Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain has raised $2 million in campaign contributions in the week since sexual harassment allegations against him became public, his spokesman J.D. Gordon said today. By comparison, the Georgia businessman collected $2.8 million in political donations in the entire June-to-September fundraising period.
The release of the fundraising numbers came as Cain's GOP rival Jon Huntsman urged Cain to disclose all the information about the allegations, which have dominated the GOP contest in recent days.
"It's got to come out in total," Huntsman said, during an appearance earlier today on NBC's "Meet the Press." "Legitimate questions have been raised." Huntsman, a former U.S. ambassador to China who trails in the polls, said the allegations have "taken all the bandwith" in the primary.
Cain has repeatedly denied allegations he sexually harassed women in the 1990s when he headed the National Restaurant Association. During an appearance Saturday in Texas, Cain refused to answer reporters' questions about the issue. "We are getting back on message," Cain said. "End of story."
Gordon blamed journalists for the controversy, saying "not a single shred of evidence" supports the allegations. "The American people see it for what it is, a malicious smear campaign," Gordon said in an email today. "And it has not impacted Mr. Cain's poll numbers."
He said Cain is eager return to discussions about the economy, taxes and national security.
On Friday, Joel Bennett, a lawyer for one of Cain's accusers said a "series of inappropriate behaviors and unwanted advances" by Cain prompted his client to file a sexual harassment claim with the restaurant association. The woman, who has declined to be identified publicly, received a financial settlement. News reports say another woman also received a settlement from the trade group in the 1990s to resolve a separate sexual harassment claim involving Cain.
Cain will remain in the spotlight with an appearance on late-night TV. Gordon confirms Cain will appear Monday night as a guest on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"
