The fate of embattled San Diego Mayor Bob Filner remains uncertain, as mediations to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit against him spilled into day two. CNN and the Washington Post are also now reporting that the Democratic National Committee will vote this week on a resolution calling on the San Diego Democrat to resign.
Participants in the mediations–including Filner’s lawyers, the city attorney, and two city council members–have so far kept details to themselves, reports the Los Angeles Times, specifically on whether one condition for settling is that Filner step down. In the face of widespread demands for his resignation, as the number of women accusing him of sexual misconduct rose to 16, Mayor Filner instead opted to undergo two weeks of therapy.
There was no sign on Tuesday of Gloria Allred, who filed suit against Filner on behalf of his former employee, Irene McCormack Jackson. Allred was present at Monday’s settlement discussions.
A recall effort to oust the Democrat began over the weekend, while supporters gathered for a rally outside City Hall, where the settlement talks were taking place.
Francine Busby, chair of the San Diego County Democratic Party, said she didn’t have any additional insight into the mediations, as the retired judge overseeing the talks had instructed attorneys to keep quiet. But given the number of players in the lawsuit, she said, any kind of resolution seemed a long way off. “We do think that with his legal issues, and with the personal issues that he’s dealing with, it is not going to be possible for [Filner] to carry out the responsibilities and duties of what we have in San Diego,” said Busby on NewsNation Tuesday. “For the sake of San Diego, we’re glad to see these negotiations are going on because we do think that a resignation is certainly an easier route for the city of San Diego than the recall route.”
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