COMMENTARY | On Monday, Sharon Bialek came forward with her lawyer, Gloria Allred, to make specific allegations of sexual impropriety against Republican candidate Herman Cain. Bialek is the fourth woman to claim Cain was sexually inappropriate with them but the first to step out of the shadows to identify herself.
There's good reason for that. At least one of the other accusers was paid a financial settlement that was accompanied by a gag order. She was legally not allowed to discuss the incident or the resolution.
Sexual harassment is a serious offense and must be taken seriously. Accepting money in exchange for keeping quiet is akin to accepting a bribe. It allows the rich to get away with crimes. It allows them to perpetrate those crimes against other women. And it gives the message to all other women that they should just shut up and take it. If the women in question felt that they were inappropriately harassed by Cain, they should have involved the police, in which case, it would be on his permanent record. They should have made it public so other women didn't find themselves in the same position without warning.
As for Bialek, by not speaking until Monday about her encounter with Cain, she lost the moral high road. It now becomes a matter of politics instead of a matter of sexual assault. Her testimony is coming 14 years after the fact when it can neither be proven nor disproven. She becomes a tool of the other Republican candidates, who will be more than happy to help discredit Cain.
Does any of this excuse Cain from responsibility if he did sexually assault these women? Of course not. Not only should the incidents be public, they should be investigated by police. The last thing America needs is a sexual harasser in the White House. However, had any of these women stood up and had a voice when it mattered years ago, Herman Cain would not even be on the Republican stage today. Their silence may have let the bad guy get away.
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