A popular liberal-leaning U.S. political news website is flying a reporter from New York to Toronto to try to hand-deliver a scandal-of-the-year trophy to Mayor Rob Ford.

Out of “respect.”

“Rob Ford's many alleged misdeeds may well be the best political scandal of all time. We have tremendous respect for that,” Talking Points Memo’s Hunter Walker, who made an effort to sound like he was speaking earnestly, said Tuesday.

“He is such a high achiever in this category that we actually had a statue made up for the first time. . . I think it’s quite possible he could appreciate this, and be thrilled to receive the recognition.”

Walker said he has contacted Ford’s office to try to arrange a formal trophy presentation. If he does not hear back, he said, he will try to foist the statuette upon Ford at city hall on Friday — when Ford will participate in a special council meeting related to the December ice storm.

Walker said Talking Points Memo will make a “substantial cash donation” to ice storm relief, and that it is “hoping to do some good and lift peoples' spirits.” He argued that sufficient time has passed since the storm to make a Friday trophy presentation appropriate, and he promised he would not disrupt the proceedings.

“I’m going to try to bring it to him, hand it to him. If he refuses to accept it — my God, we haven’t even planned for that eventuality. It’s almost unimaginable. It’s a beautiful piece of hand-made craftsmanship. It’s solid gold paint,” he said.

The “Golden Duke” award is named for corrupt former congressman Randy “Duke” Cunningham, who was imprisoned in 2006. The trophy, created by artist Christian Benefiel, features a likeness of Cunningham.

Ford is the seventh winner. Previous recipients include former New York congressman Anthony Weiner, former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, and former Idaho senator Larry Craig. Ford’s crack cocaine scandal made him the runaway 2013 champ.

Talking Points Memo is hosting a Friday night social gathering at the Bier Markt, the downtown bar where Ford was heavily intoxicated on St. Patrick’s Day of 2012. Walker will also visit various locations connected to the scandal, and he might hold a Ford-like news conference at the elevator outside the mayor’s office.

“I would describe most of us here in America, and certainly at TPM, as Rob Ford enthusiasts, and so we really want to celebrate him as thoroughly as possible,” he said.

Ford’s aides have grown used to scandal-related city hall stunts in recent months. Former wrestlers Iron Sheik and Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake have both showed up unannounced, Brutus wielding garden shears. There has also been a man dressed like a banana, wielding a box of bananas.

Ford’s spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.