Toronto Mayor Rob Ford called reports that he had been videotaped smoking what appears to be a crack pipe “ridiculous” on Friday in a brief statement dismissing the allegations that he may have used illegal drugs.

U.S. news site Gawker and the Toronto Star have both published stories that claim reporters were shown a video of the mayor smoking from what appears to be a crack pipe. In both cases, reporters suggest the video shows Ford heating the pipe with a lighter and inhaling.

Ford started the morning by greeting a cadre of news cameras outside his Etobicoke home claiming the accusation was ridiculous. He reiterated himself during a brief press scrum at city hall.

"Like I said this morning, these allegations are ridiculous. It is another story with respect to the Toronto Star going after me. That is all I have to say right now," Ford said.

But while Ford was painting this as another attack by the Toronto Star, both news groups that made the allegations against him were quick with retorts. The Star writes that while Ford called the story ridiculous, he had "not outright denied the facts" in the story.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybrew/toronto-mayor-rob-ford-denies-drug-video-allegations-182806958.html