Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) joined other prominent politicians including Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) in calling on embattled San Diego Mayor Bob Filner (D) to resign over allegations of sexual harassment.
In an open letter to Filner issued Friday, Boxer said that allegations Filner made advances towards women who were victims of sexual assault in the military have “shaken her to her core.” From the letter:
But now I must say this directly to you: Bob, you must resign because you have betrayed the trust of the women you have victimized, the San Diegans you represent and the people you have worked with throughout your decades in public life.
I have worked for so many years to prevent and punish sexual violence and sexual harassment, wherever they occur. As we fight in the Senate to stand up for the men and women in our military who are survivors of sexual assault, I have heard their stories, seen the anguish in their faces, listened to them talk about the pain that will always be with them. Let me be clear: The latest revelations regarding your behavior toward women recovering from sexual assault – women who desperately need our help – have shaken me to my core.
Bob, you have already hurt so many people. To avoid hurting your victims and the people of San Diego more than you already have, you should step down immediately.
Read the full letter here.
