dealers, including a few names that have been connected to Ford's allegedly recorded dalliance.

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Lisi, meantime, reportedly launched a violent pursuit to retrieve the video once reports of existence were made public. Lisi has also been convicted threatening and assaulting women in the past.

According to City Hall reporters, the latest accusations have led to fresh doubts about Ford's ability to govern. Ford is back at City Hall, but comment on this latest chapter is unlikely to be forthcoming.

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