Mayor Rob Ford is backing down from his threat to mount a court challenge to council’s decision to strip him of most of his powers.

In mid-November, after he admitted to smoking crack cocaine and engaged in other behaviour that made him an international laughingstock, council voted to remove Ford’s non-statutory powers — among them, the right to fire and appoint committee chairs, to govern during emergencies, and to chair the powerful executive committee.

Council also voted to drastically cut his staff budget, resulting in an exodus of many of his staff to the office of Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly, who took on those powers.

Ford officially remains mayor.

He immediately announced he intended to fight the move, although municipal legal experts were skeptical that a court challenge would have much success.

On Friday, Ford said his decision not to go to court was financial.

“We’ve spent over half a million dollars going to court,” Ford said in an interview broadcast on CP24. He was referring to the fees paid to lawyers who represented him in the conflict-of-interest ruling that nearly ousted him from power a year ago, which he survived on appeal; a defamation lawsuit; and at a compliance audit hearing over alleged election finance violations.

“I could have asked the taxpayers to reimburse me; I won all three cases,” Ford told commentator Stephen LeDrew.

“What am I going to keep going to court and spending my own money every time council does something that they shouldn’t do? Enough is enough. If they want to play their games, which they’re playing obviously, let the people speak at election time. I’m not going to waste any more money in court fighting something … it’s just costing money.”

Ford’s chief of staff and his spokesman did not return the Star’s requests for comment.

In November, Ford said he didn’t blame councillors for taking away his powers, but said he had “no choice” but to take legal action.

Speaking on the council floor at the time, Doug Ford backed his brother’s decision, as well as called on voters to ultimately decide Ford’s fate.

“Folks here don’t have the moral authority (nor) … the legal authority to do what they’re doing here,” he said. “There’s two courts that are going to be looking at this. One, the legal courts, and two, the courts of public opinion.”

Ford was not asked Friday about his other threatened legal action — against former staffers who alleged in interviews with police detectives that he partied with a prostitute and snorted cocaine, among other transgressions.

“I’ve . . . never had a prostitute here. I’m very happily married at home. This is very disturbing against my wife,” Ford said after the contents of the police interviews were released in court documents. “I have no other choice. I’m the last one to take legal action. I can’t put up with it anymore.”

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Toronto lawyer Gavin Tighe could not be reached Friday to confirm whether he has had any instructions relating to a lawsuit against the former staffers. Tighe successfully defended the mayor in a defamation lawsuit filed by restaurant owner George Foulidis.