The 70-year-old Democrat agrees to step down as mayor and apologises to accusers but denies ever sexually harassing them
Bob Filner has bowed to protest and agreed to resign as mayor of San Diego after at least 17 women accused him of making unwanted sexual advances.
The Democrat apologised to his accusers and to voters at a city council meeting on Friday which approved a mediation deal over the terms of his departure, ending a six-week saga that made headlines across the US.
"The city should not have to go through this, my own personal failures were responsible, and I apologise to the city," he said. The 70-year-old former congressman also struck a defiant tone, saying he was the victim of a "lynch mob".
The council voted 7-0 to approve a deal that is expected to see the city pay some of Filner's legal costs and potential damages in a sexual harassment lawsuit. He had threatened to stay on and drag out the political stalemate if the council did not agree to the deal.
He will officially step down on August 30, pre-empting a recall effort that had gathered thousands of signatures. Filner started moving out of his City Hall office earlier this week.
"To all the women that I've offended, I had no intention to be offensive, to violate any physical or emotional space," he said. "I was trying to establish personal relationships, but the combination of awkwardness and hubris led to behaviour that I think many found offensive."
He also said sorry to his former fiancee, Bronwyn Ingram, who cancelled their wedding, saying the twice divorced politician could not control his impulses towards women. "I love you very much. You came to love San Diego as much as I did and you did memorable things in the short time that you were first lady," he said. "I personally apologise for the hurt I have caused you."
Elected last November, Filner was San Diego's first Democrat mayor in two decades. The scandal over his brief stint in office could doom his party's hopes of keeping the post in a special election within 90 days. City council president Todd Gloria will be acting mayor until then.
Isolated and besieged, there was little doubt the former congressman would go. The issue was whether the city would help pay his costs in the sexual harassment lawsuit filed by his former director of communications, Irene McCormack Jackson.
She was the first to go public last month, alleging that Filner asked her to work without underwear, demanded kisses and whispered in her ear while dragging her in a headlock.
"He is not fit to be the mayor of our great city," McCormack said. "He is not fit to hold any public office."
At least 16 other women swiftly followed, including city officials, a university dean and army and navy veterans. Allegations ranged from inappropriate language to groping, manhandling and bullying.
McCormack's attorney, Gloria Allred, said on Thursday that the city should not contribute to his legal defence. "There should be no payoff for Mayor Filner," she said.
The latest allegation came earlier this week from Dianne York, who said Filner placed his hand on her buttocks while she posed for a photo with him after a meeting at his office about three months ago. She said she reported it to the San Diego County sheriff's department.
As the accusations mounted, Filner admitted disrespecting and at times intimidating women and took two weeks off for behavioural therapy. "Words alone are not enough," he said. "I must take responsibility for my conduct by taking action so that such conduct does not ever happen again."
It was too little, too late, however, to stem a grassroots revolt.
Even before the sexual misconduct allegations, he had made enemies, and energised supporters, with a combative, bruising style that championed liberal causes such as labour, climate change and undocumented workers.
