Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain has denied reports that he sexually harassed a volunteer poll worker at his local polling station today.
The 66-year-old retired Godfather's Pizza CEO admits he propositioned a 33-year-old part-time nurse, but says everything was above board:
"All I said was 'Honey you can pull my lever anytime.' Now how is that sexual harassment? Sexual harassment is when you force someone to pull your lever. All I did was extend an invitation."
The incident occurred at a local high school near Cain's home in Atlanta. Witnesses say Cain immediately fixated on the young woman after casting his ballot for Republican Mitt Romney.
Through her lawyer the accuser explained what happened next:
"Cain repeatedly asked for my client's phone number. He said she had 'more junk in her trunk than a traveling trash can salesman' and intimated that he would like to 'turn that frown upside down, and tap that ass till it's outta gas.'
"My client will be pursuing every legal avenue until she achieves justice. We have turned over information in anticipation of criminal charges, and we will be filing a civil suit in the coming days."
Cain, however, is unbowed by the legal pressure:
"According to my sense of the law, compliments are not sexual harassment. How can something intended to make someone feel good be bad? That just doesn't make sense"
Cain at one point led the polls in the Republican nomination races. He dropped out of the contest after a string of sexual harassment allegations from former employees.
