The website Gawker on Monday passed the $200,000 fundraising threshold it said was necessary to purchase a video that reportedly shows Toronto Mayor Rob Ford smoking crack cocaine.
Gawker’s crowdfunding campaign closed with $201,254 raised from 8,388 donors. Monday was the deadline to contribute.
John Cook, editor of Gawker, wrote earlier this month that he saw the video. He said the owners of the video were seeking $200,000 for the footage.
Ford, meanwhile, denied the existence of the video and called members of the media reporting on the saga “a bunch of maggots.” Two of Ford’s top aides resigned Monday amid reports that a senior staff member had told police about a potential connection between the video and a recent Toronto homicide.
