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One of Herman Cain’s accuser maintains silence
Cain has denied the women’s allegations and has promised to fight back against others who make such claims.
Kraushaar confirmed her identity last week. Bialek said she came forward to provide “a face and a voice” for other accusers who wouldn’t speak publicly. A fourth woman told The Associated Press that she had considered filing a sexual harassment complaint against Cain when she worked at the restaurant association, but didn’t and said she doesn’t want to speak publicly.
The New Jersey woman, now 43, was in her early 30s in 1998 when she accused Cain of inappropriate behavior. She worked on the trade group’s political and fundraising efforts. She agreed to leave her job after receiving a $35,000 payment to resolve concerns about Cain and other undisclosed problems, according to The New York Times.
Kraushaar left the association about a year later after receiving a settlement of US$45,000 to resolve her complaint against Cain, according to Politico, the political news website that broke the harassment story. Politico also reported that the New Jersey woman complained that Cain invited her to his hotel room after an association event.
A few years after her 1998 payment from the restaurant association, the woman left Washington and returned to New Jersey, where she had grown up. In 2005, she joined the prominent lobbying group and registered as a lobbyist. But she never actively lobbied the Legislature or state government, working instead on legislative research, bill tracking and marketing for the firm, according to former co-workers and others who know her.
Even the firm’s partners and lobbyists, including those regularly quoted in the media on state and national politics, aren’t talking now. It’s partly because her colleagues want to protect her privacy and partly to guard against potential political fallout for the firm, which serves Democratic and Republican clients. The firm’s founder, who didn’t return calls from the AP seeking comment, has close ties to Gov. Chris Christie, who threw his support to Mitt Romney after deciding against entering the GOP presidential campaign himself. Another partner helped Romney in his 2008 campaign.
Cain accused Democrats and Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s GOP presidential campaign of leaking the sexual harassment story, while Perry’s campaign pointed the finger at Romney. Both campaigns denied any involvement.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.
