Herman Cain believes that he has found the fingerprints on the knife in his back in the expanding sexual harassment scandal . . . Rick Perry. The Cain camp has said it was Perry’s campaign that leaked the story to Politico in a hit job on Cain. Of course, there still remains the question of who told the Perry campaign about the allegations in the confidential settlement. Yet, according to the New York Times article below, there were plenty of folks who were aware of the allegations — and contradict Cain’s account. In a race to the bottom, Perry’s people have pointed fingers at the Romney camp.
Cain says that a top political adviser to Mr. Perry leaked the details and that the adviser learned of the allegation while working on Cain’s failed bid for the Senate in 2004. Attention also has been focused today on a Perry pollster who worked for the National Restaurant Association during that period.
Perry insists the allegation is “reckless and false,” which leads to a question of whether any of this could result in a defamation charge. As is often the case, politicians often cry falsehoods but never bring such charges where the true culprit would be exposed in discovery. Someone is clearly lying not just about the original harassment allegations but the source of the recent disclosures. It would appear that both would be grounds for defamation. The sexual harassment claims raise moral turpitude and illegality. The charge of being the source of the scandal raise allegations of lying and bad practices. Both could be placed within common law categories of “per se” defamation.
There is no liability for raising the controversy for the Perry adviser unless he violated a confidentiality rule, such as acquiring the information as an attorney in a representational role. However, repeating defamation is defamation — in this case potential per se slander.
It is unlikely that either camp seriously wants to find itself in discovery. Thus, we will continue to have both camps scream liar, liar without litigation — or resolution. What is interesting are the new sources claiming that the details of the harassment claims would end the Cain campaign. Cain and the restaurant association will be likely under greater pressure to waive the confidentiality rule, as discussed earlier.
Source: NY Times
Lost and Reported Stolen – $6.6 billion of U.S. taxpayers’ money earmarked for Iraq reconstruction, reported on June 14, 2011 by Special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction Stuart Bowen who called it “the largest theft of funds in national history.” (Source – CBS News) Last known holder of the $6.6 billion lost: the U.S. government.
$6.6 billion in lost Iraq cash now accounted for, inspector says
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/envoy/once-feared-lost-now-accounted-iraq-inspector-says-153935856.html
Bette,
You know, conspiracies are interesting. Here’s one that worked out really well for the people who are still getting away with it: (From the Brookings’ Institutie) “U.S. SPENDING IN IRAQ
Spent & Approved War-Spending – About $1 trillion of US taxpayers’ funds spent or approved for spending through 2011.
Lost & Unaccounted for in Iraq – $9 billion of US taxpayers’ money and $549.7 milion in spare parts shipped in 2004 to US contractors. Also, per ABC News, 190,000 guns, including 110,000 AK-47 rifles.
Lost and Reported Stolen – $6.6 billion of U.S. taxpayers’ money earmarked for Iraq reconstruction, reported on June 14, 2011 by Special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction Stuart Bowen who called it “the largest theft of funds in national history.” (Source – CBS News) Last known holder of the $6.6 billion lost: the U.S. government.
Missing – $1 billion in tractor trailers, tank recovery vehicles, machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and other equipment and services provided to the Iraqi security forces. (Per CBS News on Dec 6, 2007.)
Mismanaged & Wasted in Iraq – $10 billion, per Feb 2007 Congressional hearings
Halliburton Overcharges Classified by the Pentagon as Unreasonable and Unsupported – $1.4 billion
Amount paid to KBR, a former Halliburton division, to supply U.S. military in Iraq with food, fuel, housing and other items – $20 billion
Portion of the $20 billion paid to KBR that Pentagon auditors deem “questionable or supportable” – $3.2 billion
U.S. Annual Air-Conditioning Cost in Iraq and Afghanistan – $20.2 billion (Source – NPR, June 25, 2011)
U.S. 2009 Monthly Spending in Iraq – $7.3 billion as of Oct 2009
U.S. 2008 Monthly Spending in Iraq – $12 billion
U.S. Spending per Second – $5,000 in 2008 (per Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on May 5, 2008)
Cost of deploying one U.S. soldier for one year in Iraq – $390,000
TROOPS IN IRAQ
Troops in Iraq – Total 40,000 U.S. troops. All other nations have withdrawn their troops.
U.S. Troop Casualties – 4,481 US troops; 98% male. 91% non-officers; 82% active duty, 11% National Guard; 74% Caucasian, 9% African-American, 11% Latino. 19% killed by non-hostile causes. 54% of US casualties were under 25 years old. 72% were from the US Army
Non-U.S. Troop Casualties – Total 316, with 179 from the UK
US Troops Wounded – 32,195, 20% of which are serious brain or spinal injuries. (Total excludes psychological injuries.)
US Troops with Serious Mental Health Problems – 30% of US troops develop serious mental health problems within 3 to 4 months of returning home
US Military Helicopters Downed in Iraq – 75 total, at least 36 by enemy fire
IRAQI TROOPS, CIVILIANS & OTHERS IN IRAQ
Private Contractors in Iraq, Working in Support of US Army Troops – More than 180,000 in August 2007, per TheNation.com..
Journalists killed – 150, 98 by murder and 52 by acts of war
Journalists killed by US Forces – 14
Iraqi Police and Soldiers Killed – 10,125, as of July 31, 2011
Iraqi Civilians Killed, Estimated – On October 22, 2010, ABC News reported “a secret U.S. government tally that puts the Iraqi (civilian) death toll over 100,000,” information that was included in more than 400,000 military documents released by Wikileaks.com.
A UN issued report dated Sept 20, 2006 stating that Iraqi civilian casualties have been significantly under-reported. Casualties are reported at 50,000 to over 100,000, but may be much higher. Some informed estimates place Iraqi civilian casualities at over 600,000.”
IMHO, the folks pushing conspiracies have never tried to organize a whale-watching expedition for a dozen people.
Stupid is as stupid does. My apologies to Forrest Gump!
Stopped reading Politico years ago for exactly the same reasons Rich mentions in his post.
Rick Perry lives in Herman Cain’s pants?
Who knew?
Here’s some fun left wing info! Yesterday Bush was visiting the savvy business friends he and Obama have in common at GS. OWS crowds massed at GS calling to make a citizen’s arrest. Several up armored limos were seen fleeing the building!
I put the blame for this squarely where it belongs. Democrats. If the Democrats could govern with a coherent message dispelling the Talk Propaganda, the GOP would not have sunk this low and yet attract so many followers.
Politico had a very friendly relationship with Karl Rove during the Bush years and this has his finger prints all over it. Moreover, they usually are bereft of anything resembling original journalism. The print edition relies almost exclusively on lobbyist or related advertising. They wouldn’t piss off a lobby (e.g., the restaurant association) without some higher level leaking.
Cain Is a Black man which makes him okay as a Republican stalking horse but no as their presidential standard bearer. Forget Romney and watch Jeb Bush coming from the outside. The Bush crime family is our true political dynasty/royalty, at least in their privileged minds.
Frankly,
I agree. We’ve had the Republican of the month club going on for quite some time. It’s just propaganda. Wall Street will pick the candidates of both Republican parties for the populace to “choose” from.
It is fascinating that so much of “liberal” sites concern themselves with candidates whom very few of their readers will vote for. Meanwhile, things that should concern liberals are not covered or they are mis-covered. For example, the US govt. is building up “evidence” so they can go to war with Iran. Police are attacking and destroying OWS encampments using illegal excessive force. The financial illegalities facilitated by the US govt. continue to mount. A world “misleader” summit to discuss further surveillance of our and other nation’s population goes down with little coverage. We have an atty. general who should resign. And so on…
Most of the coverage amounts to little more than gossip. Gossip can be fun and I can understand engaging in some of it, but that it blankets so called “left wing” sites is disturbing.
I’m not sure i see a conspiracy involving Politico. Anytime any presidential candidates numbers are high, they will be put under a brighter spotlight. That should give us a better understanding of who they are. Idiots like Perry, Bachman, and Cain are bound to have many skeletons that basic reporting can find. Not much conspiracy needed.
I’m going to be watching how Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman does in New Hampshire as he’s really campaigning hard right now in South Carolina.
He might be angling for the number 2 spot though he has the ” paid my dues” cred that the powerful republican old guard establishment requires in a serious candidate and could unseat Romney.
He’s worked in the last three Republican Administrations and done both commerce and diplomatic duty. He’s already amassed a large campaign fund and has serious republican, old-school donors behind him.
If Romney continues to stumble, Huntsman could be the guy.
These other quacks are just entertainment for the teabaggers to keep ’em happy and quiet.
Politico is certainly doing someone’s bidding. Heard an interview with one of their senior editors on the radio this morning, talking about the culture of “drinking and partying that was in place while Cain ran the National Restaurant Association”.
The knives have come out in a big way for this guy.
“Someone is clearly lying” or in other words; conservatives are talking.
Any chance of getting other candidates to fight each other? It could be one of those choking circles where each person strangles the neck of the person to their right.
In the Graham interview he says” A $35.000 settlement after lawyer fees couldn’t have been that much,WHAT???????
Actually, take a look at Politiho’s recent history. Any time a teabag savior approaches Romney numbers Politicho suddenly runs a story putting them in a bad light. It happened to Bachmann & Perry.
Given the power behind the site my guess is the old guard wants Romney and are using Politicho to launch their attacks as it allows them to play the “it the librule media” card.
Lindsey Graham:
I caught this interview,someone up high wants Cain in office.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2011/11/02/jk-lindsey-graham-cain-sex-allegation.cnn
Sound like a Tripp to me…..
What a pair?