Sandy Huffaker for The New York Times
"This is the toughest decision in my life," said Mr. Filner, who is to step down on Aug. 30.
SAN DIEGO — Mayor Bob Filner resigned on Friday under a barrage of sexual harassment complaints, offering an apology to his accusers while still denying the allegations and blaming his downfall on "a combination of awkwardness and hubris."
Mr. Filner compared his situation over the last several weeks, under accusations by more than a dozen women, to facing a "lynch mob."
"When a lynch-mob mentality exists, rumors become allegations, allegations become facts, and facts become evidence," Mr. Filner said in a long, emotional speech in the City Council chamber. "We had a chance to do a progressive vision in this city for the first time in 50 years. We need you to carry that vision forward — this is not the time to let it die."
Under an agreement approved Friday, the city will pay most of Mr. Filner's legal fees. It will also cover any punitive damages against him in any sexual harassment lawsuit and pay up to $98,000 for his private lawyers.
Mr. Filner, the first Democrat elected mayor here in more than 20 years, will step down on Aug. 30. "I never intended to be a mayor who went out like this," he said.
"This is the toughest decision in my life," said Mr. Filner, who devoted much of his comments to criticizing his political enemies and speaking of his vision for leading the city. He ended, to a standing ovation from dozens of supporters, by quoting Senator Edward M. Kennedy: "The cause endures, the hope still lives and the dream shall never die."
The Council's decision came after dozens of people voiced their opinions on a deal whose details they had no way of knowing. Several residents supporting a recall effort urged council members to reject any deal that would give Mr. Filner money for his legal fees and damages. But others sought compassion for Mr. Filner, citing his years of championing civil rights and the poor.
The vote was 7 to 0 in favor of the agreement, with two members sitting it out. But the deal is not an end to Mr. Filner's woes. A lawsuit by his communications aide is likely to move forward, and a spokesman for the state attorney general said Friday that the office was continuing with a criminal investigation.
During his speech, Mr. Filner appeared to choke up at times. "For my part in causing all of this, I offer a deep apology, certainly to the citizens of San Diego," he said. "To all the women I offended, I had no intention to be offensive."
But he criticized the news media, which he said "played into the hands of those who wanted a political coup."
"If given due process I would be vindicated," Mr. Filner said defiantly.
"Not one allegation has ever been independently verified or proven in court," he said. "I have never sexually harassed anyone."
The resignation capped a tumultuous six weeks for San Diego. Since Mr. Filner's top communications aide first went public with her complaints of sexual harassment last month, 17 more women came forward with accusations, creating a stream of news accounts of Mr. Filner groping and kissing women against their will. The women who said they were harassed included a retired Navy rear admiral, a great-grandmother, a university dean and the former communications director, Irene McCormack Jackson, who filed a lawsuit against the mayor and the city.
Mr. Filner's lawyers filed papers to move the lawsuit to Imperial County, east of the city. But calls for his resignation grew louder and organizers last Sunday started collecting signatures to force a recall election.
Organizers of the recall effort said Friday that they already had more than 20,000 signatures, about one-fifth of what would be needed to qualify for the ballot.
Mr. Filner is the third mayor of this city to step down in recent history. Roger Hedgecock, a Republican, left office after he was convicted of conspiracy in connection with an illegal campaign contribution in 1985, a felony offense that was eventually reduced and erased from his record. When San Diego faced widespread financial problems in 2005, earning it the nickname "Enron-by-the-Sea," Mayor Richard Murphy, also a Republican, resigned during the first year of his second term.
Rob Davis contributed reporting.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Denying Accusations of Sexual Harassment, the Mayor of San Diego Resigns
Dengan url
https://dunialuasekali.blogspot.com/2013/08/denying-accusations-of-sexual.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Denying Accusations of Sexual Harassment, the Mayor of San Diego Resigns
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
Denying Accusations of Sexual Harassment, the Mayor of San Diego Resigns
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar