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The bid by Gawker media, the U.S. website that first posted a story alleging the existence of a video showing Rob Ford smoking crack cocaine, has run into a hitch in its bid to buy the video from its sources.

Gawker has been trying to raise $200,000 to buy and post the video, reaching just past to $160,000 by early Friday. The website did not respond to a request for comment on its “Crackstarter” campaign.

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However, in a note posted on the site, Gawker editor John Cook said his confidence in completing a deal to buy the video has “diminished” because the dealer who apparently has it has been incommunicado in recent days.

“The owner of the video is presumably frightened and skittish, and it’s not entirely unreasonable that he would go to ground,” Cook said.

“At this point, we have no idea why he is out of touch or if he even knows about the ’Crackstarter’ campaign.”

There is a good explanation for this. The Rob Ford Crack Tape has become an object of intense scrutiny and interest in Toronto, and in Canada generally. The owner of the video is presumably frightened and skittish, and it’s not entirely unreasonable that he would go to ground. We didn’t consider it that remarkable for the first half of the week that he was hard for our tipster to reach. At this point, we have no idea why he is out of touch, or if he even knows about the Crackstarter campaign. He may have decided against selling the video. He may be waiting until the campaign hits its $200,000 mark before coming out of hiding. We simply don’t know. (And hey, Rob Ford Crack Tape Owner, if you’re reading this: Please get in touch with our mutual friend. If you don’t, you risk leaving a lot of money on the table.)

Gawker posted the note just as the “Crackstarter” had passed $150,000 and after a single donation of $10,000 had secured the biggest “perk” of the campaign — the iPhone 5 that the video had been allegedly shot on.