STREAM EXCLUSIVE ORIGINALS

Herman Cain’s Accuser Won’t Go Public

The woman wants to clarify the differences between her version of the sexual harassment allegations and Cain's.

After calling for the National Restaurant Association to allow his client to speak publically about the sexual harassment claims she made against Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain, attorney Joel P. Bennett now says the woman has decided to remain silent on the matter.

 

“She’s not going to affirmatively make any public statements or public appearances about the case, everything will be through me,” Bennett said, according to a New York Times report. “She has a life to live and a career, and she doesn’t want to become another Anita Hill.”

 

Bennett does, however, want to send a “proposed statement” to the trade group clarifying the differences between his client’s version of the events and Cain’s, but wants to ensure that the statement wouldn’t violate the nondisclosure agreement attached her settlement. The goal is to restore her reputation and validate her claims, The Times reports. If the restaurant association doesn’t approve the statement, Bennett said he hopes that “the media will put pressure on them to change their position.”

 

Meanwhile, Cain is placing blame for the harassment story coming to light on Curtis Anderson, a former aide to his failed 2004 U.S. Senate campaign in Georgia, who now works as an advisor on Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s presidential campaign.

 

“It was a typical campaign conversation,” Cain said in an interview with Forbes magazine published Wednesday afternoon. “I told him that there was only one case, one set of charges, one woman while I was at the National Restaurant Association. Those charges were baseless, but I thought he needed to know about them. I don’t recall anyone else being in the room when I told him.”

 

In addition, Cain campaign manager Mark Block issued a statement Wednesday night calling on the Perry campaign and Politico, the publication that broke the story, to apologize to the candidate and his family.

 

“The American people deserve better than these underhanded tactics by the Perry campaign. And Rick Perry owes Mr. Cain's family an apology. A desperate candidate is trying to steal the Republican nomination away from Mr. Cain,” said Block. “Since Politico released an attack story based on anonymous accusers, which was almost certainly provided to them by the Rick Perry campaign, Mr. Cain has taken the honorable path — he has been upfront and honest with the American people.”

 

But Anderson told The Times that he’s the one who’s owed an apology and denied Cain’s claim that the two had ever discussed the matter.

 

“Herman needs to issue an apology to me. That’s what needs to happen,” he said.

(Photo: Alex Wong/GettyImages)

Latest News

Subscribe for BET Updates

Provide your email address to receive our newsletter.


By clicking Subscribe, you confirm that you have read and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. You also agree to receive marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers) and other information from BET and the Paramount family of companies. You understand that you can unsubscribe at any time.