At today’s press conference in San Diego, sordid allegations were made about the harassment claims of anonymous women against Mayor Filner and another call was made for the Mayor to step down. Donna Frye, former city councilwoman, and lawyers Cory Briggs and Marco Gonzalez called for the conference. The women in question are still anonymous, as they are not ready to come forward. Frye, Briggs and Gonzalez were adamant about protecting the women.
Some of the details about Filner include:
Unwanted sexual advances
Offered employment benefits
Leering at women
Sending sexually suggestive pictures, cartoons
Derogatory comments, epithets, slurs
Graphic comments about someone’s body, sexually degrading words and notes, invitations
Physical touching and assault
Impeding and blocking movements of women
The claims against Mayor were detailed and alarming. According to Gonzalez, in the Mayor’s office, there was something known as the “Filner headlock.” It was described thusly: the Mayor puts his arm around a woman’s shoulder, pulls her in tight, gets in close to her face, asks about husband/boyfriend, says things like “you know you love me, lets go up to my office, no one will know.”
There was a “move” known as the “Filner dance” where, if the Mayor feels hesitation, he will force a kiss on a woman, the woman will try to evade and he will end up kissing a cheek. Women in his office called him a “dirty old man.”
Donna Frye described other specifics about one of the victims: “He grabbed her, kissed her, jamming his tongue down her throat.” Frye went on to describe another encounter: “The Mayor quickly had his hand down the inside of her bra.”
“I am the Mayor you can’t kick me out of any office” one employee of Filner allegedly said after she kicked him out of her office for his unwanted advances.
Marco Gonzalez said his client stated the Mayor “grabbed her A** and touched her breasts.” Gonzalez said he had heard from women that Filner would say to them that “they would do a better job if they worked without their panties on.” Gonzalez also informed the press “there will be a sexual harassment suit filed against the city.” He indicated once again there were numerous women with allegations against the Mayor.
Frye, Gonzales and Briggs are trying to protect these women and have the Mayor step down without forcing them to come forward. The media asked why these women didn’t go to the police or tell their supervisors. Some attendees shouted “prove it in court!”
Filner was a congressman for 20 years before being elected as Mayor of San Diego.
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