Ex-San Diego mayor Filner pleads guilty to 3 charges

Former San Diego mayor Bob Filner pleaded guilty Tuesday to three criminal counts related to sexual harassment allegations.that led to his resignation less than two months ago.

Filner pleaded guilty to a felony count of false imprisonment and two counts of misdemeanor battery. The felony count alleges false imprisonment "by violence, fraud, menace and deceit." The victims were identified as three Jane Does.

Sentencing was set for Dec. 9 in Superior Court.

Filner resigned in August. At least 17 women alleged sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior, including groping, unwanted kissing and suggestive comments. Filner, a former congressman, was the first Democrat elected mayor of San Diego in 20 years.

Although he has apologized for "letting the city down," Filner has remained defiant about his actions. He haS insisted that he "never sexually harassed anyone" and blamed a "lynch mob" led by the news media and his political opponents for driving him out of office. Filner had long maintained that he would be vindicated by "due process."

Filner's former communications director, Irene McCormack Jackson, had filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against him. The outcry grew stronger as more women came forward to detail Filner's alleged behavior and a wide array of politicians, including the state's two female Democratic senators, called on him to step down.

The city agreed to pay some of Filner's legal fees in exchange for his resignation.

Filner, 71, was the subject of two investigations. One was led by the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, which had been interviewing Filner's accusers. The other was being conducted by the California Attorney General's Office.

Follow @ccamia on Twitter.