U.S. presidential candidate Cain accused of sexual harassment

Two U.S. women have complained of “inappropriate behavior” from Herman Cain, a presidential Republican frontrunner, the Politico newspaper said on Monday. Cain, 65, who has been leading in opinion polls since summer, and his campaign have declined to elaborate on the issue. The women worked for the National Restaurant Association during Cain’s tenure as its head in 1996-99. The paper quoted its sources as saying that the women complained of sexually suggestive behavior by Cain that made them angry and uncomfortable. They said the restaurant group offered them agreements and payouts to leave the organization and keep silent on the matter. Cain himself said he has “had thousands of people working" for him at different businesses over the years and could not comment “until I see some facts or some concrete evidence.” Politico said its sources described the episodes that left the women upset and offended. These incidents include conversations allegedly filled with innuendos or personal questions of a sexually suggestive nature taking place at hotels during conferences, at other officially sanctioned restaurant association events and at the association’s offices. Cain spokesman J.D. Gordon told Politico that the candidate indicated to campaign officials that he was “vaguely familiar” with the charges and that the restaurant association’s general counsel had resolved the matter, the paper said. Presidential elections in the U.S. are expected in early November 2012.