San Diego mayor: I won't resign over sexual harrassment allegations

(CBS News) San Diego Mayor Bob Filner said that he will not resign in a letter posted Monday night by the newspaper UT San Diego.

Filner said he wants "the opportunity to respond in a fair and impartial venue to specific allegations from real people," and he believes that he is not guilty of sexual harassment -- and a full presentation of the facts will show as such.

Calling himself merely a "tough boss," Filner dismissed charges of sexual harassment as coming from "anonymous sources."

"I have been tough. I demand excellence. I am impatient. But there's a difference between that and sexual harassment," said Filner.

Mayor Filner's sex harassment apology: Will it work?

That's in contrast to a contrite video apology from late last week in which he said, "I am embarrassed to admit that I have failed to fully respect the women who work for me and with me." At a press conference, former councilwoman Donna Frye read detailed accounts from three of Filner's unnamed accusers.

One accuser claims Filner kissed and groped her, and another constituent told Frye the mayor kicked staffers out of his office to proposition her.

Around city hall, employees coined terms for the ways the mayor cornered his victims: "the Filner headlock" and "the Filner dance."

"I'm obviously very concerned that people feel that way. I certainly don't see myself that way. If I offended people I apologize," said Filner.

But an apology may not be enough. Many expect the city to be hit with lawsuits. Attorney Marco Gonzalez is filing a sexual harassment claim on behalf of one employee.

"There is no circumstance under which it would be appropriate for the Mayor to enter an elevator with my client and to tell them that they would do a better job if they worked without their panties on," said Gonzalez.

San Diego mayor apologizes amid harassment claims

Filner's fiance cited his infidelity as a reason for their split last week, adding in a statement, "Bob recently began texting other women sexually explicit messages and setting up dates while in my presence."

But even with all the evidence against him, Filner insists he's not leaving office.

"I think all fair-minded San Diegans would agree that there ought to be a fair and impartial investigative process. And I think I will be vindicated at the end," he said

For Bill Whitaker's full report, watch the video in the player above.