San Diego Democrats are now devastated that they put the party's local revival in Filner's hands, tainting it for who knows how long. National Republicans are gleeful at a chance to try to turn the tables on the Democrats' "War on Women" talking point, roping Filner together with deeply unpopular New York mayoral hopeful Anthony Weiner and others to try to create a national narrative about Democratic political hypocrisy on women.

As Filner fights a recall effort and rumors swirl that he's working on negotiated exit from office as part of his response to a sexual harassment lawsuit from his former communications director -- along with accusations of inappropriate behavior from 13 other women -- Republicans and Democrats alike are asking themselves how his behavior could have gone unchecked for so long.

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Saldaña, a long-time political foe of Filner's in the San Diego area, says she became aware of allegations against him in the summer of 2011, while preparing to teach a course at a local university. As she reached out to high-level women in politics and the non-profit sector to be guest speakers, Filner's name came up.

"I began hearing these consistent stories of inappropriate behavior, where he would segue from, say, a site visit to their school and follow them back into area away from other people on the visit, and start to proposition them and get physical with them and ask them out on dates or even grab them in public, in front of other people," Saldaña said. "As I had these conversations over a period of several days and heard these consistent stories about his behavior, I started connecting the dots and went to the county party chairman and said, 'I think we have a problem here'."

She brought six women's stories to Durfee in the summer of 2011, she said, though she did not have any direct experience of inappropriate conduct herself.

"We're all wondering, 'Why didn't the chairman listen to our concerns?'" Saldaña said. "His defense now is that he spoke to Filner privately and Filner assured him no one had filed a formal complaint .... I mean, he wasn't harassing people in his office the way he's accused of now. He was harassing constituents, or professional women who basically needed to maintain a working relationship with him. So of course they weren't going to file a formal complaint against a seated congressman."

There was, for the women, also the baffling question of whom to report Filner to. The women Saldaña had heard about at the time didn't work for him, or know about each other, or necessarily even think a crime had been committed. "It looks like isolated behavior to them. They have no idea this person is doing these things to other women in other venues. It appears to be an isolated situation so instead of going and reporting it -- and again, who do you report it to?" Saldaña asked. "It's not illegal. It's not a workplace situation. It's just a very awkward and inappropriate, you know, social interaction."