Democrats mum on San Diego mayor's treatment of women: Opinion

According to colleagues, constituents, employees, and his ex-fianc?e, San Diego's Democrat Mayor Bob Filner is a threat to women. He has been accused of "forcibly kissing" them, groping them, and propositioning them. Former Councilwoman Donna Frye put it bluntly: "Bob Filner is tragically unsafe for any woman to approach."

But Filner won't resign -- despite the flood of allegations against him. Top Democrat leaders have yet to denounce his harassment habits. And, most appallingly and hypocritically, top Democrat women have remained silent.

Where's Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz? Where's Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a fellow Californian, who served with Filner for two decades in the House of Representatives? And where are California's senators, Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein?

This man is accused of physically attacking women -- and not one of these leaders has stood up on their side.

City Hall employees have described "The Filner Headlock" -- his habit of wrapping his arm around the necks of female employees. And to avoid his sexual advances they have resorted to what they've dubbed "The Filner Dance" -- their practice of ducking and dodging the handsy septuagenarian.

One constituent described the mayor putting his hand in her bra. Another said that during a meeting

with Filner, he told a staffer to leave the room and then tried to kiss her against her will.

Last week, Filner admitted, "I need help," though he insists he's innocent of sexual harassment. He did say, however, that he was "embarrassed to admit that I have failed to fully respect the women who work for me and with me, and at times I have intimidated."

Even if we were to give him the benefit of the doubt about the sexual harassment charges, he has still admitted to discriminating against the women in City Hall and treating them unfairly. That alone should make him unfit to serve the people of San Diego.

Sadly, the litany of charges paints a much more disturbing picture. To say he "failed to fully respect" seems to be an insidious understatement. Nevertheless, Wasserman Schultz, Pelosi, Boxer, Feinstein and company remain conspicuously silent. These women are doing their own version of the "Filner Dance," desperately trying to avoid the issue, more concerned about their party's image than protecting women.

If Filner has been watching what's played out on the other side of the country in New York City lately, it's no wonder he thinks his party doesn't really care about these allegations. Democrats have embraced former Congressman Anthony Weiner and former Gov. Eliot Spitzer as though they never did anything wrong.

In the Democrat Party, misogyny has become acceptable so long as the guilty party is a Democrat. So if Democrat women want to talk about a "war on women," let's talk about their fellow partisans first -- and not their hackneyed shallow attacks. Sexual harassment isn't something to be taken lightly. But until these Democrat women call for Filner's resignation, they are doing just that: not giving the serious charges against him the attention they warrant.

I have to wonder: In the Filner-Spitzer-Weiner Party, where do women draw the line?

If Bob Filner stays in office, he won't just be a stain on the Democrat Party; he will demean the office he holds and make a mockery of public service.

The mayor has asked his constituents for patience as he begins "to work with professionals in sexual harassment training." He clearly needs help and plenty of training, but City Hall is no self-help group. The mayor has a serious problem -- possibly a criminal problem -- and should leave office.

The people of San Diego owe him no patience. Nor should women have any patience with the Democrat leaders who are failing them with their silence. They deserve better than Bob Filner, and they deserve better than leaders who won't stand up when it really matters.

Sharon Day is a co-chair of the Republican National Committee.

Source: http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_23693278/democrats-mum-san-diego-mayors-treatment-women-opinion?source=rss

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