The 35th and current mayor of San Diego is facing criticism after it emerged that he took a free trip funded by anti-Iran terrorist Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK, a.k.a. MKO) to Paris. |
The U-T San Diego reported that the Bob Filner declined on Thursday to answer questions about his travel and those who funded it.
He briefly told reporters at a news conference that the trip was not a “junket,” but a “business trip which is to get jobs to San Diego.”
The event, organized by MKO, is intended to celebrate the anniversary of MKO’s armed struggle against Iranian civilians in June 1981. The group-let claims that tens of thousands of Iranians attend the Villepinte gathering from across Europe.
“My first question is who is paying for all this?” Councilman Scott Sherman said. “I don’t get why a mayor of the city of San Diego would need to be there. I think he was beating feet as quick as he could to get out of town because of all the negative news media.”
Filner came under fire before his travel to Paris for his scuffle with the City Attorney Jan Goldsmith’s top lawyer and having tossed the lawyer by police from a closed-session meeting with the San Diego City Council.
This was not the first time Filner attended rallies in support of MEK terrorists. Back in June 2011, when he was a congressman, Filner took a similar 5-day free trip to the MKO’s Paris rally. His trip cost $6,589 was paid for by a group tied to the MKO.