Guilty - until proven otherwise

Toronto's Mayor Ford has been pronounced guilty - at least in the court of public opinion. He is guilty of smoking crack in an alleged video, which 3 people have alleged to have seen, there are also many sources, all nameless, who have claimed about various illegal acts that he has committed. Ford's biggest problem appears to be that he has not come out an outrightedly denied these allegations. He is tippy toeing around them. But is this really fair to him? Also, what interest does it serve the city of Toronto and its resident to prove or disprove whether or not he has smoked cocaine? Will the taxes increase/decrease because of it? Will there be a change in the level of service that Torontonians receive change because of it?

Come to think of it, is there not two sets of rules here? I mean what if you go out an allege that your neighbor has committed a serious crime but when asked for proof you respond that you are protecting your sources and will not reveal them. What will happen if you dont share the names of your sources, yet you keep on reminding everyone that the illegal act has actually been committed and everyone can take their word for it. I bet that this will land in a court of law and you will be penalized severely - as should be the case. Yet the media appears to be free from providing the burden of proof. They do not have to answer question as to why they didnt buy the alleged video first before making the allegation - after all the video was up for sale, at least according to them. 

Another major concern with the Ford's case is that the amount of reporters who appear to have been assigned on Ford's file by the Toronto Star and now the Globe and Mail. Imagine that there are people who are getting paid to do nothing else but to come to work to sift through data, past records, his personal files, call his associates. In short do whatever that they have to, to get some flaw (or dirt, as it is called) on him. I guess politicians are fair game but his case is not similar to that of Senator Duffy or Senator Wallin who have helped themselves to some  (ok lots of) free money by cheating the system and have not got caught red handed. This is a guy who did, sorry alleged to have done something, which the city of Toronto nor its residents will be affected.

This is neither fair nor right.