A California mayor voluntarily resigned from his position Tuesday after getting himself into a situation that caused a big stink in his town.
"The mayor was caught on camera tossing a bag of dog waste on his neighbor's lawn. The video was followed by public outrage and calls for his resignation. Today, Dennis Kneier announced his resignation in a letter." (Via KCBS)
REPORTER: "What were you thinking?"
KNEIER: "Well, first off, let's put it this way: I probably wasn't thinking because it was a stupid thing to do. I should have brought it two more blocks to my trash can and thrown it away." (Via Inside Edition)
It all started on June 7, when Kneier's neighbor told police he found a bag full of dog feces on his side walkway. He even had home security video he gave to the Pasadena Star-News to prove the mayor was the culprit.
Kneier apologized to the angry neighbor and said he was merely trying to dispose of a bag of dog poop he found on his walk home. But that explanation wasn't enough for many San Marino residents.
The Los Angeles Times reports about 100 people attended an hourslong city council meeting June 11 where several residents called for Kneier's resignation in what they creatively dubbed the "poopgate" incident.
"When I moved here, it was a pristine, beautiful community. And I think his manner is unbecoming. I mean, you don't do something like that." (Via KABC)
The Pasadena Star-News obtained a copy of Kneier's resignation letter. "I have apologized to my neighbor for my action, and I will pay a fine for littering. These events continue to be embarrassing to me and to the city. Because of this, I have decided to step down as mayor."
According to NBC, the San Marino City Council will choose Kneier's replacement sometime next week. As for Kneier, he will reportedly stay on as a city councilman until his term is up in November 2015.
As he mentioned in the letter, Kneier was also cited by police for littering and will pay a fine for the offense.
