Petition drive to recall San Diego mayor Bob Filner kicks off, Armed with clipboards and pens, volunteers hit the streets of San Diego over the weekend to collect signatures they hope will lead to the recall of embattled Mayor Bob Filner.
They must get more than 101,000 signatures by September 26
"We're going to be everywhere. We're going to be at sporting events. We're going to be at street fairs, arts shows -- you name it, we will be out there," Dave McCulloch, a recall organizer, told CNN affiliate KFMB on Sunday.
So far, 16 women have come forward to say that Filner acted inappropriately, with accusations ranging from one woman's claim that the mayor gave her "tush a pat," to another woman's assertion that he "put in me what I guess now is the famous headlock."
Filner's office has not responded to multiple CNN requests for comment on the allegations.
Last month, he acknowledged that he "failed to fully respect the women who work for me and with me" and that he was "embarrassed" by his actions. But he also said he will be vindicated by "a full presentation of the facts" and he will not resign.
As part of the recall effort, protesters -- including attorney Gloria Allred and some of the women accusing Filner -- rallied at City Hall on Sunday, Day 1 of the official recall effort.
KFMB video showed demonstrators marching with posters that read, "Filner: Resign or Recall!"
"There is no excuse for abuse and there is no excuse for you to stay in power," Allred told the crowd.
She was joined by one of her clients, 67-year-old Peggy Shannon, the latest person to accuse Filner of sexual harassment.
"Every day that I went to work, I had butterflies in my stomach because I did not know what was going to happen the next time the mayor came by my desk," Shannon told reporters last week.
"I have three sons, four grandsons and two great grandsons. As our mayor, you should be -- but are not -- a role model for any of them," she said.
Shannon is the 16th woman to come forward with such allegations, according to KFMB.
The 70-year-old Filner was elected mayor of the eighth-largest American city in 2012, after 10 terms in Congress. His accusers range from a singer at a campaign fundraiser to his former communications director, who called him unfit for office.
He's rebuffed calls to resign from all nine City Council members and from his fellow Democrats, including California's two U.S. senators.
The mayor entered a two-week intensive behavior therapy program on July 29, but his attorney, James Payne, said Filner was able to complete that phase of treatment early. He was expected to continue with outpatient treatment, Payne said.
He is expected to return to work this week.
They must get more than 101,000 signatures by September 26
"We're going to be everywhere. We're going to be at sporting events. We're going to be at street fairs, arts shows -- you name it, we will be out there," Dave McCulloch, a recall organizer, told CNN affiliate KFMB on Sunday.
So far, 16 women have come forward to say that Filner acted inappropriately, with accusations ranging from one woman's claim that the mayor gave her "tush a pat," to another woman's assertion that he "put in me what I guess now is the famous headlock."
Filner's office has not responded to multiple CNN requests for comment on the allegations.
Last month, he acknowledged that he "failed to fully respect the women who work for me and with me" and that he was "embarrassed" by his actions. But he also said he will be vindicated by "a full presentation of the facts" and he will not resign.
As part of the recall effort, protesters -- including attorney Gloria Allred and some of the women accusing Filner -- rallied at City Hall on Sunday, Day 1 of the official recall effort.
KFMB video showed demonstrators marching with posters that read, "Filner: Resign or Recall!"
"There is no excuse for abuse and there is no excuse for you to stay in power," Allred told the crowd.
She was joined by one of her clients, 67-year-old Peggy Shannon, the latest person to accuse Filner of sexual harassment.
"Every day that I went to work, I had butterflies in my stomach because I did not know what was going to happen the next time the mayor came by my desk," Shannon told reporters last week.
"I have three sons, four grandsons and two great grandsons. As our mayor, you should be -- but are not -- a role model for any of them," she said.
Shannon is the 16th woman to come forward with such allegations, according to KFMB.
The 70-year-old Filner was elected mayor of the eighth-largest American city in 2012, after 10 terms in Congress. His accusers range from a singer at a campaign fundraiser to his former communications director, who called him unfit for office.
He's rebuffed calls to resign from all nine City Council members and from his fellow Democrats, including California's two U.S. senators.
The mayor entered a two-week intensive behavior therapy program on July 29, but his attorney, James Payne, said Filner was able to complete that phase of treatment early. He was expected to continue with outpatient treatment, Payne said.
He is expected to return to work this week.
