Herman Cain Accuser Will Not Go Public, Lawyer Says

Herman Cain Accuser Will Not Go Public, Lawyer Says

One of the women who has leveled sexual harassment allegations at Herman Cain has decided not to go public with her story, according to her lawyer. The New York Times reported on this development Wednesday night:

Joel P. Bennett, the lawyer for one of the women who has made accusations against Mr. Cain, said that his client had decided not to go public or to make a public statement herself in an effort to shield herself from the media frenzy swirling around the situation.

"She's not going to affirmatively make any public statements or public appearances about the case, everything will be through me," Mr. Bennett said. "She has a life to live and a career, and she doesn't want to become another Anita Hill."

The Times reports that Bennett will approach the National Restaurant Association on Thursday with a proposed statement "in which he would make clear that his client's version of the events between herself and Mr. Cain were different from the version that the presidential candidate has offered." Bennett is running the statement by the association to make sure that it does not violate the nondisclosure agreement signed by his client.

Bennett explained of the statement, "my expectation is that it will not go into details about the incident."

This development follow's today's news that a third woman has accused Cain of sexual harassment:

The ex-staffer, a woman who worked for Cain at the National Restaurant Association in the 1990s, told the Associated Press that GOP candidate displayed aggressive and unsolicited behavior, including suggestive remarks and inappropriate gestures. She claimed that he even invited her back to his apartment.

Cain's campaign declined to comment to the AP.

Also on Wednesday, conservative talk radio host Steve Deace told Politico that Cain had said "awkward/inappropriate things" to "two females on my staff." Politico also reports that a former National Restaurant Association employee accused Cain of sexually harassing a woman at a restaurant in the 1990s. The ex-employee turned GOP pollster described the incident as "very uncomfortable."

Cain's team claims that Texas Governor Rick Perry's campaign was behind the leak of allegations that led to the Politico story which kicked off the current scandal. The Cain campaign accused Curt Anderson, a Perry adviser who once worked on an unsuccessful Cain Senate bid in 2004, of leaking the story. Anderson denied doing so.

Nevertheless, Cain's Chief of Staff Mark Block blasted the Perry campaign during a Wednesday night appearance on Fox News. "The actions of the Perry campaign are despicable," stated Block. He said during the interview that he "absolutely" believes the Perry campaign was behind the initial Politico story. "Rick Perry and his campaign owe Herman Cain and his family an apology," said Block. Video of Block's interview can be viewed below:

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