Ford verdict would have cleaned me out

 Good thing nobody took me up on my offer to bet that Mayor Rob Ford’s appeal of a court order kicking him out of office would be denied.

I’d be tapped out today, if people had lined up to wager on Ford, as I urged them to in my Jan. 22 blog.

In my bookmaking wisdom, I had Ford a 99-1 dog to win his appeal of the order by Superior Court Justice Charles Hackland, figuring the learned judge knew his business when he punted the mayor last November.

My reasoning was based mainly on the length of time it took Hackland to reach his  verdict – more than two months – when it was thought after the hearing into the complaint against Ford that it would be about four weeks.

I figured he must have examined the issues so thoroughly that he would only impose the ultimate penalty if he was certain his decision was bulletproof and would not be overturned on appeal.

Ironically, he rejected the same argument – that city council had no authority to order Ford to repay $3,150 in donations he solicited for his football foundation – that was accepted by the three-judge appeal panel and used to overturn his order.

A friend at city hall who talksto the Ford Bros. told me they also considered it a foregone conclusion that the appeal would lose, and were as surprised as anyone when it went the mayor’s way.

Had gambling websites taken bets on it, I would have been tempted to chunk it in with both hands, and taken an icy bath.

But I guess luck was on my side; despite offering my personal email address for anyone wanting to back Ford, not one brave soul stepped up.

I think it’s because even the most loyal of his supporters thought his goose was cooked, or at least weren’t willing to wager on the outcome.

And that’s okay with me, on two scores: I didn’t lose a dime, despite a reckless certainty about the result, and I am happy Ford kept his job.

City hall would be so tedious without him.