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Cain denies sex harassment, decries 'witch hunt'
GOP presidential candidate says he was 'falsely accused' while at National Restaurant Association
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45099767/ns/politics-decision_2012/#.Tq_gwHLNm2Y
WASHINGTON — Denying he ever sexually harassed anyone, Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain declared Monday he was falsely accused in the 1990s while he was head of the National Restaurant Association and the allegations are surfacing now as part of a "witch hunt." The former pizza company executive was responding to a Politico report that said the trade group gave financial settlements to at least two female employees who had accused him of inappropriate sexual behavior.
"I have never sexually harassed anyone, and yes, I was falsely accused while I was at the National Restaurant Association," Cain said Monday morning in an interview on Fox News. "I say falsely because it turned out, after the investigation, to be baseless."
But throughout the day Monday, Cain offered conflicting responses as to whether he remembered the specifics of the allegations or the existence of settlements with the women. That raised new questions about the candidate who now is at or near the top in many polls on the GOP race.
At an appearance at the National Press Club Monday afternoon, Cain said he did not know if the trade association provided any settlements, and he declined to address specifics of the accusations or any resolution.
Video: Cain: 'I have never sexually harassed anyone'
"I am unaware of any sort of settlement. I hope it wasn't for much, because I didn't do anything," he said.
But in an interview later Monday with Fox News' Greta Van Susteren, Cain said he did know about it. "Yes, there was some sort of settlement or termination," he said.
He told Van Susteren his accuser was given “maybe three months’ salary. I don’t remember. It might have been two months. I do remember my general counsel saying we didn’t pay all of the money they demanded.”
During his appearance at the press club, he declared: "There's nothing else there to dig up. ... We have no idea the source of this witch hunt, which is really what it is."
In an interview with The Associated Press immediately afterward, Cain first said he had some memory of specific allegations — and then said he was not aware of any.
"Some of them," he responded initially. When pressed, he said: "That was 12 years ago. So no, I don't remember."
Still later, in an interview with PBS NewsHour, he said he remembered that "once I referenced this lady's height and I was standing near her." He continued, "Because my wife is 5 feet tall and she comes up to my chin. This lady's 5 feet tall and she came up to my chin. So obviously she thought that that was too close for comfort."
Cain defended himself. "It was in my office, the door was wide open, and my secretary was sitting right there, and we were standing there and I made the little gesture," he said. After taping the PBS interview, Cain told reporters a lapse of memory from the event 12 years ago is why there was a discrepancy as to whether there was a payment. Cain started the day with a breakfast appearance at the American Enterprise Institute, and he said, "I do have a sense of humor and some people have a problem with that." In the interview with AP, Cain said that comment did not refer to the sexual harassment allegations.
"I was just referring to my natural sense of humor. So it was not related to that, OK?" he said.
He also had said in humorous fashion, "As a result of today's big news story, I really know what it feels like to be No. 1." The trade association declined to comment on the allegations. "The incidents in question relate to personnel matters that allegedly took place nearly fifteen years ago. Consistent with our longstanding policy, we don't comment on personnel issues relating to current or former employees," National Restaurant Association spokeswoman Sue Hensley said in a statement. NBC News has independently confirmed that two women accused Cain of inappropriate sexual conduct while he was CEO of the association and that at least one of them received a financial settlement after making the allegations.
Cain accuser received cash settlement
Cain — a self-styled outsider relatively new to the national spotlight — is facing a new level of scrutiny after a burst of momentum in the race for the GOP presidential nomination. He's been at or near the top of national surveys and polls in early presidential nominating states, competitive with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, long considered the Republican to beat. Cain has been pointing to his long record in business to argue that he has the credentials to be president during a time of economic strife. So far, Cain has seemed to weather a series of stumbles; the former radio talk show host had to clarify recent statements on abortion, the treatment of terrorism suspects and the placing of an electrified fence along the U.S.-Mexico border. He's also shrugged off questions that have started to surface about his management style, including criticisms about a lackluster approach to his own presidential campaign. He lags his top competitors in organization and fundraising.
The new allegations could hurt Cain's efforts to reassure the Republican establishment that someone with so little political experience — and who hasn't been fully vetted on a national stage — is prepared to go up against President Barack Obama next fall. But there were signs that conservatives were rallying behind him, attacking the report as inaccurate and perhaps racially motivated.
The head of the conservative Media Research Center, Brent Bozell, called the Politico story a "high-tech lynching of Herman Cain." That was a reference to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' response to a former worker's allegations during his confirmation hearing.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45099767/ns/politics-decision_2012/#.Tq_gwHLNm2Y
WASHINGTON — Denying he ever sexually harassed anyone, Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain declared Monday he was falsely accused in the 1990s while he was head of the National Restaurant Association and the allegations are surfacing now as part of a "witch hunt." The former pizza company executive was responding to a Politico report that said the trade group gave financial settlements to at least two female employees who had accused him of inappropriate sexual behavior.
"I have never sexually harassed anyone, and yes, I was falsely accused while I was at the National Restaurant Association," Cain said Monday morning in an interview on Fox News. "I say falsely because it turned out, after the investigation, to be baseless."
But throughout the day Monday, Cain offered conflicting responses as to whether he remembered the specifics of the allegations or the existence of settlements with the women. That raised new questions about the candidate who now is at or near the top in many polls on the GOP race.
At an appearance at the National Press Club Monday afternoon, Cain said he did not know if the trade association provided any settlements, and he declined to address specifics of the accusations or any resolution.
Video: Cain: 'I have never sexually harassed anyone'
"I am unaware of any sort of settlement. I hope it wasn't for much, because I didn't do anything," he said.
But in an interview later Monday with Fox News' Greta Van Susteren, Cain said he did know about it. "Yes, there was some sort of settlement or termination," he said.
He told Van Susteren his accuser was given “maybe three months’ salary. I don’t remember. It might have been two months. I do remember my general counsel saying we didn’t pay all of the money they demanded.”
During his appearance at the press club, he declared: "There's nothing else there to dig up. ... We have no idea the source of this witch hunt, which is really what it is."
In an interview with The Associated Press immediately afterward, Cain first said he had some memory of specific allegations — and then said he was not aware of any.
"Some of them," he responded initially. When pressed, he said: "That was 12 years ago. So no, I don't remember."
Still later, in an interview with PBS NewsHour, he said he remembered that "once I referenced this lady's height and I was standing near her." He continued, "Because my wife is 5 feet tall and she comes up to my chin. This lady's 5 feet tall and she came up to my chin. So obviously she thought that that was too close for comfort."
Cain defended himself. "It was in my office, the door was wide open, and my secretary was sitting right there, and we were standing there and I made the little gesture," he said. After taping the PBS interview, Cain told reporters a lapse of memory from the event 12 years ago is why there was a discrepancy as to whether there was a payment. Cain started the day with a breakfast appearance at the American Enterprise Institute, and he said, "I do have a sense of humor and some people have a problem with that." In the interview with AP, Cain said that comment did not refer to the sexual harassment allegations.
"I was just referring to my natural sense of humor. So it was not related to that, OK?" he said.
He also had said in humorous fashion, "As a result of today's big news story, I really know what it feels like to be No. 1." The trade association declined to comment on the allegations. "The incidents in question relate to personnel matters that allegedly took place nearly fifteen years ago. Consistent with our longstanding policy, we don't comment on personnel issues relating to current or former employees," National Restaurant Association spokeswoman Sue Hensley said in a statement. NBC News has independently confirmed that two women accused Cain of inappropriate sexual conduct while he was CEO of the association and that at least one of them received a financial settlement after making the allegations.
Cain accuser received cash settlement
Cain — a self-styled outsider relatively new to the national spotlight — is facing a new level of scrutiny after a burst of momentum in the race for the GOP presidential nomination. He's been at or near the top of national surveys and polls in early presidential nominating states, competitive with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, long considered the Republican to beat. Cain has been pointing to his long record in business to argue that he has the credentials to be president during a time of economic strife. So far, Cain has seemed to weather a series of stumbles; the former radio talk show host had to clarify recent statements on abortion, the treatment of terrorism suspects and the placing of an electrified fence along the U.S.-Mexico border. He's also shrugged off questions that have started to surface about his management style, including criticisms about a lackluster approach to his own presidential campaign. He lags his top competitors in organization and fundraising.
The new allegations could hurt Cain's efforts to reassure the Republican establishment that someone with so little political experience — and who hasn't been fully vetted on a national stage — is prepared to go up against President Barack Obama next fall. But there were signs that conservatives were rallying behind him, attacking the report as inaccurate and perhaps racially motivated.
The head of the conservative Media Research Center, Brent Bozell, called the Politico story a "high-tech lynching of Herman Cain." That was a reference to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' response to a former worker's allegations during his confirmation hearing.
Nah, Just politics as usual. They still battling over the birth certificate of the current pres how many years later? Its somethin to talk about.
Rather it is Dems or GOP behind “The Digging of the Dirt,” it does prove Desperation.
I bet this is done from the inside, or inside the ranks of republicans. Cain certainly is gaining steam, and I don't think the repubs want him there. Cain is not their man of choice.
I just wanted to add something here. Im a little surprised at the so called liberal media being accused of a witch hunt. How do we know that the source was not a conservative one? Mr. Cain is of no threat to liberals from what I can see and is more so a threat to the other conservative candidates. I think liberals think it would be great to see Cain and Obama go toe to toe. But how about Cain and Romney? Or Ron Paul? Or gingrich? How do we know it is not another attempt to eat their own and using the media to get it done? I imagine there is more to this story. lol
Originally he didnt know about any settlement and then he did? He needs to learn when to keep his mouth shut I think.
Click on link for the rest of the article. It was too long to post!
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