Fillon spokesman quits campaign team

FILE - In this file photo taken on Thursday, Dec. 15, 2016, Thierry Solere, the conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon's spokesman, smiles during a media conference in Paris. French conservative Francois Fillon's presidential bid took another blow Friday March 3, 2017 after his spokesman Thierry Solere resigned from his campaign team. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, File) (The Associated Press)

Conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon delivers his speech in Nimes, Thursday, March 2, 2017. Fillon is refusing to quit the race despite receiving a summons Wednesday to face charges for alleged fake parliamentary jobs for his family. (AP Photo/Claude Paris) (The Associated Press)

Conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon delivers his speech during a campaign meeting, in Nimes, Thursday, March 2, 2017. Fillon is refusing to quit the race despite receiving a summons Wednesday to face charges for alleged fake parliamentary jobs for his family. (AP Photo/Claude Paris) (The Associated Press)

French conservative Francois Fillon's presidential bid has suffered another blow as his spokesman, Thierry Solere, resigned from the campaign team.

Solere's departure on Friday was the latest in a series of defections related to pending corruption charges against Fillon. The campaign treasurer and three legislators from his Republicans party announced Thursday they were quitting, amid growing pressure for Fillon to step down.

Nadine Morano, a former minister who backed Fillon's candidacy, also made a U-turn Friday, urging the former prime minister to withdraw his bid.

Fillon initially said he would step down if charged, but decided to maintain his candidacy even though he's been summoned to face charges on March 15. Fillon denies that he arranged taxpayer-funded jobs for family members, who did no actual work.