Accuser attorney: Settlement dated 9/99, Kilgore signed

Joel Bennett, the attorney for one of the women who complained about Herman Cain at the National Restaurant Association, said Friday that his client's settlement was dated in September 1999 and signed by the trade group's general counsel but not Cain.


Cain had already left the organization by then, before his three-year term was up, as my colleagues reported last night.

That the settlement was signed by the restaurant association's counsel, Peter Kilgore, illustrates just how central he is in the allegations against Cain. As Vogel, Haberman and Burns reported last night, Kilgore was made aware by an association board member about the claim by a second woman that Cain made a sexual overture to her. Kilgore, according to sources, also looked into the charges of this woman. Citing a policy about not discussing personnel, Kilgore has remained mum since POLITICO broke the story Sunday night.

Bennett has requested that the association free his client, the first woman, from her nondisclosure agreement and let her speak. Bennett suggested that his client would not delve deeply into details, but would push back against the claims by Cain in recent days that her charges were "baseless." The attorney has requested an answer by this afternoon from the association about whether his client will be allowed to issue a statement.

POLITICO reported yesterday that Bennett's client received a payout of about $45,000 in signing the settlement.