Deal Reached in Harassment Suit Against San Diego Mayor A tentative agreement has been reached in a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against Bob Filner, the embattled mayor of San Diego, but it was unclear Thursday morning if the proposed deal called for him to resign. During the past several weeks, 17 women have come forward to say that Mr. Filner, 70, a Democrat, had behaved inappropriately toward them, including groping them and forcibly kissing them. Among the women is a retired Navy rear admiral, a great-grandmother, a university dean and Mr. Filner's former communications director, who filed the sexual harassment lawsuit against him. Amid a campaign to recall Mr. Filner and demands from across the nation that he step down, city officials in San Diego have held three days of mediation talks with Mr. Filner and his lawyers. On Wednesday, Jan Goldsmith, San Diego's city attorney, announced that a tentative deal had been reached but declined to provide details until the agreement can be discussed by the City Council in a closed-door session Friday afternoon. "The City Council has not heard of this proposal, and our process at City Hall as well as the mediation process requires that we maintain the confidentiality of the proposal until they have heard of it," Mr. Goldsmith said. Irene McCormack Jackson, Mr. Filner's former communications director, was the first woman to come forward. Her lawyer, Gloria Allred, said that Mr. Filner had demanded that Ms. Jackson kiss him and asked her to work without wearing underwear. At one point, Ms. Allred said that Mr. Filner would place his arm around Ms. Jackson's neck and drag her around while he whispered sexual comments into her ear - a move that accusers have named the "Filner headlock." Mayor Filner has acknowledged that he has behaved inappropriately at times, but has denied that he has sexually harassed women. A 10-term United States representative before he was elected mayor, Mr. Filner announced that he would undergo two weeks of behavior treatment therapy, but has thus far refused to resign.