Posted on 11/02/2011 11:00:59 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
So far, neither of the two alleged complainants from Herman Cain’s tenure at the National Restaurant Association have come forward publicly, although it appears at least one would like NRA to release her from her confidentiality agreement to do so. However, a pollster who worked for NRA at the time told KTOK in Oklahoma that he witnessed both incidents — and that if the women talk, Cain’s candidacy would be over:
Interviewed today on KTOK’s Mullins in the Morning, [Chris] Wilson, of Wilson-Perkins-Allen Opinion Research headquartered in Washington, D.C. explained he was a witness to the incident. “I was the pollster at the National Restaurant Association when Herman Cain was head of it and I was around a couple of times when this happened and anyone who was involved with the NRA at the time, knew that this was gonna come up.”
Wilson described the woman as a low level staffer who was maybe two years out of college. “This occurred at a restaurant in Crystal City (Virginia) and everybody was aware of it,” he continued. “It was only a matter of time because so many people were aware of what took place, so many people were aware of her situation, the fact she left—everybody knew with the campaign that this would eventually come up.”
Wilson claims that he also can’t discuss the specifics, for legal reasons. I’m not quite clear as to what that might be. He may have signed a broad non-disclosure agreement with NRA to get the polling work, but if that’s the case, he just violated it with this statement today. Unless he also participated in the settlement/severance agreements with the women, he’s as free to discuss the details as the fact that he witnessed them. And it’s difficult to see how Wilson would have been involved in a settlement between NRA and the two employees.
However, Wilson isn’t only linked to NRA and Cain from years gone by. His firm has conducted polling in this presidential race for the Make Us Great Again PAC. And guess which candidate is favored by MUGA-PAC? Why, none other than … Rick Perry. The PAC has no formal connection to Perry’s campaign, but it’s certainly boosting Perry as the Republican nominee in the primary.
Could Wilson be more than just a witness in this story? Could he be a source? It could just be a coincidence that a witness to these alleged incidents did work for an organization pushing Perry, and that the story mysteriously got to Politico as Cain took support away from Perry in mid-October. If he is the source, then conducting an interview on the topic has to be one of the dumber political moves I’ve seen.
Update: Some are saying that this indicates Romney as the source of the leak, but I’m not terribly convinced that a one-time donation means much. Romney has less to fear with Cain as his main opponent than others in the race, and besides, no one knows whether Anderson ever knew about the incidents at all. Other board members say they didn’t. YMMV, however.
Chris Wilson has worked for Karl Rove in the past. Wilson is not a supporter of conservatism, but a malevolent-type of RINO.
Romney’s father, George, was best friends with J. Willard Marriott.
Mitt is named after J. Willard Marriott.
J. W. Marriott’s son, Richard was past head of the National restaurant association.
Romney served on Marriott board.
Looks like Romney has an inside track with the NRA.
FTA:
Former President of National Restaurant Association has Ties to the Mitt Romney Campaign
0diggsdiggBased on a suggestion from a local blogger to look into political donors on the Board of Directors of the National Restaurant Association for potential ties to presidential campaigns, I have attempted to identify anyone privy to inside information about the National Restaurant Association who also has recent ties to any presidential campaign.
According to the October 2011 FEC report for ROMNEY FOR PRESIDENT INC. a gentlemen named Steven C. Anderson gave $1,000.00 on July 14, 2011. FEC search function here.
Steven C. Anderson is the same gentlemen who took over the helm as Chief Executive Officer at the National Restaurant Association (after a brief intermission) upon Herman Cain’s departure in 1999. As CEO it is highly likely he would have been privy to details of litigation and threats about litigation from the immediately previous tenure of Herman Cain.
There is little more than a coincidence between the support for Mitt Romney and the likelihood that Mr. Anderson knows the background of the sexual harassment threats. Nonetheless, watchers of this scandal endlessly pontificate about whether President Obama or a rival campaign is the driving force behind the bombshell story that appeared in the Politico on Sunday.
Reporters should follow-up with Mr. Anderson to discern his knowledge. At the least he likely knows the short list of people with inside knowledge about the sexual harassment allegations.
~23:15 11/1/11 UPDATE: Apparently as this post has taken on a life of its own I need to clarify a few things.
1. This truly is the exact same Steven C. Anderson at the same address that gave donations while at the National Restaurant Association in the early 2000’s.
2. I have purposefully not listed his address, and made it slightly difficult to find. There is an error in the FEC database that leads to a mistaken link for those who dig deeper. Rest assured he made the donation.
3. He may not be the source. If he is not, then he likely knows the short list of people who could have been the source.
Lastly, do not forget to follow @ppradoslaw on Twitter as I broadcast to thousands of conservatives libertarians, and a handful of patient moderates, democrats, and progressives.
If it turns out this “story” is linked to La Raza Rick, he isn’t going to benefit so much. Most of Cain’s support isn’t going to a RINO in a conservative wrapper anyway.
This is beginning to smell like RINO crap............
At this point who cares who leaked it. This stuff comes out one way or another. The biggest potential news is “if the women talk, Cain’s candidacy would be over”.
Cain is toast. He has made too many misstatements (claiming he’s “joking”) and has been too evasive about the facts concerning the sexual misconduct issues. He’s done. He just doesn’t realize it yet. Like it or not, we are going to be stuck with Romney as the Republican nominee.
RE: “if the women talk, Cain’s candidacy would be over”.
1) It depends on what they talk about.
2) It depends on who is telling the truth.
Talk is cheap. Prove it after 15 years of being silent.
Most of all, show us that you were victimized.
He needs to get out in front of this or he is toast. Release any confidentiality on the women and let them speak. Two women AND a witness? He needs another witness to come forward and say nothing happened or corroborate his story. The press isn’t going to let this go. I’m starting to understand why neither Romney or Perry bothered to attack Cain during the debates. They probably both knew this crap was coming.
I agree. If two come out, and if the sorrid factor is high, he might as well hang it up.
Bull. Unless he touched a breast or poked a finger where the sun don’t shine, most people aren’t going to give a rat’s butt.
This is no longer the 90’s. Women are tough. We run with the boys and many are just as rough. Saying something “inappropriate” in 1990 is going to sound like sandbox talk today.
Yup. It is better this came out now than after a potential Cain nomination. This is not the kind of thing that would never have hit the news. At some point, this story was going to become public and it would have been far worse to have been leaked during a general election. This is what the primary season vetting process is all about. The only question now is what the women have to say.
It does matter who leaked it. I expect it from the left....but if this is from the right side, that shows poor character.
That person deserves no votes from our side.
There. Fixed it.
Aren’t there lots of new FReepers now that are defining our candidate?
teddyballgame1
Since Oct 12, 2011
My BS Meter pegged on this one.
All the Romneybots that got purged had to get new names.
He hasn’t been evasive on this issue. If his flat denial proves to be a lie, then he is done.
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