video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo playerPosted on 11/07/2011 11:50:36 AM PST by SeekAndFind
A week after Politico published vague, second-hand accounts of possible sexual harassment by Herman Cain during his tenure at the National Restaurant Association, one woman has gone on the record with specific allegations from fourteen years ago. Sharon Bialek, described by her representative Gloria Allred as a single mom, says that Cain groped her — but backed off after she told him to stop:
video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player
A fourth woman said Monday that presidential candidate Herman Cain engaged in sexually inappropriate behavior with her more than decade ago, though Cain was not her supervisor at the time.
Sharon Bialek, the first woman to publicly accuse Cain of inappropriate behavior, said Cain was “sexually inappropriate” with her in 1997, saying he put his hand under her skirt and pushed her head toward his crotch after a dinner together. She said he backed away after she asked him to stop.
“I want you to come clean, Mr. Cain,” she said in a New York City press conference at the Friars Club with her attorney, Gloria Allred at her side. Allred is known for her media savvy and for representing women who have had legal issues with the rich and powerful.
Three other women have reportedly accused Cain of inappropriate behavior while he was running the National Restaurant Association, but none has made public charges against him.
Mediate has the video of her statement and a transcript of the specific allegation:
At that time I had on a black pleated skirt, a suit jacket and a blouse. He had on a suit with his shirt open. But instead of going into the offices, he suddenly reached over and he put his hand on my leg under my skirt and reached for my genitals. He also grabbed my head and brought it towards his crotch. I was very, very surprised and very shocked. I said, “What are you doing? You know I have a boyfriend. This isn’t what I came here for.”
Mr. Cain said, ‘You want a job, right?’ I asked him to stop, and he did. I asked him to take me back to my hotel, which he did right away.
Cain immediately issued a statement regarding the charges:
Just as the country finally begins to refocus on our crippling $15 trillion national debt and the unacceptably high unemployment rate, now activist celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred is bringing forth more false accusations against the character of Republican front-runner Herman Cain.
All allegations of harassment against Mr. Cain are completely false. Mr. Cain has never harassed anyone. Fortunately the American people will not allow Mr. Cain’s bold “9-9-9 Plan”, clear foreign policy vision and plans for energy independence to be overshadowed by these bogus attacks.
I’d call that a complete denial, but having someone go on the record will make it more difficult for Cain to ignore the story, as he had planned to do with last week’s allegations. Despite Allred’s stupid comment about calling the incident Cain’s “idea of a stimulus package,” the fact that someone is willing to go on record and give specifics on a charge will make this seem a lot more credible than last week’s vague reporting from Politico. Making that more difficult is the statement from Bialek and Allred that the purported victim is a Tea Party Republican, which might indicate less of a credibility issue than otherwise.
yea, AllRED doesn’t work for free..
Where are the Hotel records ? If Cain bumped her to a Suite, and those rooms in DC aren’t cheap, then maybe this story has some legs, but only to embarrass Cain, since he was married at the time of the alleged incident.
Here’s a key question = what happened with regard to her employment status? What WAS her employment status? Was she working for Cain when this “heavy pass” was made? Did she lose her job as a result of her refusal? She had to READ the statement. I lost my job because I refused to sleep with my boss and I sure wouldn’t have to read any statement. And this occurred about 30 years ago. Seems to me all the facts have not been brought forth here. There is a BIG, BIG difference between a boss having made a pass at someone, vs. firing them or seeing to them losing their job over refusing the advances.
With Doris Day lighting
Like Rush said...”if she’s not going to sue, whuy does she need a lawyer”?
That’s too ludicrously obvious. Facebook lets you refuse friends, ya know.
Better yet, have Herman Cain and “Sharon” debate this issue live on Fox News....not her attorney, just the accuser!
Err, Cain is married. You think trying to "get a little" from someone other than his wife is normal behavior for a married man?
I'm going to assume that the woman isn't telling the truth for now - but if it did happen the way she described it, that would not be example of "normal behavior".
She said she booked herself a room at a hotel two blocks from the White House and when she checked in, it was upgraded to a suite by Cain.
1) Has the hotel been named?
2) Can the hotel check its records regarding occupiers as far back as 15 years ago?
3) WHEN did it happen? DATES PLEASE so that facts can be checked.
4) If we have all those info, can the hotel ve3rify the one important fact -— that Herman Cain himself UPGRADED the room to a suite?
These are all basic investigational questions one can immediately ask to ascertain the truth of the matter...
It struck me quite funny how she was reading from cue cards or a prepared script.
NO CREDIBILITY in my viewpoint. Seems if you were harrassed you would remember verbatim to tell the story.
Also, why all of a sudden is this lady appearing? Where was she all these years and most notably since Cain has been in the race.
She only pops up after the other accuser decides not to go public?
Somebody should screen-shoot her facebook and friends, could be interesting.
Interesting she has a friend fairly high in the Huntsman campaign. Coordianator for the Carolinas
Yes, this. Not plausible
Ouch...that whole ‘putting the fire on your face out with an ice pick’ was a JOKE! Geez...
I watched the circus freak sideshow. How pathetic. The accuser and lawyer are both kooks.
Nobody said these people were bright.
You have no idea what you’re talking about. This woman was no longer employed by the NRA when the incident happened and she never tried for any kind of a settlement in or out of court.
This is going to sink Cain - 4 women now and rumors of a 5th?
ok - left with RP, Bachmann, and Newt to take out Romney.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.