Nancy Pelosi must resign from the House over Bob Filner coverup.

I usually try not to put things that starkly, particularly since a Republican saying that a Democrat needs to resign is going to be (justifiably) taken with a grain of salt, but… this is ridiculous.

“I blew the whistle on [Bob Filner’s sexual harassment] two years ago to the Democratic Party leadership,” former Assemblywoman Lori Saldaña said.

Saldaña said that in summer 2011 six prominent women in local politics, business and education told her that Filner had physically or verbally harassed them. Saldaña had been exploring what turned out to be an unsuccessful bid for Congress and the conversations came in the context of the 2012 elections.

Saldaña said she contacted former [California] party Chairman Jess Durfee with the allegations and Durfee was among a group of Democratic leaders who met with Filner to discuss them that summer. She said nothing happened.

(Via PJ Tatler) Saldana, by the way, ended up endorsing Filner for San Diego mayor, which is apparently just going to be the pattern here with women Democratic legislators and Bob Filner. But note that Durfee confirmed/admitted that Saladana approached him, and that he met with Bob Filner over this. And this is the part where the whole sorry affair ropes in Nancy Pelosi. In 2011 Bob Filner was a sitting federal Congressman; Nancy Pelosi was and is the House Minority Leader, AND a Californian. It is IMPOSSIBLE to believe that the former chair of the California Democratic party would approach Filner over sexual harassment allegations without bringing Pelosi into the loop. Even if Durfee genuinely believed that the charges were false; the entire situation would still be a dangerous political minefield. Pelosi would have been livid if Durfee had bypassed her, and for good reason; these allegations would have touched on her caucus.

Yet as recently as July 19th Nancy Pelosi was pretending that she wasn’t really aware of any of this:

But Pelosi told reporters Friday she won’t make judgments about the accusations.

She was asked whether Filner should step down. Pelosi says what happens in San Diego should be left to city residents and says she is not fully informed about the situation.

Sorry, but that is a lie. I don’t know if we will ever find any kind of evidence that will prove that, but I don’t believe Nancy Pelosi for a heartbeat. She knew; she helped cover it up; she should resign her seat. Simple as that.

Moe Lane (crosspost)

PS: Nancy Pelosi’s resignation would very slightly improve her party’s chances of retaking the House of Representatives next year. So I am technically arguing against interest, here.