San Diego Mayor Bob Filner met with city leaders at a downtown law firm on Monday after being out of the office for more than three weeks.
The mayor is accused of sexually harassing multiple women and has since faced calls to resign, in addition to a formal recall effort. He recently returned from a two-week stint at an intensive therapy program, followed by a personal week off.
The mayor talked to San Diego City Council President Todd Gloria, Councilman Kevin Faulconer and City Attorney Jan Goldsmith, in addition to high-profile lawyer Gloria Allred.
Allred is representing Filner’s former communications director Irene McCormack Jackson, who claims Filner said inappropriate things to her while serving as mayor. Jackson has since filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Filner and the city.
After Monday's meeting, Allred spoke to the media and revealed that retired judge Lawrence Irving is preceding over the mediation. She said Irving instructed them not to comment, except to say that a mediation is ongoing.
The mayor's truck left the building where mediation took place around 7:30 p.m. Filner hadn't been seen in public since July 26.
Earlier in the day, Filner supporters gathered for a press conference, saying the mayor should be allowed to defend himself in court. During the same time, congressional candidate Carl DeMaio called for San Diegans to participate in the effort to recall Filner.