San Diego Mayor Finally Succumbs to Scandal

A mayoral tenure that began with so much promise (especially for planners) has ended in disgrace, only months after it began. After mounting pressure from those outside and within his own party, a defiant Bob Filner announced his resignation Friday.

1 minute read

August 26, 2013, 6:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


"Bob Filner announced his resignation Friday as San Diego’s 35th mayor following a tumultuous six weeks in which lurid allegations of repeated sexual misconduct against women crippled his ability to lead and turned him into a subject of national ridicule," reports Craig Gustafson. "In a dramatic appearance before the council, Filner apologized to his few remaining supporters and the women he offended while at the same remaining defiant that he did nothing wrong. He blamed the downtown business establishment, the media and his fellow elected officials for concocting a political coup to force his exit."

As you may remember, just two months ago Filner hired nationally recognized planner Bill Fulton to revive the city's defunct planning department. It's unclear how Filner's resignation will effect those efforts. 

Friday, August 23, 2013 in San Diego Union-Tribune

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