Herman Cain Settlement: Woman Who Made Sexual Harassment Allegations Reportedly Received $45,000 (UPDATE)

One of the women who made sexual harassment allegations against Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain more than a decade ago while he was serving as head of the National Restaurant Association received roughly $45,000 as part of a financial settlement reached at the time, Politico reports.

New details emerged Thursday afternoon regarding one of the women involved. Politico later reported that a female National Restaurant Association employee told two others that Cain made a sexual advance to her at a group event. Sources said that the interaction left the woman feeling "that her job was at risk if she didn't do it."

The news comes as controversy surrounding Cain continues to unravel after Politico reported earlier this week on accusations Cain faced from two women in the 1990s. The AP reported on Wednesday that a third woman came forward and said she was considering filing a workplace complaint against Cain over allegedly inappropriate behavior.

The New York Times reported on Tuesday that one of the other woman who accused Cain of sexual harassment received $35,000, a year's pay as part of her settlement.

The Cain campaign went on the attack on Wednesday night, alleging that Texas Gov. Rick Perry's team was complicit in pushing the accusations into the public eye. Perry's campaign has denied any involvement in the matter. Cain's chief of staff Mark Block backpedaled on that stance Thursday, accepting the explanation of Perry's adviser, Curt Anderson.

"Until we get all the facts, I'm just gonna say that we accept what Mr. Anderson has said and we want to move on with the campaign," Block said in a Fox News interview.

In recent days, Cain has made inconsistent remarks in addressing the controversy. He has also maintained his innocence.

Political Wire points out that Cain was recorded as saying in March of this year that he doesn't have any "skeletons in [his] closet." He added, "And what I have told people is if they come up with something to try to damage my reputation, they will have made it up."

Comments

[MaxxFoxx]

11:54 AM on 11/06/2011

Bring forth the accussers! For all we know they could be Larry Sinclair's sisters! (Google the name).

[Pantocha]

03:50 PM on 11/05/2011

Cain is not very bright and is the leading candidate to repesent the Tea Party.Does that mean he is a representative of a party of not very bright people?

[Josh Crawford]

04:17 PM on 11/04/2011

Looks like the "Cain Train" has jumped the tracks and turned into the "Cain TrainWreck"! It's a multi car pile up and getting uglier by the second...

[GoodNiteGorilla]

02:34 PM on 11/04/2011

...as reported by CBS News:

##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.

OH. And do not expect any facts from this accuser:

##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.

What a complete journalistic and conservative blogospheric fiasco this has become.

[elmmaestro]

12:44 PM on 11/04/2011

Cain is obviously alleging that nra lawyers reached these settlements, totalling at least $80,000, without his knowledge or input, even while using the term "my attorney." At some point these attorneys will be identified, and I'm sure they'll remember Cain being in the loop, and there may very well be documentation. If not for the fact that so many Republicans continue support and defend this man, this story would be long over.

[Jimbo2001]

01:32 PM on 11/04/2011

There is not 1/100th as much evidence in this case as there was in the John Edwards case before the ex-mainstream media finally stopped ignoring it. In fact, there is NO evidence in this case.

[GoodNiteGorilla]

02:37 PM on 11/04/2011

Read the CBS report titled: Cain did not sign settlement, accuser's lawyer says

Imagine that. Maybe Cain didn't know of the settlement...

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57318500-503544/cain-did-not-sign-settlement-accusers-lawyer-says/

[elmmaestro]

04:28 PM on 11/04/2011

By Cain's own account this week, he knew of at least one settlement when running for a senate seat in 2004, though he tried to downplay the settlement as having been "only" a few months pay. As far as not signing the document, that is not the equivalent of him not knowing of the settlement. I know it's hard to follow Cain's ever-changing stories on this issue, but if you are committed to defending him no matter what, you should probably pay much better attention. If possible.

[cignapci]

12:38 PM on 11/04/2011

More Media Bias at work...since when is a $45,000.00 settlement a large settlement? I have a client who spent $200,000.00 in attorney's fees and then settled the case for $25,000.00 . the system wore Him down and He didn't want to continue enriching an attorney who told Him it would only cost $25,000.00 to Litigate the issue and He pererred to Fight than pay...after $200,000.00 He settled.

that's undoubtedly what the NRA did...cheaper to settle then fight...and there are plenty of women out there who bleed the system...

[cassgrey]

01:40 PM on 11/04/2011

"an­d there are plenty of women out there who bleed the system... "
Wow. Ask any woman in any work environment, and I can guarantee she could have successfully filed a sexual harrassment suit. This can go for either sex. I'm simply only mentioning women, because that's all you cared to mention.

[tangelan]

12:13 PM on 11/04/2011

Should've known he was lying in March. Everyone has skeletons. He totally forgot that employees accused him of sexual harassment?

[fehc]

01:17 PM on 11/04/2011

Absolutely forgot -its very plausable - he is very busy man -paperwork mistakenly filed with dispatch delivery routes and condomn receipts by 800/hr pizza boy. Illegal campaign funding paperwork is also with delivery tickets! All ( hard copy) back records were shipped 2 Izbeck-beck-becky-stan and left on other side of moat! that is y we need to defund postal system :^)

[rodneyvgt]

11:50 AM on 11/04/2011

I hear Obama and holder took money from drug dealers in Mexico in exchange they would let guns go into Mexico,.....I heard it from a Mexican guy at the truck stop so it must be true

[Jimbo2001]

01:35 PM on 11/04/2011

Not to mention the story I heard from a woman waiting for the restroom that Obama personally ordered that guns be sold to Mexican drug cartels. So it must be true, too.

[hatenomor]

10:57 AM on 11/04/2011

So, one woman felt uncomfortable, another was called "darling" and the last was compared to Cains wife.

Andthis is relevent, why?

[Agent905]

11:31 AM on 11/04/2011

And Cain is relevant why?

[hatenomor]

12:52 PM on 11/04/2011

Because he is going to be our next president.

[jak112460]

02:17 AM on 11/07/2011

Because he could fix Obama's mess.

[Jimbo2001]

01:38 PM on 11/04/2011

Hmmm. There is a businesswoman I work with over the phone. I've never actually met her, but she calls me "honey" sometimes. Maybe I should go for a payoff.

[hatenomor]

02:10 PM on 11/04/2011

They rigged the game. Go for it. LOL

[Jimbo2001]

10:47 AM on 11/04/2011

The democrat fear, and resultant hatred of Mr. Cain is growing exponentially. Unfortunately, for dems, this turns into sleazy attacks. Funny thing is, if he was a dem, fellow dems would be ridiculing him for such a small peccadillo. It would have to be much worse, and actually have some evidence, before it would help a dem in the polls.

[Fremon]

11:25 AM on 11/04/2011

Jimbo, Redstate.com is more your style. First, there is no hatred of Cain. There is only laughter and smiles stemming from the fact that the right is taking this man seriously as a potential president. Do you think he could handle a G20 conference interview as Obama? Make it easy for you "No". The so called left, as many of you say, would welcome a Cain Vs. Obama matchup, absolutely welcome. It would set back Republican right wing politics a generation to recover. Rember a few things. First while Cain was a CEO his leadership was over a low tech industry of pizza makers and deliverers. Nothing wrong with that but face it, we don't need to become a nation relying on minimum wage workers. Next as head of the Kansas City Fed he missed and has no quotes on record fearing the rising housing markets and derivatives. When asked how he could handle the economy of a nation, he said "he would get better advisers" (who, Romney or Norquist?). As the head of the Restaurant Association group he has two if not more incidents of sexual harassment charges against him. So get real and tell us what to fear about Herman Cain? Make a case for him as POTUS (just on him and not bringing invective's against Obama). Go ahead, I will listen and consider.

[Jimbo2001]

01:43 PM on 11/04/2011

Well, without saying anything AGAINST Obama, everything you say about Mr. Cain is a positive credential that Obama does not possess. He's been a rocket scientist, and has actually had jobs where he had to manage people and meet a payroll. Also, since he had a real job, he had to consider the concept of taking in more than you spend. He has demonstrated technical knowledge, business acumen, and the ability to manage people. Obama has done none of these, and his lack of credentials have been eminently demonstrated for over three years. "What", you say, "OVER three years? He has only been president for 2 years and 9 months." Yes, but his lack of credential and abilities were demonstrated when he was campaigning. They were just ignored because of his skin color.

[mayanindependentspeak]

10:46 AM on 11/04/2011

$35k and $45k settlements are probably no more than it would have cost Cain to assemble his attorneys and take the allegations to trial. Faster, easier, less messy, less expensive, so probably a good business move.

As for these allegations, it is noteworthy that none of these women have taken their cases to court. They have not had enough faith in the strength or truthfulness of their allegations to go before a judge and a jury of their peers.

[hatenomor]

10:58 AM on 11/04/2011

Cain Recused himself, as was proper. These decisions are routinly made to avoid litigation costs.

[fehc]

11:22 AM on 11/04/2011

it is noteworthy that the NRA has the attorneys already on their payrolll and their would not have been additional cost beyond budget ( basic case) and they definitly had no faith in the strength or truthfulness in Herman Caines rebuttal to their allegations or they certainly would have went forward to a trial because if the womens claims were anything below 90% opportunity to win no attorney ( on womens behalf) would take the case w/o front money and costs ( cost of suing NRA very provocative). The womens salary being less than 50000/yr. could not afford to pay the attorneys fees required to compete against NRA and their legal team. In addition the women also have to consider their ( in all likely hood humiliation ) during the course of testimony - you know -they were asking 4 it etc routine - in addition when suing an employer thats a tough nut to crack on your resume/background check when applying 4 other positions. In additoin with Caine being former president of NRA I easily could imagine him contacting them and having agreement redacted so their statments could be public record if he so chose to do that.

[milcali]

10:27 AM on 11/04/2011

Bill Clinton paid Paula Jones 850k....not that's a settlement

[Donald Chase]

10:20 AM on 11/04/2011

These accusers have had plenty of time to solidify these charges with any kind of actual proof and not all of these anonimous accusations. This is not even circumstantial and would never stand up in any court so get over it and drive on. What I wonder is if anyone at the Politico will be fired for fraud, slander or worse? They are the ones that need to be looked at and not Cain!

[mustangdad2000]

10:17 AM on 11/04/2011

Since when is $45K a "huge" settlement in an alleged sexual harrasment complaint? It seems more like hush money for a frivilous, unwarrented complaint.

Since it appears that Mr. Cain now has a chance at being the Republican to unseat the inept Obama, we can expect the desperqate lonney left to fabricate anything rather than dwell on the abject failures of Obama to control inflation, help the business community to create jobs, and to reduce our energy costs.

[PDXM1ke]

11:24 AM on 11/04/2011

Astroturf much?

[Fremon]

11:38 AM on 11/04/2011

I love it when opinions and not facts are made against Obama. Give us your reason for calling him inept and why he is a failure. Your first, comment is that he didn't control inflation! If you even took Economics 101 you would know that inflation is less than almost any given rise of our past. The president doesn't create jobs he provides policies and objectives like the jobs plan the Republicans refuse to pass without calling for no tax increases on the wealthiest. He reduced taxes on the smallest businesses and they have never been lower. Jobs are a creation of demand not policies. Industries like Ford, Apple, Microsoft were created when taxes on businesses were much much higher than today. Energy costs risen? How? Because of gasoline? Oil supplies are what are called "fungible" that is one oil in basically like another. It is sold and price on the world market. When we opened the North Slope in Alaska, did our energy drop? No it did not? Did you know that we sold a lot of that production to Japan? Do you know that oil from the gulf is sold outside of the US. What production of oil is good for is profits to the industry. OK it get's us jobs but oil is produced often to maintain a price. A lot won't be sold if it reduces price past a certain point that the producers do not want. Mustang you have to think outside of the Fox.

[GoodNiteGorilla]

09:52 AM on 11/04/2011

Curious why charges were never brought up, or why the EEOC was never brought in over the unsubstantiated charges. Maybe because the story and the plot is based on lies. A disgruntle employees files a sexual harassment charged based on false and misleading information and Politico, 20 years later runs with the story. HP posters get their dander up.

The American public realize it is a hatchet job and come to realize that someone doesn't want Cain as the Republican nominee. What that says about our nation is that the people know the smell of foul play, and can think for themselves by supporting their candidate.

THAT is why Cain poll numbers have increased and why his campaign contributions have increased. The American people finally have someone that they can count on to remedy the mistake that they made in 2008.

[Jimbo2001]

10:33 AM on 11/04/2011

Great comment. Fanned & Faved

[linkmaster]

12:36 PM on 11/04/2011

Just goes to prove that those on the Right truly believe that the more crooked you are the more they believe you would make a good President.

[GoodNiteGorilla]

01:08 PM on 11/04/2011

Yep. We try to follow examples and personify those on the left, oh, say like Slick Willie.