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Sharon Bialek, the first woman to publicly accuse Herman Cain of sexual misconduct, today acknowledged she has experienced financial and legal difficulties in recent years, but said they were “absolutely not” related to her decision to come forward and detail her encounter with Cain in a car outside a Washington hotel fourteen years ago.
But Cain’s campaign signaled today they will seek to undermine Bialek’s credibility by highlighting her legal troubles and the Democratic Party ties of her lawyer, Gloria Allred. An NBC News review of court records show that Bialek’s legal problems include two personal bankruptcies, an Internal Revenue Service tax lien, and a civil judgment against her last year for an unpaid loan that is still outstanding.
“Absolutely not,” Bialek said when asked by NBC News Today show co-anchor Ann Curry whether her financial problems caused her to come forward and make accusations against Cain in hopes of making money. “There’s no skeletons in my closet. I told her [her lawyer Gloria Allred] 'this may come up.' I expected this may come up. It's not about me. I’m not running for president.”
Bialek, a single mother with a 13-year-old son, also denied that anybody from any rival campaign encouraged her to speak out against Cain in an effort to damage his candidacy. “I came forward of my own volition,” she said. In a separate interview on CNN, she said her son did encourage her to speak out. “You need to tell on him,” she quoted her son as saying.
Bialek’s comments came just hours after Cain flatly denied her graphic account that he sexually groped her and sought to have oral sex when the two met in Washington in 1997, telling TV host Jimmy Kimmel her story was “totally fabricated.” In a statement e-mailed to reporters, Cain spokesman JD Gordon described Allred, Bialek's lawyer, as a "high profile Democratic Party donor and activist." He added: "After attacking Herman Cain through anonymous accusers for a week, his opponents have now convinced a woman with a long history of severe financial difficulties, including personal bankruptcy, to falsely accuse the Republican frontrunner of events allegedly occurring well over a decade ago for which there is no record, nor even a complaint filed." (In a press release late Tuesday morning entitled "Who is Sharon Bialek?" the campaign gave the case numbers for six civil lawsuits in which Bialek was sued as well as her two bankruptcies. It also cited a press report indicating that she has worked for nine employers over the last seventeen years).
Cain has scheduled a press conference to rebut Bialek’s claims on Tuesday, signaling that the controversy over sexual harassment allegations -- which Cain’s campaign had hoped to put to rest last week -- is unlikely to end anytime soon.
The dueling accounts underscore the difficulties in sorting through politically charged sexual harassment allegations in which partisans on both sides seek to impugn the character of the principals with whatever evidence they can find.
Bialek dramatically raised the stakes for Cain on Monday by becoming the first woman to publicly speak out. News reports last week identified three other unidentified women at the National Restaurant Association who had made unspecified sexual allegations against Cain, two of whom received financial settlements with no findings of liability. Bialek detailed an encounter that she says took place in 1997 after she was let go from her job after six months as a National Restaurant Association foundation fundraiser. Seeking Cain’s help in finding new employment or getting her job back, she described how Cain -- then the president of the National Restaurant Association -- booked her a Washington hotel suite and took her out to dinner. While the two were alone in the car, Bialek says Cain put his hand up her skirt and then sought to have oral sex, telling her, “You want a job, right?”
Allred, who frequently represents accusers in celebrity cases, told reporters on Monday that she had sworn affidavits from two others -- one from a doctor who was Bialek’s boyfriend at the time and the other from a businessman -- who affirm that Bialek told them about an encounter with Cain shortly after it took place. But Allred has declined to release their names -- making it impossible at this point to verify her account-- and Bialek acknowledged Monday that she did not share details with them of what Cain had allegedly done in the car.
Bialek also did not describe her encounter with Cain to her current boyfriend, Mark Harwood, with whom she lives in suburban Chicago. In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Harwood was quoted as saying he was in “a bit of shock” when Bialek first told her about her experience with Cain last Friday night, but that he admired her decision to come forward.
“Its not an anti-political thing,” Harwood said. “It’s not a money thing. She’s just trying to do the right thing and that takes guts.”
Court records show that Bialek filed for bankruptcy in 1991 and 2001. She was also involved in protracted domestic relations litigation starting in 1999 with a marketing executive at News America Marketing, a division of News Corp., over questions of paternity and child support for her now 13 year old son. Court records show that the marketing executive was ordered to pay child support that in 2010 was $66,700 a year.
More recently, the records show, the IRS filed a tax lien of nearly $5,200 against Bialek in 2009. (According to the Chicago Tribune account, the Illinois Department of Revenue has also claimed Bialek owed the state $4,300 in unpaid taxes, penalties and interest.) Last year, an Illinois lending company filed a lawsuit against Bialek for an upaid ($3,539) loan and won a judgment against her of $3,539. The lawyer for the lender, Illinois Lending Corp., told NBC it was a standard “breach of contract” lawsuit and that the judgment is still outstanding.
Allred told reporters that Bialek has not had a job in about two years. Harwood, her boyfriend, told the Trbuine that the couple met online and moved in four years ago, getting engaged during a vacation in Venice last year.
“Sharon is very much one of these women with a huge heart and always trying to do the right thing,” he said. “Sometimes, I have to pull the reins in.”
Susan Bialek, the fourth woman to come forward and accuse GOP presidential hopeful Herman Cain of sexual harassment, tells TODAY's Ann Curry why she waited 14 years to come forward and says her decision to do so was not financially motivated.
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This stuff goes back to the Biblical days...........everyone read your BIBLE, thats the book for me......I stand alone on the word of god the BIBLE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>BLA BLA B:LA give me a break.
Clearly a Bimbo. Not saying I'm going to support Cain, but this BS!
The first two ladies that filed paper work and have documented case's I have no problem with. That they have not come forward to be tarred and feathered by Cain is understandable, they did come forward when it counted. The paperwork speaks for itself......they filed sexual harassment complaints that were settled with payments.
There does appear to be a pattern in Cain's behavior and the whole "where there is smoke" thing but I do have a problem with this latest accuser and have to wonder if this is not just hanging on for personal benefit or possibly spite. Even if Cain did grope her/made a pass etc... by her own statement he did stop when she requested him to so I have to ask why is this even an issue and why does she feel compelled to bring it up now?
I have no doubt that Cain is a lying scum bag based on what is documented and his ever changing attempts to explain the charges away but the people coming forward now including latest accuser have no credibility with me unless they can support the accusations.
Wait, I'm not sure I understand. You're ok with married men (or any men for that matter) randomly laying hands on women in a sexual manner as long as they stop when asked to? That's a pretty minimal standard for personal contact (and is still considered sexual assault within the bounds of the law).
If she IS telling the truth (and like you, I'm not convinced), her motives don't really matter - it still HAPPENED and was an unacceptable action on the part of a presidential candidate unless you're in Italy.
No I am not ok with a married man going after another woman, provided in this last case is what happened. My point is does what she alleges rise to the level of all this?
Earlier the GOP people who post here had called the first 2 accusers unbelievable (actually there were much ruder than that) because they didn't step forward into the spotlight and ID themselves. They tried to make the casethat because they didn;t wish to go public 14 years later that proved beyond all doubt they were liars.
This 4rth woman has come forward and not taken a penny to avoid her being labeled a liar just out for the money. She is also a republican tea-partier, so they can't legitimately say she a lib conspiritor.
But one can easily see why the first women didn't wish to go public. This one is now being publicly attacked for having money problems.
Apparently to republicans, if you have money issues that means inconclusively you are a liar.
What attacks would the first women have to endure? what slander? I wish they would have gone public, but i can't blame them for avoiding the attacks this woman is going to have to endure at the hands (mouths) of the right.
I applaud this last one for her courage and her not taking money when obviously she has opportunity and could use it to better her life.
I'm not staying on to debate, got things to do today, but may I leave you Cain excuses with a comment.... you people are as dishonest as the day is long. Shame on you for your baseless attacks.
Obama 2012
Dude, if what she alleges - that he slid his and up her skirt and tried to put shove her head into his lap - is true, then yes, the hoopla is quite warranted. That's not a private affair but an assault. I don't care what my elected leaders do behind closed doors in their sex lives as long as it's between consenting adults - emphasis on consenting.
I don't know what happened anymore than the rest of you clowns posting here, but if he made a pass at her, and she resisted and then he stopped, then it sounds like to me he did the right thing in stopping.
If Monica had resisted and Clinton had stopped would that have been sexual harassment too? (Or just another double standard from the loony left.)
Making a pass at a woman is not sexual harassment, making a repeat sexual advance after the woman has made it clear she's not interested is harassment. While Cain was in a position to help the woman find a job, she was not working for him, and it sounds like it only happened once and then he stopped- (if it occurred at all.)
I'd like to know if the woman got up and left the table after the "harassment" occurred.
he reached under her dress to get to her genitals and then grabbed her head to push it down.
This is not raped but hardly what you'd call a respectful move towards "getting some".
Also he asked " you want a job don't you"
What she is describing is not just "making a pass".
yes, he stopped. that shows that he didn't RAPE her. So this makes it excusable cause he didn't rape her.
HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF THESE WOMEN WERE YOUR WIVES OR DAUGHTERS. this wasn't a "pass" this was a man in a position of power who wanted to molest her using a promise of potential employment.
If that was my daughter....I would fuk that guy up and just deal with the jail time.
Even if it only happened once, it still falls well within the definition of sexual assault. A "pass" is when someone VERBALLY propositions you. As soon as someone lays hands on you without your permission, it stops being a normal interaction between adults.
Tell me, what if you and your girlfriend were at a party full of strangers and became separated. From across the room, you saw a man put his hand up her skirt and try to shove her head into his lap, when she clearly wasn't happy about it. Would you be ok with him backing off and just saying "my bad"? Really? Or is that how you operate in the dating game?
Every Election cycle these whores come out of the wood work!!!!!!!!! Every time. to make the money they intended to make the whole time. They make it when they lay down with these guys then they make it again with book deals and extortion money!!!!!!! honey hush money...............WHORES the oldest profession!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why does she even need a lawyer? She can't sue anyone after fourteen years. Who is paying for the lawyer? Sharon is broke, how can she pay?
To guide her through the legal consequences of stepping forward. She could be sued for libel by Cain.
It is all about the MONEY>HELLO THE DAMM MONEY
Why are you people so worried about Bialek?
How about the two settlements that are factual?
Cain can't do a thing about those two facts out there otherwise he reopens the issue.
Bialek may have legal issues in her past and present but those legal issues are no different than many legal issues current elected officials have or have had. Unpaid taxes, bankruptcies and unpaid loans don't have the same consequences as Cain's past settlements. Her legal problems don't ring the same alarms as sexual harassment.
Please, forget about Bialek and concentrate on what is proven, The settlements.
They are all still WHORES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! come on !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and you are obviously a hater of women.
Why so angry? Have all the women you've known made you feel "less than", insignificant" as somehow maybe you've come up "short"?
Give up the hate and move on. Makes you look bad, not them.
If you dig deep enough, you will probably find that the Repubican Party is really behind all of this. Look to Perry's camp!
YEAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bad boy, bad boy, what you gonna do? what you gonna do when they come for you????????????????Anwser Go to bed with a WHORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
wow, you really like that word. I hope you don't have daughters.
I do, and they are!!!!!!!!! I do not like it, it just is what it is.
Most females are!!!!!!!!! some get paid in one way or the other. That is the COLD hard Truth!!!! sad to say!!!!!!!
In line with some of you who want to paint Tiger Woods with that broad brush of perversion. To my knowledge everyone of the women he had were paid to have sexual intercourse with him, and handsomely, I might add. Now what is that description of a prostitute, something about being paid for her favors. Many of whom came forward to get a second payday. Everyone in his right mind knows that Nicole didn't marry that billionaire because she was in love with him, Marrying him just made her prostitution legal. Some women do prostitute themselves if the price is right. Not the overwhelming majority of them, but some do and will. The point being if money is envolved you might have a prostitute on your hands, real women recognize a prostitute long before the average man has a clue to who he is dealing with but then real women know that most men think with their sexual brain first and their intelligent brain second. A woman picks a man for his intelligence first, his ability second and his looks come into play somewhere down the line. Men pick women for their looks first, hardly ever for their brainpower and believe me we suffer for our convoluted method of choices.
My point is there are many ways to be paid for Favors. Not just Cash!!!!!!!!!! It is called POWER, Position etc,etc Many many ways. many women Prostate them self's millions of times a day most not for Cash!!!!! Cars, houses, Clothes. In collage they do it for a good grade.
Glad you represent the republicans and tea-baggers.
Besides women, who else do you hate? the blacks? the gays?Mexicans? liberals? Muslims? Atheists? OWS supporters, Homeless people? teachers? firemen, video clerks? I heard you guys hate video clearks a lot. What about kids, do you hate kids too?
just curious. please let us know so we can understand how you gop/teabaggers really think and feel.
You have a touch of hate going on youself there,Sounds like..................unless you are brain dead, you can read How I feel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bubba, darling, don't bait the troll. People who use boldface text and italics with multiple question marks are clearly working through some mental health issues.
How do you shut up Gloria Allblue? Have her appear on the Mark Levin show. I heard Levin tear into her about the Meg Whitman illegal alien case. That was the first time I saw Allblue with nothing to say.
Like I said before, If Cain knows she is lying and has proof, then sue HER for Slander. Let's not forget that he did make settlements with 2 other cases of harrassment.
I am not include to believe this last one, however, again Mr. Cain, sue her for slander. I don't see any other option for you. If you don't than that is your bad and undoing.
BLA BLA BLA
A more likely reason that she didn't say anything fourteen years ago is because nothing that she didn't encourage happened. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that she showed up at the Tea Party meeting to refresh her memory of just what Cain looked like, you know we all look alike and Ms Axelrod didn't want her to identify the wrong man, we've had a lot of that going around. You may think I'm crazy, but women, real women don't receive sexual harassment, They carry themselves in such a way that only a real sexual pervert would dare attempt such an act, and he would be put in his place by any man in the same place. Real women command a respect that is obvious to ninety nine point nine percent of all men. I have worked in an environment where more than fifty percent of the work force was women, Some I would "hit" on but the women, the real women, got nothing but respect from me or the other men working with them including supervisors or fellow employees. Half of the more "loose" women had sexual harassment complaints, both real and imaginary. Some of them filed such complaints even against female supervisors alledging they were lesbians. Nothing is easier than filing a sexual harassment complaint, merit or none, but the accusation sticks with the accused in Cain's case for fourteen years. Dress has nothing to do with it either, but a real woman won't dress to tempt men, just to please his eyes with decorum. I'm sure I don't have to define what a real woman is to a real woman, the rest of you can continue to lump us all into the same pot.
You are correct!!!!!! There is a difference between a Lady and a Whore!!!!!!!!!!!
It is up to me who I vote for and if I want Cain to be my Repub Candidate. then let it be. Damm!!!!!!!! Get over it you libs. The deal is you libs want to pick who we want as our candidate... Get the hell out of our issue
The liberal medea loves to force us to have a candidate they want us to run. They did it with McCain. In 2008. NOT THIS YEAR
Every one has their sins. SO Now what?????????????
I am going to use a phrase that the libs use................Lets move on..............Its no ones business.....It dosen't effect the way he does his JOB.......................Hell any one could do a better Job then the BAMSTER..............................
Since we were not in the car I go with the accuser because there are three other accusers and a settlement....common denominator is H. Cain...pure as the driven snow....sure....I am a conservative and I am more than a little tired of this guy....
BULL
IT is all about the MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Excuses,
No, it seems to all be your needing attention focussed on you.
Care to Explain?
Sure will. You have filled up the forum with post after post in bold type that basically has no content other than your name. Or have you noticed? The rest of us have.
Eric, you do not even see the delicious irony of you claiming GOP does not care about sexual harrassment and misuse of campaign funds (where is that by Cain by the way?) when 2004 Democrat VP nominee John Edwards (and 2004 & 2008 presidential candidate) is about to go on trial in federal court for using campaign funds to pay off and hide his mistress (who was an employee of his campaign) and the mother of his baby!
I'm surprised Cain made the Republican grade with only accusations against him,,usually to be embraced by Republicans you really need some "family Values" credentials. Oh wait,,, sexual harassment is on their preferred list for potential candidates.
NO we have changed we have decided if you can not bet them join them. Bill Clinton the Ideal model!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The poster Boy of Morality!!!!!!!!!!!!!
bobr, you do not even see the delicious irony of you claiming GOP does not care about sexual harassment when 2004 Democrat VP nominee John Edwards (and 2004 & 2008 presidential candidate) is about to go on trial in federal court for using campaign funds to pay off and hide his mistress (who was an employee of his campaign) and the mother of his baby!Sounds like extreme sexual harassment to me.
What an Awwww moment: Her 13-year-old son told her she had to "tell on him." The kid wasn't even born then--was it necessary to caucus with him about the alleged indecent proposals and whether she should speak up or not. Naturally, it's not about the money but maybe Playboy will call.
UMMM i think she meant that her son told her recently to "tell" on him,,,just saying lol...wtf common sense would tell most people that.
Like I said when this is all done these women will make all kind of money. They will have done it on their backsides up in the air. I have been in hear all day explaining this. These gals are all whores they will appear in playboy or any Mag that will pay them.
And your expertise on this subject comes from ,,,where? Taking the time to explain this to all of us ignorants is very kind of you,,but at least tell us how you know all this. Especially the part about the ladies being whores, is this from experience with them?
Cain didn't pay out a settlement as hush money. It was actually just pizza coupons.
Cain, McCain, Palin, Perry, etc. The republicans are the cause of their own undoing. Such disarray.