Full transcript of Mayor Rob Ford's statement: 'I embarrassed everyone'

Here’s an excerpt of what Mayor Rob Ford told reporters Tuesday morning at City Hall as he walked into his office:

“Yes, I have smoked crack cocaine but no, do I? Am I an addict? No. Have I tried it? Probably in one of my drunken stupors, probably approximately about a year ago.”

Here’s the full transcript of Mayor Rob Ford’s statement Tuesday afternoon, hours after his shocking admission he has smoked crack cocaine:

With today’s announcement I know I embarrassed everyone in the city and I will be forever sorry.

There is only one person to blame for this and that is myself. I know that admitting a mistake was the right thing to do and I feel like a thousand pounds have been lifted off my shoulders.

I can’t explain how difficult this was to do.

I hope, I hope that nobody, that nobody has to go through what I have gone through.

I know what I did was wrong and admitting it was the most difficult and embarrassing thing I have ever had to do.

Folks, I have nothing left to hide.

I would do anything, absolutely anything to change the past but the past is in the past and we must move forward.

I want to be clear, I want to be crystal clear to every single person – these mistakes will never, ever, ever happen again.

I kept this from my family, especially my brother Doug, my staff and my council colleagues because I was embarrassed and ashamed.

To the residents of Toronto, I know I have let you down and I can’t do anything else but apologize and apologize.

I’m so sorry.

I know I have to regain your trust and your confidence.

I love my job, I love my job, I love this city, I love saving taxpayers’ money and I love being your mayor.

There is important work that we must advance and important decisions that must be made.

For the sake of the taxpayers of this great city, for the sake of taxpayers, we must get back to work immediately.

We must keep Toronto moving forward.

I was elected to do a job and that’s exactly what I’m going to continue doing.

In 2010, I made a commitment to Toronto voters. I have delivered on that commitment and I will continue to deliver on that commitment of saving taxpayers money.

But they have a choice, we live in a democracy and on Oct. 27, 2014, I want the people of this great city to decide whether they want Rob Ford to be their mayor.

Again, I sincerely, sincerely, sincerely apologize.

God bless the people of Toronto.

Thank you very much.
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