Opinion Forum

Mr. Cain’s Knowledge of Harassment Settlement

November 4th, 2011

According to this CBS Political Hot Sheet article,

The settlement agreement between the National Restaurant Association and a woman who accused Herman Cain of sexual harassment was reached in September 1999–and was not signed by Cain himself, according to Joel Bennett, a lawyer for the woman.

Bennett, who has a copy of the settlement agreement, said four people signed it: the woman, two lawyers representing the association and Bennett himself.

Bennett said the agreement was resolved relatively quickly, about two or three months after she complained.

That means it may have been reached after Cain left the association, and Bennett said it’s conceivable that Cain didn’t even know about it.

Bennett also told CBS News Friday morning he is hoping to issue a public statement reaffirming the accuser’s claim within hours, if the restaurant group agrees to ease the confidentiality agreement that was part of the deal.

Bennett plans to issue the statement in his name, not in his client’s name. It will not identify her, nor will it detail specific events of sexual harassment or the amount of settlement.

“It will insist the complaints were in good faith, and she’s going to stand by her complaints,” Bennett told CBS News. “It’s her response to Herman Cain’s statements that the complaints are baseless.”

Cain left the association June 30, 1999, according to the NRA. Under that timeline, Cain would have been gone when the settlement was reached–and may well have been gone when she filed the complaint. (Emphasis added)

With no specific statements to detail the allegations, what will his statement on her behalf say? That she was right and that Mr. Cain is wrong? That would really clarify the situation a whole lot. Right.

(This article was first published at The PJ Tatler.)

Articles written by Dan Miller
Tags: allegations, Cain, NRA, settlement, sexual harassment
Categories: News, Politics | Comments (4) | Home

4 Responses to “Mr. Cain’s Knowledge of Harassment Settlement”

Tom Carter | November 4th, 2011 at 3:08 pm

Vague allegations, unidentified victims, a press feeding frenzy — who knows what the truth of any of this is. It may never be known.

What’s more important, as I said before, is how Cain and his campaign have responded so far (poorly) and the risk involved in going into a presidential campaign with Cain as the Republican nominee. It may not be fair to him to consider these allegations as part of the nominating equation, but the risks are too high not to. Sad but true.

Dan Miller | November 4th, 2011 at 4:12 pm

Tom,

Anything may be true. There have been allegations that President Obama is from another planet, or at least that he is not a “natural born citizen of the U.S.” Maybe he was delivered by an unnatural caesarian procedure. Who knows? Perhaps even President Obama is not sure. It has often been said that these matters were not adequately ventilated during the 2008 race. They could be during the during the 2012 race. Should he, to avoid such issues and perhaps making (another) botch of the presidency if reelected, announce that he will neither seek nor accept the Democratic Party nomination?

d | November 8th, 2011 at 5:18 pm

Obama has a birth certificate.. Cain has 5 allegations of sexual harrassment, and one woman,who he just doesn’t remember,accusing him of sexual harrassment, in the media,no fun venture. I just don’t see how the two are related. One proven by legal papers,the other not proven,or proven,by secret payoffs,and claiming,I just don’t remember her at all.

Ben thegreat | November 15th, 2011 at 1:27 am

This guy is the closest thing to human we have running . Dont let the brainwashing news win . I almost believe he cares. I wish he would just say go f yourself out loud , just like the rest of us do when someone give us bullsh#t.