San Diego Mayor Bob Filner Goes to Rehab

Facing a multipronged campaign to oust him, Mayor Bob Filner begins two weeks of behavioral therapy at an undisclosed location today in response to accusations that he has sexually harassed women for years.

So far, at least 10 women have accused the 70-year-old mayor of unwanted advances while another, Escondido Deputy Mayor Olga Diaz described a "weird" encounter with the former 10-term congressman. One woman, former mayoral Communications Director Irene McCormack Jackson, is suing Filner and the city.

Filner announced at a July 26 news conference that he would undergo therapy to address his "intimidating conduct" and failure to respect women.

"I am responsible for my conduct and I must take responsibility for my conduct by taking action so that such conduct does not ever happen again," Filner said, although he has denied that his actions constituted sexual harassment.

The mayor said he would receive daily briefings on city business while undergoing therapy and would return to work Aug. 19.

On Friday, two men spearheading efforts to recall Filner announced they would join forces to try to collect the nearly 102,000 petition signatures necessary to qualify for the ballot. Stampp Corbin, the publisher of LGBT Weekly, and Michael Pallmary, a land use consultant, said they wanted residents to have a say in whether Filner, who has rebuffed numerous calls to resign, should remain the mayor.

The mayor has until Aug. 11 to respond to the petition notice. Organizers can begin circulating petitions Aug. 18, and will have until Sept. 26 to collect more than 100,000 valid signatures.

A chorus of voices is clamoring for Filner's departure. His predecessor, Jerry Sanders, now head of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, said the mayor needs to go because he is holding San Diego up to national "ridicule."

The Business Leadership Alliance, an umbrella organization of 44 local business groups, and the Port Tenants Association, which represents the hotels, restaurants, shipyards and other commercial concerns along San Diego's waterfront, also have called on Filner to step down, contending that publicity from the sexual harassment allegations have damaged San Diego's economy.

Also urging Filner, a Democrat, to call it a day are the San Diego County Democratic Party, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the majority of the San Diego City Council, and former allies, including ex-Councilwoman Donna Frye.

—City News Service