Report: Filner signs letter of resignation

SAN DIEGO (CNS) – Embattled San Diego Mayor Bob Filner has signed a
letter of resignation, and the document is in the hands of the retired federal
judge who oversaw three days of mediation, it was reported Friday.

A partial settlement was reached Wednesday in the talks overseen by
former Judge J. Lawrence Irving, a deal that will be presented to the City
Council today at a special meeting.

Irving is in possession of the signed letter, which apparently has not
been submitted to the city, according to U-T San Diego.

Filner, mired in investigations over sexual harassment claims and
allegations of misusing a city-issued credit card and shakedowns of developers,
is prepared to resign after less than nine months in office if the mediation
settlement is approved, according to numerous reports.

The 70-year-old former Democratic congressman would become the third San
Diego mayor of San Diego to resign in recent times, following Roger
Hedgecock and Dick Murphy.

The parties to the sexual harassment talks have been mum regarding
details, including whether a Filner resignation is part of the deal.

City Attorney Jan Goldsmith, when he announced the agreement Wednesday
night, counseled San Diegans about listening to rumors.

The mediation was sparked by a lawsuit filed by the first woman to come
forward and publicly accuse the mayor of sexual harassment, former mayoral
Communications Director Irene McCormack Jackson.

Her lawyer, Los Angeles-based Gloria Allred, told reporters Thursday she
had not been provided details of the agreement and does not consider her
client's lawsuit settled.

Allred's remarks raise the possibility that the deal reached in
mediation will only affect the city's portion of the lawsuit, the only one to
be filed against Filner so far. A total of 18 women have publicly accused him
of improprieties.

Allred challenged the City Council to reject any deal that provides city
money to Filner, which she said would be “callous and unholy.”

Filner's private Irvine-based lawyer, James Payne, issued his first
statement in nearly two weeks on Thursday to confirm a deal was in place and
said an announcement would be made after the City Council meeting. The council
members are set to meet at 1 p.m. to take public comment on a settlement. They
will then consider in closed session whether to approve the agreement, which is
expected to be followed by an announcement.

If Filner does step down, it would not become official until a
resignation letter is received by the City Clerk's Office. Council President
Todd Gloria would become interim mayor, and a special election would be
scheduled within 90 days. If a candidate receives more than 50 percent of the
votes, that person would become mayor. Otherwise, a runoff election would be
held between the top two vote-getters.

The City Council will also be asked to confirm the appointment of Walt
Ekard as interim chief operating officer for the city.

The former county of San Diego chief administrative officer began
advising Filner's management team earlier this year on local government
procedures. The mayor hired him as interim COO around the time the first sexual
harassment allegations were lodged. The council will also retroactively confirm
Scott Chadwick as the interim COO for the period of March 2 to July 14. The
panel had not weighed in on either appointment previously.