Morning Brew: Rob Ford mentioned on police wiretaps, the mysterious "Juiceman," mayor's trainer is convicted steroid pusher, and Ron Burgundy sings campaign song

Details of thousands of tapped phone conversations recorded as part of Project Brazen 2, the ongoing Toronto police investigation into Mayor Rob Ford, have been ordered released by a Superior Court judge. Though Ford's name is reportedly mentioned in the transcripts, his voice is not heard. 59 people had their calls monitored during the summer as part of the investigation.

Meanwhile, the Toronto Star reports Sandro Lisi attempted to contact a person nicknamed "Juiceman" shortly after news broke about the crack video. Lisi also dialled the same number shortly after Rob Ford's cellphone was reported missing on April 20. The same day he also contacted several Ford staffers. More wiretap information could be released next week.

It turns out Rob Ford's new fitness trainer, who he says will help him get "bigger arms," is a convicted steroid trafficker who is banned from training in Canada. The National Post reports that Valerio Moscariello, who also goes by Valerio Mosca, was convicted in the U.S. in 2005. Moscariello posted (and later delated) a picture of an exercising Rob Ford to Instagram yesterday morning.

The Ford scandal seems to be having an effect on the city's finances. Bloomberg says the negative press surrounding the mayor is "driving up borrowing costs and threatening to delay fixes to North America's second-worst traffic congestion." The interest rate on bond payments has climbed recently by 0.04 base points, apparently, when borrow costs should have fallen.

Two men have been charged after a police safely detonated a pipe bomb in the Entertainment District early Tuesday morning. Cops said the arrest came after a 5-month investigation into a series of arson attacks in Liberty Village, the Entertainment District, the Junction and the Fashion District. The device was found in the trunk of a car during a traffic stop at King and Peter.

Ford might not have allies left, but fictional TV anchor Ron Burgundy is on the mayor's side. On Conan last night, Will Ferrell (in character) sang the 2014 official campaign song for his "dear, dear friend Rob Ford." "I hold him in the highest regard, he's the best," he said before launching into a rendition of Loverboy's "Working for the Weekend" - flute solo and all.

IN BRIEF:

• Elite Canadian squash player killed cycling to training facility [Toronto Sun]


• Missing elderly couple found safe [Toronto Star]


• Pan Am Games costs edging up, opposition warns [CBC]


• Raptors beat 76ers, move into 1st place in Atlantic Division video [CBC]

Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.

Image: Kyra Savolainen/blogTO Flickr pool.

by Chris Bateman via blogTO