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Filner: “Words Alone Are Not Enough” – Entering Behavioral Clinic, Not Quitting

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“Behavior I have engaged in for many years is wrong .. inexcusable”

By Doug Porter

San Diego’s Mayor Bob Filner announced today that he’s entering a clinic starting August 5th for two weeks for therapy. (See analysis by Andy Cohen here.)

This move comes after steadily mounting pressure throughout the week as new accusations of sexual harassment have surfaced, local and national elements of the Democratic party have called for him to step down and members of his administration have resigned rather than work with him.   [Read more…]

Stick a Fork in It, Mayor Bob Filner is ‘Toast’. Or is He?

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By Doug Porter
11:45am- UPDATED to include today’s press conference.

The ‘too many words…too few facts!’ phase of the allegations of sexual harassment aimed at San Diego’s Mayor Bob Filner is ending today, as more specifics are emerging. Whether we like it not, whether it’s fair or not, it appears to me that hizzoner’s political career is ending.

Bob Filner, however, doesn’t think so. The Mayor released a statement this morning announcing that he would not resign and that Walt Ekard, former county administrator has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer for the City of San Diego.

“I’m not going to resign, and here’s why,” said Filner in a press release. “As your elected mayor, I fully expect to be accountable to the citizens of San Diego for all of my actions.  But as a citizen of this country, I also expect – and am entitled to – due process, and the opportunity to respond in a fair and impartial venue to specific allegations.  I do not believe I am guilty of sexual harassment, and I believe a full presentation of the facts will vindicate me.,”

The saga of Mayor Filner’s fall from grace has provided me with a lot of food for thought.  Feelings of betrayal brought on by each new revelation/allegation are countered by anger at the smarmy triumphalism of evil people eager to exploit the failings of one human being in their quest for political and economic hegemony.   [Read more…]

Things Fall Apart: Filner’s Betrayal and the “Political Circus”

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…the real winners here are the same old downtown insiders who are busy popping champagne corks and laughing at Filner’s implosion and cheering the welcome help they are getting from unlikely sources. 

By Jim Miller

Whatever the end result of the Filner sexual harassment scandal, it’s clear that even if the mayor beats the odds and survives, his credibility and ability to move a bold populist agenda is severely damaged. Hence, San Diego’s first truly progressive mayor may have squandered the opportunity to be a transformative figure, the progressive fighter and game changer we had hoped he would be. Worst of all by engaging in abusive behavior towards women, Filner has betrayed the core principles of any progressive politics by failing to respect the civil rights and humanity of women. We don’t need to hear all of the details to know that this is true–he has admitted as much himself.

Additionally, and equally important, Filner’s actions are a betrayal to all those in the broad, historic progressive coalition who worked to elect him. I have spoken to dozens of my friends in labor and community activist groups over the last few days and folks are universally angry and depressed. His fall from grace will have broad and long-term consequences, disillusioning and discouraging people from hoping for change in our city and, discrediting by proxy those who aggressively contest the entrenched interests that Filner had rightfully been fighting. It will take a long time to recover from this.   [Read more…]

NOT Quitting: Filner Apologizes, Says He’ll Seek Help

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If my behavior doesn’t change, I cannot succeed in leading our city.

By Doug Porter

After several days of drama following calls for his resignation from three prominent San Diegans, Mayor Bob Filner has responded via a DVD released to the local NBC affiliate.

SEE INSIDE FOR TEXT OF HIS STATEMENT   [Read more…]

More Questions than Answers Remain in Filner Harassment Allegations

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By Andy Cohen

Former City Councilwoman Donna Frye and attorneys Cory Briggs and Marco Gonzalez summoned the local media to discuss explosive allegations that came to light yesterday regarding sexual harassment claims against Mayor Bob Filner. All three have delivered letters to the mayor calling for his immediate resignation; Frye and Gonzalez for the harassment claims, and Briggs due to what he called a lack of “open, accountable, responsible government.”

It was the most anticipated press conference in San Diego perhaps in years, and perhaps the most bizarre, with the participants who summoned the local media refusing to directly answer questions with any detail. Members of the press who attended left more unsatisfied than when they arrived. No facts were offered, no supporting evidence, simply more allegations. Trust us, the hosts insisted. The accusations are true.

“We are putting our reputations on the line,” said Gonzalez, refusing to elaborate on how many women have come forward claiming harassment on the part of the mayor, or offering any specifics.   [Read more…]

Mayor Filner: DO NOT RESIGN

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By Frank Gormlie

For the last twenty-four hour news cycle, San Diegans have watched stunned as three Democrats have stepped forward and publicly called for Mayor Bob Filner to resign. Donna Frye, Cory Briggs and Marco Gonzalez all sent letters to Filner – and the media – in the last couple of days calling on the Mayor – who has been in office all of seven months – to step down.

Briggs and Gonzalez are both attorneys involved in litigation against the City of San Diego. Donna Frye, of course, is the former City Councilmember and the ‘woman who should have been mayor’. Frye actually won a three-way race a few years ago for mayor in her write-in campaign, but was not sworn in due to the ballots being questionable.

Frye and Gonzalez alleged sexual harassment charges in their letters – although no details were given – whereas Briggs cited other issues, mainly around the latest Sunroad controversy.

The three are holding a press conference, today, Thursday, at 10 a.m. to outline more details it is assumed. The San Diego Free Press will have a reporter present who, hopefully, will be writing up a report later this morning.

In the meantime, thoughtful Democrats and progressives have had their worst nightmare materialize. Their darling – the most liberal mayor of San Diego in history – is on the ropes. Will he resign? Can he weather this crisis?

At this point – we urge Mayor Filner NOT TO RESIGN.   [Read more…]

Pumping Up Filner’s Flaps for Fun and Profit

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By Doug Porter

City Councilman Kevin Faulconer joined the flail on Filner fray today with a UT-San Diego op-ed chock full of the sort of doom and gloom spin that would do Karl Rove proud.

‘The sky is falling!’ He says, ‘The streets are full of potholes!’ And…(my favorite)… ‘Bankruptcy looms!’

Yes indeed, citizens, Faulconer tells us, the Mayor’s ‘Bullying’ is taking a harsh toll at City Hall.  You, the people, are ‘unheard victims’.

Gosh, it sure is coincidental about how the word ‘bullying’ (used in the print edition headline) has been showing up on the GOP’s playlist lately.

Is the Mayor feuding with smaller sized children? Has he actually threatened anybody with harm? Are the ‘victims’ of this maniacal madman weak and defenseless?   [Read more…]

Born on the Fourth of July; Community Radio Returns to San Diego

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By Doug Porter

It’s taken six years, hundreds of meetings and $45,000 raised via grassroots fundraising efforts to launch KNSJ/89.1, a community media outlet ‘by, of and for the people’.  And they’re launching tomorrow, Thursday July 4th with a full day of live broadcast plus audio and video streaming on KNSJ.org.

The public is invited to come down to the World Beat Center at 2100 Park Blvd. in Balboa Park to participate in the live broadcast, talking about how to shape this community radio station to meet the needs of San Diego’s diverse population.

Officially known as KNSJ 89.1 Descanso; (Descanso is the FCC’s “city of record”), the station’s call letters reflect its mission: Networking forSocial Justice.  The main studios will be located in El Cajon, with a transmitter and tower at over 6200 feet in the Laguna Mountains.

They believe KNSJ’s signal will be heard in car radios from the US-Mexico border to Highway 52, from the East County mountains to the bay, covering all of central San Diego.  Programs will also be available through live streaming at KNSJ.org.   [Read more…]

The Starting Line – Republican Support for Gay Marriage Emerging as Supreme Court Hearing Nears

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There are cracks emerging in the GOP social issues bulwark over the issue of gay marriage. The New York Times is up with a story this morning about 75 prominent Republicans who have signed on to a legal brief arguing that gay people have a constitutional right to marry.

The Times calls this move “a position that amounts to a direct challenge to Speaker John A. Boehner and reflects the civil war in the party since the November election.”

The Supreme Court, which unexpectedly agreed to hear an appeal over California’s Proposition 8 and another case that challenges the 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act, is currently receiving briefs and rebuttals. Oral arguments are scheduled for March 26th, and a decision is expected in late June.

INSIDE: Tourism Tax Generates More Lawsuits, How Much Damage Will Brown Do to CEQA?, About Those High Paying Tourism Jobs…   [Read more…]

The Starting Line – Here Comes Strike Three: Tourism Tax Showdown Symbolic of Change in San Diego

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City Councilman Kevin Falconer called for public hearings yesterday to placate the City’s hotel industry, which is growing increasingly panicky over Mayor Bob Filner’s refusal to release funding generated by a hotel room surcharge of 2 percent to finance the city’s Tourism Authority.

“Jobs”, “Police”, “Potholes” whined Falconer, desperate for a buzzword that would play well in the evening’s TV newscasts.

From this morning’s UT-San Diego:

“Every day that goes by San Diego is losing potential tourism tax revenue that we can use to fill potholes and hire more police officers,” Faulconer said in an interview. “Shutting off those funds will hurt one of our most important industries and cost us jobs. I want to ensure that all of the council and the public know the cost of the mayor’s inaction. There’s no excuse for this inaction.”

No excuse, Kevin? Really?

How about the probability that the two per cent tax funding this program will be declared illegal?

INSIDE: San Onofre Saga Continues, Senator McGrumpy on Hagel and a Headline You Won’t Believe…   [Read more…]

Prop 34: “Yes” Means We’ll Never Execute An Innocent Person

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By Carolyn Zellander

This November, Californians will their first opportunity in more than 30 years to abolish the death penalty. Last April, Proposition 34, also known as the Savings, Accountability, and Full Enforcement for California Act (SAFE California), qualified for the November Ballot. If approved by voters, the new law will convert sentences of death row inmates to life in prison without the possibility of parole.   [Read more…]

The Starting Line — Demonstrations, Caravans and Twitterstorms, Oh My!

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June 19. 2012—Grass roots activism around the world leads the news wrap up today. In San Diego, cities around the world and in cyberspace citizens are and have been expressing their frustrations and hopes for a better world.

National Robin Hood Day demonstrations…. Rallies in San Diego and 14 other cities across the country at noon today kick off a national campaign to institute a Wall Street tax that would produce billions for the public good. This Financial Transaction Tax, called the “Robin Hood Tax,” is a levy of less than half of a percent on trades in derivatives, stocks, bonds and foreign currencies. According to the campaign, economists estimate that $350 billion could be raised each year for health care, jobs, education, infrastructure and various other needs, which may help rejuvenate the economy. The campaign states that it is pushing for “a tax for the people.”   [Read more…]

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