New Rob Ford video

After repeatedly saying he hasn’t had a drink since November, when he admitted to smoking crack cocaine in a drunken stupor, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford admitted to reporters today that he was drinking Monday night. The latest admission comes after another video of Ford surfaced on YouTube. This one shows him rambling and using profane language.

When asked if he had been drinking last night, Mayor Ford said: “Yes I was. A little bit ya.”

In the video, Ford uses a Jamaican accent. He told reporters his behavior was not offensive: No, I was with some friends and what I do in my personal life and my personal friends it’s up to me.”

McMaster University Communications Professor Alex Sevigny says he’s not sure the video will hurt Ford’s reputation. And in some ways, is true to form: “I think the one thing that’s negative for him in this episode is that he’s going to be seen as he’s broken a promise to a lot of people by getting drunk.”

Councillor Joe Mihevc says it appears Ford has broken his commitment to clean up his act: “He made commitments that he is on the wagon. That he has stopped drinking and that he will not be embarrassing himself and Toronto anymore. And here shortly into 2014 the behavior continues.”

Earlier in the day, Ford’s brother, Councillor Doug Ford had said the video couldn’t have been taken last night: “He’s a lot heavier in that picture than what he is now so it couldn’t have been him. Not last night. Obviously that’s him but it didn’t happen last night.”

But a second video from inside the same restaurant, The Steak Queen, surfaced this evening, purporting to show Ford sitting across from a friend. Reports say it’s Alexander Lisi who is out on bail for an extortion charge. It’s alleged Lisi tried to get his hands on the infamous video that appears to show Ford smoking crack cocaine.

In parts of that video, Ford appears to be venting frustration at Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair. Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly is repeating his call for Ford to “take a pause and seek professional help.”