San Diego Mayor says it is city’s fault he never received sexual harassment training

This is almost too funny to be true. The Daily Mail reports:

San Diego Mayor Bob Filner has launched an extraordinary defence against allegations he sexually harassed a former employee – by claiming he never received sexual harassment training.

The 70-year-old has been accused by his former communications director Irene McCormack Jackson of sexually harassing her multiple times. 

She is one of eight women who have come forward recently with allegations of unwanted sexual advances.

Jackson sued the mayor and the city on July 22, alleging the mayor asked her to work without panties, demanded kisses, told her he wanted to see her naked and dragged her in a headlock while whispering in her ear. 

But it has now emerged that lawyers representing Filner have claimed that if San Diego had provided mandatory sexual harassment training, then Jackson may never have filed the case.

The claims suggest that if Filner is found liable in the claim, he could blame his own city council.

As reported by NBC 7, in a letter, Filner’s lawyer Harvey Berger, said: ‘The City has a legal obligation to provide sexual harassment training to all management level employees. The City failed to provide such training to Mayor Filner.

‘This is not an excuse for any inappropriate behavior which may have occurred, but I have learned that many – if not most – people do not know what is and what is not illegal sexual harassment under California law.’

I really don’t think you need training to know it is not a good idea to ask an employee to come to work without panties on!

Filner is 70, and was a Democratic Congressman for 20 years, and has been Mayor since November 2012.

And a 9th woman has just come forward:

A ninth woman has emerged to accuse San Diego Mayor Bob Filner (D) of sexual harassment.

Emily Gilbert, who was hired to sing at a fundraiser days after Filner took office in December, told Fox5 that Filner grabbed her inappropriately at the event.

“He grabbed me a little too tight, then proceeded to slide his hand down my arm and then did a little grab on my derriere,” Gilbert said. “I didn’t want to make a scene, there were kids around.”

He is refusing to resign, so a recall attempt is underway.