As you may already know, Democratic San Diego (CA) Mayor Bob Filner reportedly intends to resign from office amid serious allegations that Filner sexually harassed numerous women.
Now, The Voice of OC, an Orange County-based website, is reporting that Carl DeMaio, who was Filner's Republican opponent in the 2012 San Diego mayoral election and is now running for a seat in Congress in the 52nd Congressional District of California, was seen masturbating in a public restroom during San Diego City Council meetings when DeMaio was a city councilman in 2009:
Filner's secret has been out since July 10, when former City Councilwoman Donna Frye sent a letter to the mayor demanding that he resign, citing what she termed "credible evidence" that he had sexually harassed women. Since then, 16 women have come forward alleging offenses by Filner dating to at least 2005.
The revelations sparked a national media frenzy and have led to a tentative agreement from Filner to resign as part of a proposed mediation deal, according to media reports.
But there never has been a public accounting of how during 2009 DeMaio allegedly would leave the San Diego City Council dais during meetings to masturbate in a men’s room — events known by elected officials and suspected by members of the media.
In the months before last November’s mayoral election, Ben Hueso, the City Council’s president in 2009, acknowledged to this reporter that he witnessed DeMaio engaging in the practice twice. Hueso, now a Democratic state senator, and others suspected DeMaio’s alleged inappropriate activity was more frequent.
Describing the scene that spring when he walked in on DeMaio, who was in front of a urinal with his pants down, Hueso said: “DeMaio was masturbating. He jumped, caught by surprise. He jumped to the sink … saying 'I’m sorry, I’m sorry' about six times. Then washed his hands, darted out.”
Hueso again confirmed this account last week.
What is it with San Diego politicians engaging in inappropriate behavior?