A city employee of 32 years is now the 14th woman to come forward with claims that she was sexually harassed, even assaulted by San Diego’s embattled mayor Bob Filner.
The woman only known as Stacy, told her story to KOGO 600 early Thursday morning.
She said that she was at a community event and went to introduce herself to Mr. Filner. She said she immediately felt uncomfortable around him, saying he was leering at her, asking her to go out with him and at one point even “forcefully” grabbed her wrist.
After finally removing herself from the situation, Stacy said she was speaking to two uniformed female police officers when Mr. Filner came up from behind her and put her in a headlock.
“With his right arm, he put it around my neck,” she told the station. “I called it at that point a chokehold. I know it’s the Filner headlock. And with his left arm, he put it around on my left arm and he clamped it on. So I was basically encased in his grip. At that moment, I froze.”
She said the mayor asked the stunned officers if he should make Stacy “Employee of the Day.” Stacy told the station the mayor then looked at her and said she was turning red. She said at that point the mayor laughed and walked away.
SEE ALSO: San Diego Mayor Bob Filner’s sexual harassment accuser list rises to 11
“It was about control,” she said. “That was the feeling I got.”
Mr. Filner is resisting calls to step down from his office, despite at least a dozen sexual harassment accusations. He faces a lawsuit, but said he will seek therapy.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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