Rob Ford, whose campaign financing was as unorthodox as the rest of his successful mayoral run, faces a full audit to see if he broke election laws.

A three-member city panel unanimously voted Friday to order the audit in response to an application by Toronto residents Max Reed and Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler.

“The Rob Ford campaign tried to run, they tried to hide from the auditors (but) the audit committee would not have any of it,” Chaleff-Freudenthaler told reporters.

Tom Barlow, the Ford lawyer who argued the campaign followed all rules and no audit is needed, said it’s possible the mayor may ask the courts to overturn the compliance audit committee’s decision.

“There’s nothing in our view that merits any concern on the part of any elector in terms of how the finances were arranged,” he said.

“I certainly know that Rob Ford has nothing to hide and he’ll ultimately co-operate, and has been cooperating, with whatever process is appropriate under the Municipal Elections Act.”

The residents’ request for the review focussed on questions about Ford’s family company, Doug Ford Holdings Inc., paying more than $77,000 in campaign expenses. The campaign cut the company a cheque for the full amount one year after he declared his candidacy.

If that was a loan, Ford may have broken a provincial law stating candidates can borrow from banks and other recognized lending institutions, they said. If the no-interest terms constitute a donation, Ford broke a city ban on corporate donations.

Barlow argued the holding company was merely a “supplier” of goods and services to the campaign.

But committee member John Hollins, a former City of Toronto director of elections, said it seemed odd for a supplier to receive no interest or markup after waiting so long for payment.

“It looks like it’s just a throughput of cash,” he said.

He also agreed there are questions about whether some events listed by Ford’s campaign as fundraisers, and therefore exempt from a legislated $1.3 million spending cap, had fundraising as their primary purpose.

Ford’s March 25, 2010, “wine and cheese” campaign launch had free admission and cost $34,371.72 to stage. Supporters donated $7,655 at tables set up near the door, and put another $250 in collection tubs inside.

If an audit finds wrongdoing, the committee can ask the city to prosecute. Possible penalties for breaching the provincial Municipal Elections Act range from a fine to removal from office.

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Taxpayers will foot the bill for the audit. However, if the report concludes there was no apparent contravention of the rules, the city can try to recoup costs from Reed and Chaleff-Freudenthaler.

The committee declared an application from another resident, Ted Ho, moot because it raised the same issues.