Herman Cain Explains Gesture That Led to Sexual Harassment Accusation

In an interview with Greta Van Susteren that will air on Fox, tonight, Cain offered a detailed recollection of what led one of the  sexual harassment charges against him from when he was CEO of the organization The National Restaurant Association.

Byron York has the story at the Washington Examiner:

Cain said the woman was “younger than I was,” but he could not recall her age.  Pressed, he said, “It would have had to have been late 30s, early 40s.”

Van Susteren asked what Cain did that led to the accusation.  There were reportedly more than one accusations in the complaint, but Cain said he recalled just one incident.  “She was in my office one day, and I made a gesture saying — and I was standing close to her — and I made a gesture saying you are the same height as my wife.  And I brought my hand up to my chin saying, ‘My wife comes up to my chin.'”  At that point, Cain gestured with his flattened palm near his chin.  “And that was put in there [the complaint] as something that made her uncomfortable,” Cain said, “something that was in the sexual harassment charge.”

Van Susteren asked whether the woman complained at the time.  “I can’t recall any comment that she made, positive or negative.”

Cain also offered new information about the settlement of the case.  Politico, which broke the sexual harassment allegation story, said that the woman received a money settlement “in the five-figure range.”  When van Susteren asked about that, Cain said, “My general counsel said this started out where she and her lawyer were demanding a huge financial settlement…I don’t remember a number…But then he said because there was no basis for this, we ended up settling for what would have been a termination settlement.”  When van Susteren asked how much money was involved, Cain said.  “Maybe three months’ salary.  I don’t remember.  It might have been two months.  I do remember my general counsel saying we didn’t pay all of the money they demanded.”

Herman Cain said in another Fox News interview, earlier today, that he didn’t know of any settlements.

“If the Restaurant Association did a settlement, I wasn’t even aware of it, and I’m hoping it wasn’t for much – because nothing happened! If there was a settlement, it was handled by some of the other officers who worked for me at the time.”

Now I’m confused.

Perhaps he got more information from his general counsel about the case, since he made that statement?

Hat tip: Charles B.

Linked by Michelle Malkin in Buzzworthy, thanks!