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news

Adam Giambrone Withdraws From Mayoral Race

By Hamutal Dotan

20100210giambroneconf1.jpg
Adam Giambrone speaking at City Hall this morning. Photo by Miles Storey/Torontoist.


Adam Giambrone just made a very brief appearance at City Hall to address the recent revelations that he has been involved in numerous relationships with women besides his live-in partner. Giambrone spoke for approximately ninety seconds, apologizing to his partner, his fellow councillors, and his supporters for what he called “the worst mistake of my life” in a statement he made to the Star late last night [mp3]. Unable to finish reading his prepared remarks, Giambrone left the podium and staffer Kevin Beaulieu took over, announcing that “his mayoralty campaign ends today.”
The full text of today’s statement, including both the portions Giambrone delivered and sections which we were read out on his behalf, are after the jump. The Globe and Mail also has an audio recording available [mp3].

Good Morning
Thank you for coming today.
There are weeks that change your life, and this one has dramatically changed mine. This searing experience has taught me, I hope permanently, that a public career of integrity cannot survive deceit in your private life.
My mistakes have caused hurt to my partner Sarah, to my family, my friends and supporters. To them – and to the women I treated disrespectfully – in front of you, I humbly apologize.
I want to apologize as a councillor, to my fellow councillors, for the negative attention I have brought upon them and to this chamber.
I want to apologize also to the communities across this city and to the young people who believed in me. It is my sincere hope that they continue to believe in themselves and their own abilities to make positive change.
Finally, I deeply apologize to my partner Sarah. The pain she endured for my mistakes was deeply unfair to her. She has shown a lot of strength in all of this which has only deepened my respect and admiration for her.

[This is the point at which Giambrone himself broke off.]

I said at the beginning of this campaign that I would listen and lead. I know I will hear from many in the city, and I will reflect on their counsel with care.
I will spend the next few days in private. My mayoralty campaign ends today. Beginning next week I will return to my normal duties as a councillor.
I will focus with renewed energy on the transformation of the TTC and on building Transit City for the people of Toronto.
Thank you to all my friends and supporters who helped us through these painful days.

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Comments

  • Malcolm Tucker

    Was this the shortest Mayoral campaign in Toronto history? Canadian history?

  • reetdoontoon

    blip….what the hell was that?

  • http://undefined Robsonian

    At 32, he’s got a lot of time to live this whole episode down.
    I think that’s a bad thing.

  • http://undefined High Snark

    Smell that? You smell that?
    What?
    Schadenfreude, son. Nothing else in the world smells like that…I love the smell of schadenfreude in the morning.

  • http://undefined Moonmoth

    I know these people have to publicly apologise when trysts are revealed… but Pierre Trudeau had a lively and colourful personal life, some people may have minded, but that vast majority didn’t! I think this is a case of sour grapes on that part of that young woman he dallied with (the 19 year old). The public doesn’t need to know about the personal affairs & trysts of these politicians!! Affairs happen and doesn’t need to be dealt with in the newspapers unless something illegal took place. This is so petty, useless & reduces the readers to tabloid junkies. I don’t care if Giambrone had/has affairs. It’s none of my business. What matters is that someone used it against him. He should have thought of that.

  • http://undefined torontocomments

    More than schadenfreude, what you are smelling is probably “relief”. Councillor Giambrone’s record as TTC Chair and Councillor simply did not warrant the level of support he had garnered for his mayoral bid. His record has been considerably less than stellar and yet so many so called progressives were willing to overlook that because they thought the image being built would completely overcome the lack of substance. By their support for this individual, I think more than a few progressives have discredited themselves. Hopefully, a credible candidate will now enter the race as a centre-left candidate. Among the current council, I don’t see anyone to fill this void who would be more credible than Shelley Carroll. As for Councillor Pantalone, he certainly has a record…but I just don’t think he’s endeared himself to enough people. As much as I think Councillor Giambrone was a prime example of all spin and of the emperor with no clothes, I sincerely hope that he (and everyone else involved in this debacle) will get to a better personal space. Adam, you will get throw this.

  • http://undefined Darren

    You got to see Moscoe’s defense of Giambrone – Pathetic
    Mr. Moscoe said: “I’m not sure there are many single males in this city who could have their hormones closely examined.”
    http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/toronto/archive/2010/02/10/adam-giambrone-reveals-plans-after-sex-scandal.aspx#ixzz0f9dJICrd
    The guy WAS NOT single!

  • http://undefined Darren

    Ohhh, and I pray that he doesnt quit the Chair. Do we want commie Mhevic going from vice-chair to Chair?

  • http://dandmb50.tumblr.com/ dandmb50


    Nice try Adam, but now all you need to do is resign from City Council and the TTC chairmanship. It’s sad but you have made too many mistakes in the last month and even in your own riding with the street re-construction in your ward which the people of your ward were against. It’s no surprise, you finally made a right decision, now there is only one more to make. If you want to be a councilor you must respesent what the people want.
    Daniel ………….Toronto
    http://dandmb50.tumblr.com/

  • http://undefined Michael

    As much as I’d love to just type “FAIL” and walk away, I have to say I’m a little surprised. I could see this kind of thing affecting someone who wants to be a party leader, but a Mayor?
    Look at other medium-to-large cities: It took a court order to get Giuliani to let his ex-wife into the house while he was shacking up with a mistress. The Mayor of Vegas got mobsters off the hook. Sure, both cities had low standards to start with, but Toronto can’t just pretend that Mel Lastman didn’t happen, either. :b
    There must be some serious, Tiger Woods-quality, hanky panky going on. Keep a microscope on this guy for the next few months, and see if charges of hush money or prostitution appear in his wake.

  • http://undefined CaligulaJones

    Something tells me Joey Pants will have to do some ‘splainin’ about how Toronto’s tree policy is so unevenly maintained:
    http://www.torontosun.com/comment/columnists/sueann_levy/2009/08/11/10421616-sun.html

  • http://undefined Giancarlo

    Is anyone else looking forward the inevitable “They Heard The News Today, Oh Boy” on this?

  • mark.

    I’ve been ‘faithful’ to my ‘live-in girlfriend’ for years – can I be mayor?

  • mark.

    I am

  • http://undefined Darren

    Mayor, that depends. But you’re a stand up and honest person in terms of faithfulness

  • rek

    Seems like a small matter to drop out over, and a personal one at that. The job is Mayor of Toronto, not Most Faithful Boyfriend.

  • http://undefined Peter K

    It’s a long way to October. Giambrone could easily spend the next few months rehabilitating his image until we forget this sorry affair and bang, he re-enters in June/July.

  • http://torontoist.is.not.nickwarzin.com/blog tapesonthefloor

    Not a bad point, especially with the huge jump in name recognition that this recent press has given him. Remember, any attention is good attention sometimes when it comes to the ballot box.
    I’m curious about who will be the quickest to fill the void in the left in his absence. I mean, is there currently any candidate remaining who supports intelligent, thoughtful, sustainable city-building? Or is the rest of the year to be filled with nothing more than angry, bald white men rah-rah-ing at each other ad nauseum?

  • http://www.guesswork.ca Patrick Metzger

    If he stayed in the race, his personal life would be subject to incredibly intense scrutiny by the press. Given that he’s admitted multiple extracurricular relationships, maybe there’s even more damning dirt out there that he’s hoping to avoid reading about in the Star.

  • http://undefined Darren

    What if the first girl was pressured to go public by his foes or by the ATU113? His foes, left or right, want one less big name in the race. The ATU113 could have told him to resolve the paparazi issue…or else. He said he couldn’t and a week later this happened.

  • Amber

    I wasn’t going to vote for him, just because I felt he was underqualified. This “scandal” doesn’t make me want to vote for him less, since I was never convinced he’d be a good candidate in the first place. I did laugh about “not Most Faithful Boyfriend.” Honestly, puritans, get over it.

  • http://undefined pman

    It seems Giambrone’s a big fan of contracting out his sexual services. Too bad he didn’t apply the principle to TTC employees.

  • http://undefined Darren

    Whats a ‘progressive’ anyway?
    Joe Pantalone has an aweful history of being a througher and of blowing good money on projects that should have been done by the higher levels of government

  • http://undefined omnivore

    “Or is the rest of the year to be filled with nothing more than angry, bald white men rah-rah-ing at each other ad nauseum?”
    Thank you for lowering the level of political analysis even further. Giambrone should have been challenged on his basic competence, and been turfed out, instead, we get a third-rate sex scandal. Now you propose that the main problems in the campaign are skin colour and baldness.
    If you want intelligence and thoughtfulness, tell us how how more hirsute, darker people will provide it. Or, be an exemplar of what you ask for and consider waiting a little longer before hitting the post button next time.

  • http://torontoist.is.not.nickwarzin.com/blog tapesonthefloor

    Given that I presented a very thorough analysis of their respective political ideologies (I believe I used the phrase “rah-rah”, which was meant to demonstrate a platform that is all aggressive bluster and no substance, and I apologize if I did not use it correctly), your decision to highlight the obviously facetious portion of my comment that referred to race and male pattern baldness probably speaks more of you than it does of myself or of anyone’s mayoral campaign.
    Given that you seem to know a thing or two about the 2010 race, though, do you see any candidates in particular making a leap towards the left? The Sun has its money on Smitherman, pictured here:
    http://carlhiehn.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/smitherman.jpg
    It certainly won’t be Mr Rossi, of course, pictured here:
    http://davidakin.blogware.com/200901081800.jpg

  • http://undefined daughter of the non light

    He had two choices: Hold his head high, apologize and continue his campaign. OR hang his head low, apologize and quit. I will not pass judgement on the guy for having an affair, his personal life really isn’t my business. I will say though, that he’s an idiot to think that this wouldn’t come out when he launched his campaign, and he’s stupid for not standing up and being a leader when faced with adversity. Instead, he stepped back like a coward in humiliation.
    On the bright side when he decides to run again while in his 40′s, we’ll have long forgotten about this “sex scandal”.
    Too bad he stepped down before a sex tape was released. These sorts of scandals are ALWAYS followed by a sex tape.
    On the upside, when we’ve long forgotten about this “scandal”, he’ll run again and probably win the mayoral race.

  • http://www.torontoist.com David Topping
  • http://undefined elliot

    i don’t think he’s really out of the race. “I know I will hear from many in the city, and I will reflect on their counsel with care.” if those he hears from (advisers, the public) say he should run, why wouldn’t he do it? 9 months is a long time.
    and it’s not like a candidate’s mistakes in their past are really that big a deal in this race. Smitherman was a cocaine addict for 5 years and nobody cares. a few months from now, nobody will care that giambrone had an affair. in fact, learning this important lesson BEFORE he became mayor could make him a better candidate. People learn from their mistakes. especially in politics. we can know for damn sure that giambrone will never make a mistake like this again.

  • http://www.newmindspace.com Kevin Bracken

    What Elliot said.

  • http://www.guesswork.ca Patrick Metzger

    A better candidate, but not a better mayor.

  • http://undefined Lands Down

    If he comes back in the papers will start sniffing around for his other women and he’ll be dogged by that coverage for the duration of his campaign.
    I think someone on the left will see an opening and jump in. Pantalone is who he is, no one’s excited about him. Maybe Shelley Carroll will reconsider and enter the race.

  • http://www.anama.tv aleksey

    YES!! He was not running to be Most Faithful Boyfriend. :D
    Facebook User, I concur – I wasn’t going to vote for him because I felt he was not qualified for the job. I couldn’t care less for his personal life.
    This is puritan malarkey. Why must Toronto continue to be ‘Methodist Rome’ in this day and age?

  • http://undefined Robsonian

    I’m confused. Are people wholly discounting the text messages which were published in Tuesday’s star article? If we take them at something approaching face value, why is the conversation revolving around whether or not it matters if the guy had an affair or not?
    It seems to be that the issue is fundamentally about the fact that Giambrone deliberately fabricated a relationship with someone to win over voters.
    Is anyone going to tell me that that sort of behaviour is acceptable?
    It looks to me like if he cheated on anybody, he cheated on the 20y/o.

  • http://undefined Robsonian

    Is that actually a reference to A Day In The Life, and by extension, a reference to suicide?
    Seriously?

  • http://undefined Robsonian

    ohh, riiiight.
    oops.

  • jennyfish

    Dang, who am I gonna vote for now?

  • http://undefined spacejack

    Need another faith boost already?? Sheesh.

  • toronto_llb

    I’m inclined to agree.
    If media coverage is any indication, the general public appears to be far more interested in a politician’s fidelity to their spouse than their commitment to the ideas they pursue in their official capacities.

  • gisaster

    Agree – the infidelity on its own doesn’t warrant much discussion (except for details about his filthy taxpayer-owned couch at City Hall and his fooling around in there rather than working for those who pay his salary).
    The real problem is his deeply flawed character: he’s obviously an unscrupulous, manipulative liar and con man, and a true moron if he ever thought he wouldn’t get caught.
    Unfortunately he’s young and this scandal will blow over shortly so I fear we’ll be seeing his ugly mug running for this or that office again soon.
    Moving along… how’s this Shelley Carroll as a city councillor and a human being?

  • Darren

    Someone on the left?
    You mean further left the Smitherman and Pantalone?
    Wow, lets recruit Raul Castro while we’re at it

  • Darren

    Sarah Thomson. Self made background with no political past. Just what this city needs; a clean slate.

  • http://undefined metabaron

    He is a public figure, so based on that his personal life is not personal – it becomes public. If you have a problem with that don’t become a public figure or learn to keep your pants up. So, how many of these relationships has he had over the past year? 10? 20?

  • http://www.torontoist.com David Topping

    Torontoist can neither confirm nor deny that there will be a Giambrone-related They Heard the News Today, Oh Boy coming up soon.

  • http://undefined CaligulaJones

    I’d only be happy if the left had been so supportive of a politician’s social life if Giambrone’s name was, say, Maxime Bernier…
    But, as mentioned time and time again, its about trust. He lied to the people closest to him, apparently for the better part of a year or more. If his own family can’t trust him…you really want him around a multi-billion dollar budget, tens of thousands of employees and a great deal of power over residents?

  • http://undefined CaligulaJones

    Nice thought, but the citicrats would probably eat a newbie faster than a starving pit bull on kitten covered with BBQ sauce.

  • http://undefined Nick

    Indeed – that is the issue for me. The text messages revealed an very calculating person at heart. I guess many politicos must be shrewd, but conniving is another matter. At least I did not nor do I have that feeling about Mayor Miller. Still, I think he has moved the TTC in good directions, recent brouhahas regarding sleeping ticket collectors notwithstanding.

  • http://undefined Peter K

    So does his monkey business on the couch make Giambrone the winner for Torontoist’s messiest office contest?

  • http://undefined Leah

    L-O-fucking-L. As if the union would bother with this. No, I think this girl was a little upset to have just been Giambrone’s booty call.
    Best part? Her own revelation has led to other women coming forward. So now she knows that he was not just choosing Sarah McQuarrie over her, but pretty much that she was just one in the stable of his many whores. I hope she’s enjoying her five minutes of fame. She just got played in a public forum.

  • http://undefined Darren

    Yes..my conspiracy theory was just a theory
    I doubt that she was looking for fame. He scorned her when he went public with his live-in relationship, and he learned the hard way not to be a sneaky little ass and not to use people. She was just a pawn in his way to power, and that pawn toppled the Queen/King

  • http://undefined Leah

    I’m finding it difficult to feel sorry for her. She has definitely called attention to herself.
    If I were her, I would have waited til he wasted more money on his campaign. If you want to be vindictive, do it right…
    The only thing that bothers me about the whole thing is the emphasis they keep placing on her age. She’s 20. So? Isn’t Giambrone 32? That’s not a huge difference! It’s like like he’s in his 50s.

  • http://undefined Leah

    Fabricated relationships for political purposes go back thousands of years. Why is this even a surprise?

  • Darren

    Its not the age. Its the compromsing situation a councillor put himself in, giving pillow talk secrets to a 19 year old and god knows who else. His age isnt an issue. Hers is

  • http://undefined Darren

    I dont feel sorry for him at all. He’s exactly what’s wrong with politics. He is someone who does nothing in the private sector and enters political life at 25 out of nothing but sheer egomania and greed. He was unproven outside of municipal office, and when he goes back there in Nov he will go back to nothing

  • http://undefined Chris Orbz

    “Adam Giambrone Withdraws Early”
    …*snicker*
    That is all.

  • http://undefined Ben

    Masturbators for Mayor!

  • http://undefined rek

    I’m still months away from making up my mind, and if Giambrone jumps back in the race I’d still give him full consideration. I don’t care who he was cheating on, at least he hasn’t said he wants to sell off public assets.

  • http://paul.kishimoto.name Paul Kishimoto

    further left than Smitherman

    We’re talking about the same Smitherman, right? Recently of the provincial Liberal government? Until he says anything that significantly distances himself from them, he’s no more than centre-left. I doubt that will happen.

  • http://undefined Darren

    Yup the same guy who caused the e-health fiasco and has spending policies like monry grows on trees.
    Too left for me

  • http://undefined Darren

    Giambrone was a newb and had zero life experience compared to Thomson, but he got elected not on his vision but based on what ppl assumed of him. And he has done nothing so far

  • http://undefined Geoff

    Join the Pinball Clemons for Toronto Mayor group on facebook – http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=250604176510

  • http://undefined TonyD

    I’d just like to know if the couch is for sale?? I’d be willing to pick that up after hours, as long as no one is using it :)

  • Darren

    F-that…the guy doesnt live here. He has lived outside of TO most of his time in Canada. A cold turkey sandwich has more knowledge of the issues effecting Toronto

  • http://undefined friend68

    He wasn’t running for Most Faithful Boyfriend (or long-term-live-in-partner) but he also wasn’t running for Tool With Biggest Ego Who Thinks Rules and Truth Don’t Apply To Him

  • http://undefined friend68

    “The guy WAS NOT single!”
    If she has any sense, he is now.

  • http://undefined EricSmith

    It looks to me like if he cheated on anybody, he cheated on the 20y/o.

    Oh, he lied to her, all right, but the lie was that his more serious relationship was just “for the campaign.” Given what we know now, you’d have to be a bigger sucker than she was to think that he was ever more serious about her than he was about the only person he’s apologized to by name.

    Isn’t that consistent with the usual adultery sequence?

    • “Hey, no, I’m not married. That was just my sister you saw me with.”
    • “I mean, no, sorry, I shouldn’t have said that: she’s my ex. I just didn’t want to freak you out.”
    • “Okay, no, sorry, sorry, we’re getting divorced.”
    • “We’re separated.”
    • “We’re working on our relationship. If the love I faked for you means anything, you’ll support that.”
    • “Stop calling me at this number.”

    And, optionally:

    • “She’s kicked me out; can I come over? Hello?”

    One in three episodes of Dr. Phil lays this all out.

  • http://undefined thelemur

    Also, dumber than Giambrone. But probably understands how cities work better than Sarah Thomson. Still, not a promising candidate in the least.

  • http://undefined Darren

    Why is everyone laughing her off as if she is nothing? Is this because of her gender?
    How exaclty did Giambrone at 2002/3 have more knowledge then Thomson in 2010?
    She has accomplished more in the private sector then Adam ever did (or ever will) and she accomplished more academicaly then Adam?
    Can anyone tell me what Adam had in 2003, other then a well funded team behind him who were there for idealogy and NOTHING else???

  • http://undefined thelemur

    Leaving aside what Giambrone did or didn’t know or accomplish (you’re right that he didn’t really accomplish much beyond endorsing other people’s initiatives and claiming that his power as chair was limited when things recently started to look bad for the TTC), people are dismissing Sarah Thomson because she doesn’t seem to be putting forward anything substantial in terms of ideas (what exactly does ‘rejigging’ Transit City imply?), doesn’t appear to know what’s involved in running a city that’s different from running a business and frankly doesn’t seem interested in establishing an identity beyond a vague sense of ‘I’d like to be mayor. That sounds like a nice job.’
    ‘Not as bad as Giambrone’ is not exactly a ringing endorsement, especially now.

  • http://alexandrahighcrest.com/blog/ Alexandra Highcrest

    In previous discussions of this mayoral campaign I stated that image would be everything. Adam’s campaign melted down because of a glitch in his image. He should not have withdrawn from the race; he could’ve issued a statement of apology because we do so love public confessions, stepped back for awhile and revamped his image, then reemerged as a more thoughtful but much sexier candidate. In a couple of months he would’ve been on top of the game if he had a more positive and effective image manager.
    Don’t forget, it’s not the pundits or news and political junkies who elect mayors; the general voters would’ve forgotten the affairs but remembered Adam’s name and the name recognition would have translated into votes.

  • http://undefined Darren

    Well, there is still time for her or any of the other candidates to shine or fall. It only took Adam 11 days to crumble
    She does though have more proven experience now then Adam did in 2003. That may as well aplpy to Rossi as well, since he has limited experience compared to her.

  • http://undefined thelemur

    It wasn’t a glitch in his image that did him in, it was a complete failure of honesty. He even managed to lie about the lying he did. A more thoughtful candidate would be nice, a sexier candidate is fairly useless – but whoever meets those criteria will not be Giambrone.