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:
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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.
This sounds like the 50’s. White woman sexually assulted by a black man. Attack seems to be aimed at the alledged racist nature of conservatives.
Apparently she works in ad sales for CBS Radio in Chicago.
Must be having a tough time selling spots for ambulance chasers and tire stores on WBBM in this lousy Obama economy.
You know, I’m not close to convinced that any of this happened, but even if I came to believe it did, I think that, as disappointed as I’d be in Cain, I’d have a hard time not adopting the position of “You know, you liberals went to the wall to convince everyone that ‘just sex’ wasn’t important when evaluating a President’s behavior, so I’m gonna hold you to it, and disregard it in my evaluation of this presidential candidate. As of now, you have no say in the matter.”
we got sworn hearsay? ooh!
When I listened to a clip of her the words that jumped out at me were “I asked him to stop and he did.”
I don’t believe one word of it. Not one word. Another contribution to go to Cain.
Is she yet another aging, gold-digging bimbo that smells money and fame?
Her alleged comments and claims are unproven, common, everyday events that fail to meet the criteria required for genuine sexual harassment. This stuff is getting boring.
Is this what feminism is all about, self-serving stretches of laws intended to protect the vulnerable, fair sex?
This is beyond insane.
She is from Chicago.
She has not asked that Herman admit that he harassed her but rather that he admit that he harassed people.
Make her take a lie detector test.
Moral of the story: don’t go out to dinner....alone.....with someone other than your spouse.
“Thats not harrassment, as described, thats assault”
Or at least battery. I heard the news describe it as “sexually inappropriate,” which is ridiculous. “Sexually illegal” is more like it. I guess since overplaying vague accusations of non-overt sexual-esque more or less harassment didn’t work, they’re playing the opposite strategy of downplaying a more serious accusation.
Looks like a streetwalker and her madam, to me.
Not sure which is which, though.
Again it makes me wonder who flirted with whom? He was a looker back then (not even too chintzy now) and if even wise Solomon could have been led astray by amorous ladies, well....
Should be interesting.
Didn’t Gloria dismiss Paula Jones and Juanita Broaderick’s
cases as less important than getting Mr Clinton elected?
She’s clearly a DNC operative/tool.
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