In a letter obtained by NBC 7 News, a former ally of Mayor Bob Filner asks him to resign because he said he can't continue to defend the mayor without hurting his professional reputation.
Cory Briggs, an attorney who has represented San Diegans for Open Government, sent this email to Filner Tuesday asking that he resign.
The letter was shared with NBC 7 Wednesday with Briggs offering to comment on his decision later today. Read Briggs' memo here
Briggs, who has also represented the Navy Broadway Complex Coalition in a lawsuit against developer “Papa Doug” Manchester over the $1 billion project on the waterfront, is breaking with Filner saying he has been struggling with “all that I have been learning about what has taken place within your office.”
While Briggs doesn’t go into specifics, he said he has attempted to advise Filner on how to “navigate the legal and ethical labyrinth at City Hall.”
However, Briggs claims his advice has been dismissed by the mayor and his staff.
He’s also against the Convention Center expansion as is Filner.
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Filner and Briggs often see eye to eye on a number of legal issues and development issues including, among other things, the Convention Center expansion.
Earlier this week, Filner's fiancée Bronwyn Ingram announced the two are no longer getting married in October as planned. Ingram said she is also leaving her role as the mayor’s volunteer point person on homelessness.
Last week, the mayor's recent trip to Paris was criticized. There was the published report about a federal investigation into a six-figure donation to Filner from a local real estate developer who was in the final stages of a major project.
