Column by Annika Grassl
Earlier this week, Toronto, Mayor Rob Ford admitted to snorting cocaine.
Although the effects of his poor choices on his political career are unclear, they have already begun.
Ford’s policy advisor Brooks Barnett has resigned. Barnett is the first of Ford’s advisors to be blamed in the aftermath of Mayor Ford’s admission of smoking crack.
This admission came after months of denial and suspicion over the alleged illegal activity.
Barnett’s resignation is the first of what is sure to be many by the mayor’s staff.
The prediction that most of Ford’s staff members will quit in the future is made based on the understanding of how alleged illegal — or even immoral — activities have negatively effected the political careers of political figures in America.
Based on what has happened to other political figures as a result of alleged illegal or immoral activity, there are many predictions about Ford’s future as a politician.
The effects on other politicians’ immoral actions have resulted in the dramatic downfall of their political careers.
In the case of Illinois governors, this has meant that four of the last seven governors of Illinois have ended up in prison for one reason or another.
Ford’s smoking scandal was publicized in a video, which is now circulating online.
Other political figures who have succumbed to the same unfortunate fate as political figures like Rob Blagojevich, Elliot Spitzer and his publicized illegal sexual encounters.
Other politicians who have faced allegeable publicized scandal and started the downfall of their political careers include Anthony Weiner and Bill Clinton.
These last three men — all who held high positions in Washington and New York — have tried many different ways to make a comeback from these scandals, but few have succeeded.
Even those who have succeeded have taken quite a while to achieve that, and even then they rarely achieve as much success as they once encountered as political figures.
Unfortunately, it is hard to confidently say that Rob Ford will become more of a positive political figure after rebounding from this situation.
It has been proven time and time again with other politicians that a successful political comeback from an ethically involved situation like what Mayor Ford is experiencing is hard to achieve.
Grassl is a first-year open journalism major and can be reached at annika.grassl@drake.edu
