Herman Cain continues to be dogged by accusations of sexual harassment

Story from The Takeaway. Listen to the above audio for a complete report.

Herman Cain has been dogged this week by allegations that he sexually harassed two women while working at the National Restaurant Association.

The allegations were first reported by Politico.

Now comes new allegations from a third woman, reported by the Associated Press, of sexual misconduct in the work place. And Politico is out with a report that one of the women who accused Cain of harassment, the complaint Cain now acknowledges, received a $45,000 settlement.

According to Maggie Haberman, a senior political writer for Politico, the real damage, or potential damage to Cain however isn’t coming from the allegations, which have so far all been made my unnamed sources, but rather by Cain’s conflicting answers on what he knew and when he knew it.

In fact, Haberman said, most of the Iowa voters her colleagues have talked to have said they’re taking a wait-and-see approach on the accusations. They’d like to see a victim come forward.

Thus far, Cain has said he had never been accused of sexually harassing anyone. Then he changed his story to say he remembered one accusation but there’d been no settlement agreement. Then he said there might have been a settlement of two or three months pay. Then he said it might have been up to six months.

That woman received a $45,000 settlement, more than a woman in her position would have made in three to six months in the mid 90s, Politico reported. It’s also been reported that the other woman was paid $35,000 — a year’s salary — as part of a settlement agreement.

On Wednesday, Cain’s campaign said the entire issue was a “smear campaign” being orchestrated by the campaign for Texas Gov. Rick Perry. Perry’s campaign denied the allegations and pointed the finger at the campaign for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. The Romney campaign also denied the allegations.

Takeaway Washington correspondent Todd Zwillich said one accuser had indicated to the New York Times they would come forward, but the woman’s attorney has since stepped back from those comments.

“That was batted down and the woman said she didn’t want to become an Anita Hill,” Zwillich said. “One of the issues is when or if any of the alleged accusers would come forward and speak in the press on the record.”

The most recent victim, however, indicated to the AP a willingness to come forward, but thus far has not.