San Diego Mayor Filner Sued By Ex-Aide, Who Alleges Sexual Harassment

By Tony Perry
July 22, 2013, 1:31 p.m.

SAN DIEGO -- Mayor Bob Filner’s former director of communications filed a lawsuit Monday alleging that he sexually harassed her, put her frequently in a headlock and said “crude and disgusting” things about sex.

The lawsuit, seeking unspecified damages, was filed in San Diego County Superior Court by famed attorney Gloria Allred on behalf of Irene McCormack Jackson, a longtime journalist and employee of the San Diego Port District who became the Democratic mayor's director of communications because "she believed in him.”

Jackson, 57, is the first alleged victim of Filner to go public with accusations. Jackson now works in a different job at City Hall, not on the mayor’s staff.

Three ex-supporters two weeks ago accused the mayor of sexual harassment of staffers and constituents but declined to provide names.

Jackson and Allred called on Filner, 70, to resign.

“A man who lacks character makes a mockery of his ideas,” said Jackson, who took a $50,000 pay cut to go from the Port District to a $125,000-a-year job with Filner.

MORE...

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-gloria-allred-alleged-filner-victim-20130722,0,7035261.story