In light of the most recent allegations of sexual harassment involving embattled Mayor Bob Filner, the San Diego County Democratic Party has decided that they will ask Filner to resign.
For the second time in one week, the San Diego County Democratic Central committee met Thursday evening to discuss the controversy surrounding Filner and take a vote on whether or not to ask the mayor to leave office.
Special Section: Mayor Under Fire
Democrats voted 34 to 6, meaning that the party will now ask Filner to resign.
In the past four days, a total of seven different victims have gone public with accusations of sexual harassment involving Filner. On Thursday alone, four prominent San Diego women came forward with their own accounts, which included sexual advances and comments allegedly made towards them by the mayor.
Last Thursday, the San Diego County Democratic Party held a similar meeting to discuss Filner.
In that first meeting party votes were split right down the middle, 24 to 24, and at that point, the party decided they would not be asking Filner to resign.
However, that all changed Thursday night.
Party representatives said they will now ask Filner to step down and “get the help he needs.”
“Now charges have been filed and the legal process has started. We think it is in the best interest for Mayor Filner to step down,” Democratic Party Chair Francine Busby said.
Following the vote, the San Diego GOP and its executive director Francis Barraza released this statement:
“While we commend San Diego Democrats for finally asking Mayor Filner to resign, had they not looked the other way for decades, for crass political reasons, this entire tragic episode could have been avoided."
Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego