"San Diego mayor resists calls to step down; His opponents call him ‘unsafe’ for city’s women" by Julie Watson | Associated Press, July 17, 2013
SAN DIEGO — A prominent onetime supporter of San Diego’s mayor described how the mayor has repeatedly groped women during his short term, saying no female in California’s second-largest city would be safe in his presence.
Despite that, Mayor Bob Filner, 70, made it clear he will not heed the calls for his resignation from Donna Frye, former councilwoman, and others within his party, even as they held a news conference to divulge details of allegations they said show a dangerous pattern of abuse by the city’s first Democratic leader in two decades.
I highlight that because they are supposed to be the party of women (as opposed to those icky antiabortion Republicans), so you would expect better. What it proves is they are all scum regardless of the letter after their name. The same guys lecturing morality and making laws.
‘‘I’m not going to resign, and here’s why,’’ Filner, a former US congressman, said Monday in a statement. ‘‘As your elected mayor, I fully expect to be accountable to the citizens of San Diego for all of my actions. But as a citizen of this country, I also expect — and am entitled to — due process, and the opportunity to respond in a fair and impartial venue to specific allegations. I do not believe I am guilty of sexual harassment, and I believe a full presentation of the facts will vindicate me.’’
Frye rocked Filner’s support base when she went public with the accusations last week during a news conference and asked him to step down. She did not give specifics until Monday, when she read statements to the media from two people who said they were constituents, though they were not named.
Both say the mayor — who was engaged at the time — tried to forcibly kiss them during separate encounters....
Filner apologized for his behavior Thursday after Frye first went public with the allegations. The mayor said he failed to respect women who work for him and he intimidated them at times. Without going into details, Filner called his behavior wrong and said he needed help. He pleaded with voters for patience.
Two lawyers accompanying Frye Monday said Filner’s inappropriate behavior was so common at City Hall that employees had coined the term ‘‘The Filner Dance’’ to describe how workers dodge his sexual advances. ‘‘The Filner Headlock’’ was used to describe how the mayor would wrap his arm around the neck of a female worker, the lawyers said.
Filner’s former fiancee, who ended their engagement early last week just before the allegations became public, gave details about the behavior behind the breakup in a statement on Monday.
‘‘While I had heard rumors that he was engaging in sexual relationships with other women, I was never able to determine their validity,’’ Bronwyn Ingram said in the statement, according to U-T San Diego.
‘‘However, as Bob’s behavior continued to become more aggressive, standard decorum seemed to disappear. Bob recently began texting other women sexually explicit messages and setting up dates while in my presence and within my line of vision.’’
Marco Gonzalez, a former Filner supporter, said he is representing one employee who allegedly had been harassed by the mayor. He said his client has worked for Filner for six months and has known him for years.
A handful of supporters held signs at the news conference outside City Hall that read: ‘‘Due process for Mayor Filner.’’ Some yelled at Frye and the lawyers, saying the allegations were hearsay....
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I found this next article interesting in light of the accusations:
"Jury acquits anti-bank graffiti artist" by Elliot Spagat | Associated Press, July 03, 2013
SAN DIEGO — The mayor called the case ‘‘stupid’’ and a jury swiftly said it should not stick, rejecting vandalism charges against a man who wrote anti-bank slogans on San Diego sidewalks.
A Superior Court jury deliberated for five hours after a four-day trial before acquitting Jeff Olson Monday of the 13 misdemeanor charges that could have brought 13 years in jail and $13,000 in fines.
Olson, 40, was charged with scrawling messages like ‘‘Shame on B of A’’ in water-soluble chalk on sidewalks outside Bank of America branches in 2012. He included a drawing of an octopus reaching for dollar bills.
Olson turned to his attorney, nodded, and smiled as the verdicts were read.
The trial was the latest in a series of dust-ups between City Attorney Jan Goldsmith, who prosecuted the case, and Mayor Bob Filner, who called it a ‘‘nonsense prosecution’’ that came in response to complaints from Bank of America.
Not to defend Filner, but WOW! Blago found out what happens when you piss off banks. So did Morsi. And so does any leader who refuses their demands.
‘‘It’s washable chalk; it’s political slogans,’’ Filner said last week. ‘‘I think it’s a stupid case. It’s costing us money.’’
Jail time is highly unusual for graffiti convictions, which typically result in fines or community service.
The city attorney’s office said it offered to reduce the charges if Olson agreed to perform community service by cleaning up graffiti, but he refused.
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I'm not saying there is a connection between this and the current flap for Finzer, but the timing sure is curious and coincidental, 'eh?
