Sharon Bialek became the first woman to go public with detailed allegations, amid swirling accusations by four different women of sexual harassment by Cain, vying to be crowned the Republican Party's nominee for the 2012 elections.
She also became the first to offer graphic details of what has been referred to as "inappropriate behaviour" by Cain, a former pizza company executive now at the top of the opinion polls in the Republican White House race.
Bialek said she had appealed to Cain for help after she was let go from her job with the educational department of the National Restaurant Association, of which he was the then president. The two were driving in a car in Washington, when Cain pulled over.
"He suddenly reached over and he put his hand on my leg under my skirt and reached for my genitals. He also grabbed my head and brought it towards his crotch," Bialek told a packed press conference in a private club in New York.
"I was very, very surprised and very shocked. I said, 'what are you doing? You know I have a boyfriend. This isn't what I came here for.' Mr Cain said, 'You want a job, right?'" » | Monday, October 07, 2011
