Today, former San Diego Mayor Bob Filner?plead guilty to felony false imprisonment and two misdemeanor counts of battery. According to the New York Times, the plea bargain allows Mr. Filner to serve three years probation and receive treatment at the directive of a mental health professional. He has agreed to home confinement for three month,s and is also not allowed to serve on juries or own firearms while on probation. ?Without a plea deal he faced up to 3 years in prison for the felony and 1 year in jail for each misdemeanor.
Today’s entering of charges and plea deal followed weeks of turmoil and investigation after 17 women came forward making various allegations of sexual harassment. Filner, 71, resigned in August but was far from apologetic in his resignation speech, as reported by the Huffington Post:
?When a lynch-mob mentality exists, rumors become allegations, allegations become facts, and facts become evidence,? Mr. Filner said in a long, emotional speech in the City Council chamber. ?We had a chance to do a progressive vision in this city for the first time in 50 years. We need you to carry that vision forward ? this is not the time to let it die.?
With that attitude I am not sure how much good a year or two of counseling and probation will do. He doesn’t believe he has done anything wrong. I don’t know if that’s worse than the sex offender who knows they are wrong and doesn’t care. It means he really just felt these women shouldn’t have had a right to boundaries. ?That they were there as personal job perks you know kind of like a similar concept being floated around by a campaign aid in New Jersey.?This isn’t a partisan issue, it’s a power issue that has been played out over and over regardless of political party.
May this be a lesson and warning to politicians that staffers are not property, playthings, or personal work perks. They are people.
Edited/Published by: SB
