Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Really? San Diego Mayor Bob Filner might return to work Tuesday

(CNN) -- He's the center of a national scandal, facing widespread calls for his resignation, polls show voters want him out, and the city has changed the locks to his office to preserve evidence. But somehow, San Diego Mayor Bob Filner still might show up to work Tuesday.

This on the heels of intensive two-week behavioral therapy, which was apparently aimed at ending his alleged backward ways of treating women in the workplace. Sixteen have come forward, saying that he acted inappropriately -- ranging from one woman saying he gave her "tush a pat" to another saying he "put me in what I guess now is the famous headlock" and tried "to kiss me on the lips and I'd have to squirm to get away."

It gets even more graphic.

Filner has not responded to multiple CNN requests for comment.

But last month, he acknowledged having "failed to fully respect the women who work for me and with me," and said he was "embarrassed" by his actions.

"It's a good thing that behavior that would have been tolerated in the past is being called out in this generation for what it is: inappropriate and wrong," he said.

But, in his view, not wrong enough to give up his job as representative of San Diego's 1.3 million people.

Filner insisted he will be vindicated by "a full presentation of the facts," and remained resolute that he won't step down.

But he just might be considering resignation anyway.

A closed-door mediation session with Filner, his representatives, city officials, a retired judge and a few others on Monday ended with no apparent resolution, but San Diego City Councilman Kevin Faulconer said the discussions are ongoing.

Also attending the session were City Attorney Jan Goldsmith and City Council President Todd Gloria.

A source with direct knowledge of the meeting declined to say what exactly was under discussion.

However, CNN affiliate KGTV, citing anonymous sources, reported that the mediation was "designed to include a review of a potential resignation."

Though the city chief of staff changed the locks on Filner's office during his time away, it was to preserve evidence rather than to keep him out, the city attorney's office has said.

The office has said it could seek as a "last resort" a restraining order -- saying Filner creates a hostile environment for women -- to prevent him from returning to work, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The city attorney's office did not return calls seeking comment.

New petition wants Filner out of office
Peggy Shannon, a 67-year-old great-grandmother who works at the Senior Citizens Service Desk in San Diego City Hall, allegedly faced "continuous inappropriate sexual advances by San Diego Mayor Bob Filner while trying to do her job," according to the office of her attorney, Gloria Allred. Click through the gallery of other women who have come forward in the case: Peggy Shannon, a 67-year-old great-grandmother who works at the Senior Citizens Service Desk in San Diego City Hall, allegedly faced "continuous inappropriate sexual advances by San Diego Mayor Bob Filner while trying to do her job," according to the office of her attorney, Gloria Allred. Click through the gallery of other women who have come forward in the case:
San Diego mayor's accusers
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Flirty voice mail from San Diego mayor?
Great grandma on Filner: He kissed me

Rallies for and against

Over the weekend, protesters stood outside City Hall, calling on the mayor to step down.

"There is no excuse for abuse, and there is no excuse for you to stay in power," Attorney Gloria Allred, who also attended the mediation session, said to the crowd.

She attended Sunday's rally along with some of the women accusing Filner, including one of her clients, 67-year-old Peggy Shannon.

On Monday, Filner supporters held a "We Will Not Be Silent" rally, also outside City Hall.

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Outrage overwhelming

Roughly 81% of city residents want Filner to resign, according to a poll conducted by KGTV. Another CNN affiliate, KFMB, reported local radio hosts hired skywriters to spell out "Surrender Bob" over areas of the city last week.

Armed with clipboards and pens, volunteers hit the streets of San Diego over the weekend to begin collecting signatures for a recall effort. They need more than 101,000 signatures by September 26.

"We're going to be everywhere. We're going to be at sporting events. We're going to be at street fairs, arts shows -- you name it, we will be out there," Dave McCulloch, an organizer, told KFMB on Sunday.

Anti-Filner protesters speak

Filner, 70, was elected mayor in 2012 after 20 years in Congress.

His accusers range from a singer at a campaign fundraiser to his former communications director, who called him unfit for office. Shannon was the latest person to accuse Filner.

"Every day that I went to work, I had butterflies in my stomach because I did not know what was going to happen the next time the mayor came by my desk," she told reporters last week.

"I have three sons, four grandsons and two great grandsons. As our mayor, you should be -- but are not -- a role model for any of them," Shannon said.

Filner has rebuffed calls to resign from all nine city council members and from fellow Democrats, including California's two U.S. senators.

His supporters, who include some labor unions and Latinos, claim Filner is being denied due process, and the recall effort is orchestrated by those who oppose his political agenda.

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This article is taken from CNN.com

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