The councilmen each insisted that Workman should have her fair day in court to defend herself against two charged felony counts for her involvement in the alleged misuse of county funds with the Boys and Girls Clubs where her daughter works. She was bound over for trial on those charges Monday.

Hatch even said he believes there shouldn't be a delay in the trial.

"I wish there would be a trial and get it over with," he said, adding that the problem now is that even if she is exonerated from the initial charges she still has "a cloud hanging over her head."

Along with this past weekend's new revelation, last week's private County Council meeting convinced Horiuchi it was time to act. Without mentioning specifics or names, Horiuchi was disgusted by the behavior of unnamed "people trying to make up for Workman's miscues." He said the council has become mired in a "quagmire" and a "cesspool" because some political opponents are trying to find other scandals in a "scavenger hunt of evil."

In his 12 years as a county leader, Horiuchi said he has never seen such a bitter political environment.

"They (Republicans) are coming to a point they are irrational and desperate as well," he said. "That last meeting was so foul, so heinous. . . . That kind of witch hunt decried us here today."

What didn't bring them together, they insist, are partisan politics. In fact, they say they could be hurting Democrat Peter Corroon's chances of winning the mayoral election by inviting a new Republican to enter the race. Even if Workman were to drop off the ballot, though, a Republican hopeful would have to be a write-in candidate because deadlines to be listed have passed.

Hatch said they are "willing to take that risk" of a last-minute Republican winning by write-in for the good of all.

"This is beyond party. This has to do with good government," Hatch said. "If we were being partisan, we would've been here last June asking for her resignation."

Bradley said he has no doubt having Workman on the ballot helps Corroon, whom polls have as the front runner, but that's not the point.

"We have four weeks left in the election. People deserve to hear bona fide debates about issues," he said. "All they're hearing now is who got paid off lately."

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Contributing: Laura Hancock; E-mail: jody@desnews.com