Toronto City Council strips crack-smoking mayor of his powers

Facing his refusal to resign, the Toronto City Council voted on Monday to strip Mayor Rob Ford of most of his powers on Monday, a move Ford promised would lead to "outright war" during his 2014 re-election run.

The CBC reported that the council voted to transfer control of the budget and staff for the mayor's office to Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly, on top of a series of votes on Friday to strip Ford of the power to appoint or dimiss Kelly and to exercise emergency powers. USA Today also reported that the budget for Ford's office was cut from $1.9 million to $712,000.

"Well folks, if you think American-style politics is nasty, you guys have just attacked Kuwait," Ford told the council following Monday's vote. "Mark my words, friends, this is going to be outright war in the next election and I'm going to do everything in my power, everything in my power to beat you guys."

On Nov. 13, Ford apologized to the council, but refused to step down from his position despite a 37-5 vote asking him to do so in light of his public admission to smoking crack cocaine, on top of other allegations against him. The situation was only exacerbated when Ford denied sexually harassing a staffer by making a crude remark involving his wife.

Ford apologized again on Monday for knocking Councilor Pam McConnell to the ground during a break in the meeting, following a heated exchange with another Councilor, Paula Fletcher.

"I ran around because I thought my brother was getting into an altercation," Ford told Fletcher. "I apologized and then I picked her up, I do apologize."

Watch some of Ford's remarks for the city council, as aired by the CBC on Monday, below.

Also, NBC News posted footage of Ford's collision with McConnell and his subsequent apology, which can be seen below.

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