In an open letter to embattled San Diego mayor Bob Filner, Senator Barbara Boxer has joined the chorus of people calling on him to resign. “Bob, you must resign because you have betrayed the trust of the women you have victimized, the San Diegans you represent and the people you have worked with throughout your decades in public life,” she wrote early Friday morning. Fourteen women have now come forward accusing Filner of sexual harassment.Filner has remained defiant in the face of his own admission of “inappropriate” behavior. Boxer zeroed in on the latest revelations of Filner’s conduct:
I have worked for so many years to prevent and punish sexual violence and sexual harassment, wherever they occur. As we fight in the Senate to stand up for the men and women in our military who are survivors of sexual assault, I have heard their stories, seen the anguish in their faces, listened to them talk about the pain that will always be with them. Let me be clear: The latest revelations regarding your behavior toward women recovering from sexual assault–women who desperately need our help–have shaken me to my core.
Filner announced last month that he would be “entering a counseling clinic to undergo two weeks of intensive therapy” but did not say he would resign. Calls for his resignation have been growing–culminating with Boxer’s letter. The junior senator from California pleaded with Filner to end the ongoing media circus and help the people of his city move on.
Bob, you have already hurt so many people. To avoid hurting your victims and the people of San Diego more than you already have, you should step down immediately.Sincerely,Barbara
Chris Godburn