While the mayor of San Diego who has been accused of inappropriate contact by over one dozen women has refused to resign despite immense pressure, the San Diego City Council may have found a way to get him removed from office using a little-known law, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The city council asked the city attorney's office to find any possible way that they might be able to oust the embattled Mayor Bob Filner and are expected to build a case showing that Filner misused public money and needs to be removed. The San Diego County Taxpayers Association said on Thursday that almost $1,000 of the $11,095 Filner charged on his city credit card was used to buy personal items, according to the Los Angeles Times.
"City credit cards cannot be used for personal expenses. Period," Felipe Monroig, president of the taxpayers group, told the Los Angeles Times.
The charter for San Diego does not have any provisions for impeaching a member of city government but it is the belief of City Attorney Jan Goldsmith that Section 108 of the charter could be used to remove Filner.
"Every city officer who willfully approves or allows an unauthorized payment from the city treasury is subject to removal from office," Goldsmith told the city council in a memo.
The movement to remove Filner is only going to gain steam after it has been learned that another woman, Peggy Shannon, has accused the mayor of unbecoming conduct. Shannon, a volunteer who works with senior citizens, said the mayor repeatedly asked for dates and was sexually suggestive. Filner's behavior upset Shannon to the point that she would cry about it at home, according to the Christian Science Monitor.
"It has been all consuming, and I have no idea whether we've seen the last of it yet," former San Diego mayor and governor of California Pete Wilson told U-T San Diego. "He has not brought any credit to himself or his office. I think the people of San Diego deserve a better representative."
Last month Filner issued a video recorded apology and then entered into what he called "intensive therapy" which ended last week, according to the Christian Science Monitor.
"You have every right to be disappointed in me," Filner said. "I only ask that you give me an opportunity to prove I am capable of change."
If Filner ends up being removed from office for misusing the city's credit card he will become the second elected official to be removed for that reason in San Diego. The first time it happened was in 1986 when Councilman Uvaldo Martinez resigned. The winner of the election to replace Martinez was none other than Bob Filner, according to the Los Angeles Times.
