Democratic Senator Al Franken from Minnesota announced to the Senate floor that he is resigning, amid allegations of sexual harassment.
Radio news anchor in California, Leeann Tweeden, came forth in November 2017 and said that Franken groped and kissed her without consent. The incident took place in 2006 when the senator was a comedian. The news anchor recalls Franken forcibly kissing her, and grabbing her breast while she was sleeping and having someone take a picture it. Franken later released a statement in which he apologized and stated he “supported an ethics investigation and would cooperate“.
Lindsay Menz came forth afterwards, saying the senator inappropriately touched her in 2010. She alleges Franken groped her butt at a Minnesota State Fair while the two were taking a photo. At the time, Franken had already been elected to the Senate.
Most of the Senate suggested that Franken should resign after a sixth woman came forward to charge that he had made an improper advance on her.
During his resignation speech, Franken called out President Donald Trump (who has been accused of sexual assault by more than 16 women, including his ex-wife Ivana Trump) and Roy Moore (the Alabama Senate candidate who is facing accusations of being involved with underage women in the past). Franken recognized that it is ironic that he is resigning “while a man who has bragged on tape about his history of sexual assault sits in the Oval Office and a man who has repeatedly preyed on young girls campaigns for the Senate with the full support of his party“. Franken did not apologize to those who have accused him of sexual harassment in his speech, and stated that some of the accusations against him are false. Franken claims he doesn’t remember some of the incidents the same as the women and doesn’t believe he is guilty of a crime.
Photo: Alex Brandon / AP
