Mayor resigns, faces investigation
SAN DIEGO — The California attorney general has opened a criminal investigation of San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, who agreed to resign Friday after lurid sexual harassment allegations eroded his support less than nine months on the job.
Attorney genera l spokesman Nicholas Pacilio confirmed Friday that a criminal investigation is underway but declined to elaborate. He spoke moments after Filner told the City Council he would leave office next week.
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department is f ielding complaints of sexual misconduct by the mayor and delivering its findings to the attorney general’s office.
Filner agreed to resign in return for the city’s help defending him against numerous claims he groped, kissed and made lewd comments to women.
The allegations embarrassed the city and turned the former 10-term Democratic congressman into a national punch line.
Filner was regretful and defiant during a City Council meeting. He apologized to his accusers but insisted he was innocent of sexual harassment and said he was the victim of a “lynch mob.”
“The city should not have to go through this, and my own personal fail- ures were responsible and I apologize to the city,” Filner said after the council voted 7- 0 on a deal that ended a political stalemate after 17 women publicly accused him of harassment.
The city will pay Filner’s legal fees in defense of a lawsuit filed by the mayor’s former communications director.
It will also pay any settlement costs assessed against the mayor except for punitive damages, said City Attorney Jan Goldsmith.