The former boyfriend of one of Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain's many accusers came forward on Monday to say she had described the incident as a "sexual assault."
At a press conference with attorney Gloria Allred, Louisiana pediatrician Victor Zuckerman, a registered Republican, recalled that he had met Cain in 1997 while his then-girlfriend Sharon Bialek was working at the National Restaurant Association (NRA).
After Bialek lost her job, Zuckerman said he recommended that she meet with Cain to explore employment opportunities.
"I can confirm that when she returned that she was upset," Zuckerman told reporters. "She said that something had happened and Mr. Cain had touched her in an inappropriate manner. She said she handled it and didn't want to talk about it any further."
"She quietly endured what she felt was a sexual assault," he added. "Mr. Cain is running for the most powerful position in the world. The public has a right to know this information."
Last week, Bialek became the fourth woman to come forward and say she had been harassed by the then-NRA CEO. She recalled that he "put his hand on my leg, under my skirt and reached for my genitals" and he "grabbed my head and brought it towards his crotch."
In an interview that will air Monday night on Fox News, Cain's wife, Gloria Cain, said that her husband "totally respects women."
"I look at especially this last lady and the things that she said, and I’m thinking he would have to have split personality to do the things that she said."
