Karen Kraushaar calls Herman Cain 'a serial denier'
Washington (CNN) - Karen Kraushaar, who went public earlier Tuesday confirming she was one of the women who previously filed a sexual harassment claim against Herman Cain, told CNN she is considering releasing the details of her allegations against Cain.
"I have kept all of the copies of my allegations," she said. "So I believe that could happen."
In her first interview since Cain's Tuesday news conference - in which he vehemently denied ever sexually harassing anyone - Kraushaar refused to comment specifically on Cain's defense. But she did say that if the female accusers get together to air their charges publicly, she expected he would still deny them.
"He's a serial denier," she said. "He will deny if it is four or 40 women."
Even so, Kraushaar told CNN she would like to organize a joint press conference some time in the near future with some of the other women who have alleged sexual harassment against Cain.
"There is safety in numbers," she said. "It is important that it happen in one conference."
Kraushaar's attorney, Joel Bennett, told CNN that Gloria Allred and her client, Sharon Bialek, have agreed to participate.
Kraushaar added that "it's so uncomfortable for people to say what happened" - as Bialek did earlier this week with her public allegations - that "with the redaction of certain names," documents might be the least painful way for the women to tell their stories.
Saying it's "no longer a private matter" she called the alleged sexual harassment by Cain "a personally embarrassing matter."
She made the case that, as a civil servant now working for the Treasury Department, she is a "federal career employee and I can't enter into electioneering." But, she added, 'sexual harassment is not a Democratic problem or a Republican problem. It's an American problem."
Kraushaar told CNN she entered into a $46,000 sexual harassment settlement with the National Restaurant Association in 1999 and said she was aware of the other settlement the association previously reached with a different employee.
"I lived by the strictures of the confidentiality agreement for 12 years," she told CNN. But when approached by Politico, she felt like she couldn't deny the story. The site "had two names," she said. "At that point, if I deny, I'm lying."
Kraushaar knows something about the media. She currently serves as the spokesman for a bureau within the Treasury Department.
She also indicated that Cain's story about her - in which he says that he gesturing that her she is the same height as his wife - has nothing to do with her harassment allegations
"A comment like that is so innocuous it wasn't even a part of my complaint," she said, allowing that it sounds "vaguely familiar." Without disclosing details, she said that there was "an incident in my office that was part of my complaint" that was the "inappropriate behavior."
Trying to pre-empt criticism, she also confirmed that she had filed one complaint while working at another federal agency about not being able to telecommute after a car accident while a colleague was able to do so - and she felt it was unfair. She says she was always an employee in good standing.
–CNN Senior Producer Kevin Bohn contributed to this story.
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Well, let's get on with trying to tear this person down.
Things are not looking good for Cain. Definitely something is going on.
Cain–pack up. Go home. You're through.
I admire this woman for speaking plainly and openly. Looking at how Cain has demonized Sharon Bialik, Ms. Krauschaar had every reason to be cautious and want to retain her privacy. I am sorry she was outed by the Web site that did it, but I admire her for not hiding. If Cain continues to bad mouth these women, he is even sicker than we thought. The odds are stacked against him.
At least she didn't hire Allred...
CNN did not include in their report that her son works at Politico and she was promoted to her current position by the Obama Administration.
It looks like the general election is going to be between Obama and Romney. Michele Bachmann is such an embarrassement she may not even hold her house seat. Gingrich and Paul haven't won anything since this race started. Perry can't even debate with fellow repubs, much less with Obama. And now spermin Herman is dead in the water. John Huntsman would make a good candidate, but doesn't have the deep pockets and doesn't suck up to the tea party. Who else is left?
Cain..... Just hand in the towel. 4 vs 1, who you think they are going to believe. They have papers and all you got his hearsay. I think almost everyone is going to believe them because they are genuine and have nothing to gain, unlike you who will lose front runner status. Glad someone called him on his bluff. Can't wait to see how more of this unfolds, and how many points he is going to drop.
I would say you should show all of them Paper and let the truth be know. I believe Herman Cain really did It and he Isn't going to admit It. This man shouldn't be a loud to run for President or any other Public office.
Mr. Cain has to say its a lie, if he admitted it really happened, his goose would be cooked.
It would be a disgrace to this nation if Cain hit on a woman from another country while on presidential trips abroad. Cain believes that everyone falls for his lies. Republicans may not like it but Mitt is the Republican Candidate for 2012.
Google Mark Pauly.....Individual Manadate.
Hasn't Herman Cain already broken any confidentiality agreement by flatly denying anything ever took place? These things usually go both ways. Cain has as much obligation to not comment about these events as the women.
oh my....why is this still in the news?
We are still waiting some kind of real evidence. Until then, we are not convinced, since there are far too many Democratic Party connections to these allegations.
Axlerod lives in one of the accuser's high rise? How convenient. Another works for a CNN Dem party spokesperson? How convenient.
Too many "coincidences" to ignore.
Herman Cain can't remember good defense until the truth comes out......
Lost appetite for both corn dogs and pizza. Anything sane on the menu?
Cain back to making Pizza's.
Herman can just deny so long before reality sets in. Too bad he couldn't have just owned up to all of this and then moved on. NOW, that isn't going to happen and he can kiss his presidential run goodbye. Enough deniers have graced the White House..
let me get this straight, doesn't she work in the BHO Administration... just saying
The tea party goers will still deny it. It is not just Cain who is in denial. How many women have to come forward and live through the pain again before society as a whole says enough is enough?
I'm trying to visualize what it would be like to stand in front of a group of news reporters and tell them (knowing the world – and my kids – would be watching) that x-number of years ago, some guy reached for my privates. Can't imagine that would be a highlight of my day.
Goodbye, Mr Cain! Thank you for the theatre you have provided up to this point. But now, whatever comedy your campaign has provided is being greatly overshadowed by these allegations of sexual misconduct. For each day that you continue to stay in this Presidential Race, you will progress further down the road of foolhardiness.
I have to wonder if this was really about sexual harassment why wait until now unless the accusers have another agenda. Cash. Sound more to me like a worker that was wronged and is now getting revenge. Her documentation could be self-created.
Bravo Karen Kraushaar!
You were dragged into this mess of Herman Cain's!
Stand tall & tell America what really happened.
Millions of us will believe you!
Let the Republicans begin to trash the victims, they have no ethics or morals. They don't think of women as equal members of society, so they don't see this as the crime it is.