Courtesy of Politico:
A former Democratic congressional aide said Al Franken tried to forcibly kiss her after a taping of his radio show in 2006, three years before he became a U.S. senator.
The aide, whose name POLITICO is withholding to protect her identity, said Franken (D-Minn.) pursued her after her boss had left the studio. She said she was gathering her belongings to follow her boss out of the room. When she turned around, Franken was in her face.
The former staffer ducked to avoid Franken’s lips. As she hastily left the room, she said, Franken told her: “It’s my right as an entertainer.”
“He was between me and the door and he was coming at me to kiss me. It was very quick and I think my brain had to work really hard to be like ‘Wait, what is happening?’ But I knew whatever was happening was not right and I ducked,” the aide said in an interview. “I was really startled by it and I just sort of booked it towards the door and he said, ‘It’s my right as an entertainer.’”
Franken has denied this latest allegation, but that is likely not enough to save his seat in the Senate.
There are now a number of Senators besides Gillibrand calling for Franken to step aside.
And that now includes Senator Chuck Schumer as well.
BREAKING: Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer says Sen. Al Franken should resign as sexual misconduct allegations multiply.— The Associated Press (@AP) December 6, 2017
There is a tsunami coming to wash away male predators and it is likely to take a few innocents down as well.
I don't know that Franken is innocent at all, but like I said it simply does not matter at this point.
Especially since Gillibrand is likely going to ride this wave of female anger and their desire to achieve long denied justice all the way to the presidential nomination in 2020.
I think Franken should resign as soon as Blake Farenthold, Clarence Thomas, Trump himself and Roy Moore all step down.
ReplyDeleteThat’s my opinion.
DeleteBut the Democrats have always been stupid this way. They think they can lead by example and shame the Republicans into resigning as well. Not going to happen.
And they’ll seat Roy Moore when he wins. They’ll fiercely defend him as the will of the people who voted for him. Apparently Alabama voters have rights but Minnesota voters don’t.
It’s all that Republican hypocritical double standard.
Exactly!
DeleteAgree with you both, Anon 1:37 and mlaiuppa 2:52. The Rethugs are laughing their hypocritical heads off at us Democrats.
DeleteThe Democratic party has become completely emasculated, of it's own doing lol. When goofy Al Franken has to step down because he acted like a man, you know you have problems.
DeleteNever liked Franken as an entertainer as in my opinion he failed to live up to his hype. And, more importantly, he didn't smell correct.
DeleteI get a tickling bothersome feeling at the back of my nose when I run into the "I'm a penis and I can do whatever I want" types. They certainly aren't limited to politics or entertainment. That said - Franken should step down the moment Lord Dampnut and the Republican clique of sexual harassers leave office and not a second sooner. Fair is fair.*
* I know, I know. Fair is a four letter word. My apologies for the profanity.
As for the idea Franken was just acting like a man... Well, isn't that special. Perhaps it's time for all men to take a look in the mirror for a moment or two of self reflection. If a girl ain't screaming yes or green perhaps Mr Winky should remain a hidden asset!!!!!
Totally agree with you all above. The Dems are wusses who will cave in, and the ReThugs will get to nominate even more of their SOBs and get to keep their majority (and potentially even increase it!) in both houses
DeleteAnd he’ll do the right thing and resign. Conyers’ too. The Rethugs however will never do the right thing. Trump endorsed Moore with full support because Moore ‘never admitted to’ stalking and dating under age girls. This entire thing is beyond comprehension. Careers are being ruined; and I believe rightly so; however Rethugs will get away with their disgusting behavior and win elections thereby thwarting real progress in this country. I’m sickened and saddened.
ReplyDeleteIn Franken's case the right thing isn't to resign. Conyers commited crimes as a sitting senator. Franken didn't. The Ethics Committee investigation would have resulted in a fair decision. Instead we have bullies on a witch hunt and they've decided to pillory Franken. And being the nice guy he is, he's going to let them do it.
DeleteDon't agree w/this move by the 'women' of the Democratic party. Total baloney! Franken is no where near as bad as that asshole Trump is endorsing and protecting.
ReplyDeleteThis is going to go nowhere as to getting women in the Republican party to come out against Trump's boy!
Agree. The Democrats doing this must feel it is the only political thing they can manage to do. Had Franken not apologized and taken responsibility, he could have hung in being another Moore-Trump-no-apology. Admit to nothing, don't recall accusers.
DeleteThe Democrats are empowering the Moore, Trump position.
The voters will never know what did happen if Franken resigns due to his colleague's mistakes.
How many of these accusers are anonymous?
DeleteHow many of these incidents happened WHILE HE WAS A SENATOR?
We all know the “severity” of his “crimes.”
The Ethics Committee should have been allowed to do it’s work and render a decision.
These women were wrong to demand Franken resign. The Democrats are wrong to demand Franken resign.
Franken is not Conyers. Franken is not Moore. Not even close.
This is the camel’s nose. Now whenever the Republicans want to get rid of an effective Democrat, all they have to do is get a bunch of “anonymous” accusers to attack and the Democrats will fall all over themselves to pillory one of their own.
I guess the Republicans were really afraid Franken woudl run in 2020. Because if it was him against Trump or Pence, Franken would win.
I guess Jeff Sessions is tickled pink.
So tell them so. You can write to Gillibrand and Harris the same as you can to your own Senator.
Delete3:21 PM Gillibrand and Harris do not care, but go ahead, call and email them.
DeleteBetter to join the Republican party. They allow the voters to decide if Moore can be a Senator.
I don't want a cabal of Democrats deciding this for the people. It stinks.
let'em know you don't agree.
DeleteI wrote Franken and told him not to resign.
DeleteI'm also no longer a Democrat. I'm now Peace and Freedom. The reasons you list 3:42 are just some of the reasons. But this is a sterling example of why I switched parties. I simply cannot condone through membership being part of this crap. No balls, holier than thou, elitists who know better than the little people, entrenched losing policies. I'm just done with it all. I can no longer vote in the primaries? Big fucking deal. It's not like my vote counted anyway.
Wholly agree with you, mlaiuppa!
DeleteDemocrats have played this move wrong - in my opinion. The Republicans know how to play them and they fall for it every time. Makes me sick to my stomach!
ReplyDeleteI can respect Gillibrand for this. The only way we end things like this is to hold our own accountable. Instead, what has been happening is excuse our guy because the other side has a bad guy who is as bad or worse. That doesn't solve anything. Both sides need to police their own and hold them accountable.
ReplyDeleteThat’s right. They *should*. But you know only the Democrats will actually do it.
DeleteOh bullshit, twodux. These are all grown women. These metoo-ers who all continued to play the game for fame or money (not the women who really needed jobs) are making all women out to be helpless innocent damsels in distress. ANy one of them could do the quick knee where it mattered, a nail rake across, etc. Oh, I just stood there.
DeleteDemocrats are soooo stupid on this. So what's the new requirement for Dem candidates if male? Never had any relationship with a female who may now claim some part of it was not consensual?
twodux The Ethics Committee was to hold him accountable. That was stolen.
DeleteSounds as if Bannon and the Koch Bros have found a way to accuse one of the most effective members and force him to quit. Boy, are they giggling over their martinis now.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion an ethics committee review should have been sufficient, with censure if decided, but by forcing Franken out they use the Democrats sense of decency to demolish the careers of effective legislators. Meanwhile, they push for the nasty old man and raping the US Treasury and get away with it.
Great analogy. Thank you.
DeleteExactly.
DeleteI don’t think Keith Ellison would allow this to happen, but no surprised Tom Perez is pushing it.
Governor should nominate Keith Ellison for Franken’s seat and cross him from the House to the Senate. So you know that’s not going to happen.
They have weaponized a righteous movement to eliminate an influential and effective Democratic senator. And now the Democrats in Congress won't even let him go through the proper channels of an investigation. Sickening.
DeleteHe’s resigning on Thursday.
ReplyDeleteJust another example of the stupidity of Democrats.
This makes Franken and Moore equal. It puts Franken on an equal level with Weinstein and Trump.
How many of those accusers are anonymous? How much of this happened before he was a Senator? What about the investigation to find out the truth behind these accusations?
This is exactly what the Republicans wanted. The got rid of Franken, plus they are able to level the playing field with Trump and Moore with Franken.
If the Democrats think this in any way gives them a “right” to demand that Moore be ousted when he wins, then they are even more stupid than I think they are. If anything, the Republicans will seat Moore rather than replace him with (probably) Luther Strange.
Who will replace Franken? It should be Keith Ellison. But it won’t. It will probably be some old Wall St. fuddy duddy has been rather than a progressive. The Democrats are losing votes and losing people becaus they simply can’t sense a turning tide or the desires of their own constituents.
Franken should have stayed until the investigation was over and shame on all of these Democrats for driving him out.
2018 is going to be a disaster. But then, what’s one more? Kennedy will retire to be replaced by a Deplorable even more horrible than Gorsucks, open season on National Monuments.
Oh, here’s a goodie. Trump’s rolling back on tip jars. So those making minimum wage will have their tips garnished by the management again. Gonna suck to be a waitress in Alabama. But hey, you get what you vote for, you fucking morons. You boss can assault you in the stock room too.
This makes me SICK to my stomach! I can't believe the Dems are falling for all this stuff. The RePUKES are winning, and our country is beyond help now.
DeleteWelcome back to the Dark Ages.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/pennsylvania-lawmaker-scolds-male-colleague-during-meeting-i-m-heterosexual-n826981
ReplyDelete""we must continue to defeat the left, defeat unruly progressive mobs, and defeat all other enemies of liberty.""
This is politics, not about truth or justice. It is not about the behavior of a Senator. The Senators have said they are inadequate to investigate, it is easier to give someone the boot.
ReplyDeleteWe will never know anything about the accusations or a defense if there is a resignation.
It is Franken's call to resign or not.
Either choice is his to make and will be the right thing. It doesn't matter if anyone agrees or not. It is his call. He may want to go along with his colleagues and quit. He may see it as the best political move. If he quits, we will never know what the Senate investigation would have determined. If the Senate is too failed to handle this, we will never know how flawed. We won't be able to learn how to improve these problems. We will be stuck in the old bad system.
I hope Roy Moore is not elected. If he is, the Senate will not be able to handle him. It will be up to Republicans to have him resign and that isn't likely to happen.
The Democrats can badger for eternity, Roy will stand his ground, with Donald Trump beside him.
The President is on Moore's side and it boosts both of them for Moore to stand up for himself in the Senate. He hasn't won yet, so he may not make it to the Senate.
In this situation, I don't see how Franken resigning is positive for the country.
Franken is a good guy so you know he’ll do the right thing and resign. Which is a shame.
DeleteBut it isn’t a positive thing for the country. The exact opposite. Because the Republicans will never do so. They’ll seat Roy Moore and defend his right as the will of the people. While at the same time they will get rid of any Democrat that threatens them with anonymous accusers. And the Democrats will help them do it.
This is not only bad it’s utterly stupid.
But I’m not surprised the Democrats are doing exactly that.
Tom Perez. What a disaster.
Gillibrand and Kamala Harris just lost my vote.
Gillibrand should be the next to go. Fuck her! Franken is a far better person than she!
DeleteYep - tell them so directly - by their senate emails.
DeleteThey're inadequate to investigate Franken but they're investigating Russian collusion?
DeleteThis is a hit job on Franken. They went back and found a picture they could use, and went with it. At first I believed that woman, but not after anonymous complaints. This hit job is paid for by Beauregard Sessions, who Franken interviewed and showed Sessions to be the lying, stupid shitstain he is. This is Sessions' retaliation. Maybe Franken should step down, but NOT before that admitted sexual predator trump and the fucking pedophile. Isn't it a bit suspicious that Franken's ethics investigation vanished? I can't believe anyone has the gall to go after Franken before the others and without any kind of due process.
ReplyDeleteI'm hearing Al Franken has quit. Beats me why Gillibrand has gone after him so hard from Day One except if she thinks he's competition for 2020.
ReplyDeleteFuck all laydee Democrats that have no fucking fight in them. Who fucking needs them?
The women in the Democratic party are showing me nothing when it comes to Franken. I'm someone too that leans in their direction as to their party, but am a declared Independent. I like and believe Franken!!
DeleteThe Sheriffs just found the taped statement Corey Feldman made regarding being molested by Hollywood Bigwigs. It’s been turned over to L.A.P.D. Let’s hope it doesn’t get “lost” again.
ReplyDeleteYes, it fucking DOES matter. The shitgibbon who we HAVE ON TAPE occupies the White House. Pedophile Moore will likely be in the Senate. But Democrats want to throw out the work of damn good senators like Franken.
ReplyDeleteThese "charges" compared to Moore's are a parking ticket compared to vehicular homicide. Somebody get a fuckign clue.
ot If anyone watched Trump's Jerusalem speech this afternoon, you likely noticed multiple speech slurs. He's either: A) Nervous as hell about Mueller's Investigation B) On some sort of Anti-anxiety Medication C) Showing signs of Alzheimer's D) ALL OF THE ABOVE.
ReplyDeleteD) ALL OF THE ABOVE.
And something like "Here's my theory"
https://twitter.com/marthygc1/status/938543253812637696
I just sent Franken an e-mail telling him not to resign.
ReplyDeletefranken.senate.gov
YES.
DeleteAlso sent e-mails to Gillibrand and Harris saying they were full of shit and never getting my votes. So if Gillibrand wants to try a run for President, she can try as many times as she likes. Not getting my vote.
DeleteI'm in California and if the only opponent Harris has is a Republican, I may simply leave that blank. As an attorney should should have known better than to be judge jury and executioner on the say so of an anonymous source.
Franken has denied this latest allegation, but that is likely not enough to save his seat in the Senate.
ReplyDeleteYou will never know if the allegations are true or not. Democrats want to take that away from the American people. They don't want Al Franken to be able to stand up for himself. Basically they are neutering Franken and want him to disappear. They are on the side of keeping people in the dark.
It looks like they will get by with screwing over the voters and keep things hidden. Ugly Democrats against the people.
If they go after Elizabeth Warren next, you'll know which faction of the Democratic party is "winning" and it isn't the progressives.
DeleteThey are stupid to destroy Franken rather than support him.
But then, I said from the start Tom Perez was a BAD CHOICE. So TOLD YOU SO! This wasn't some sort of natural eruption. No way any of these senators came out against Franken without checking with Tom Perez first. So fuck him.
MPR sez Franken will step down. Minn Guv Dayton can appoint a strong Dem to replace him and get a leg up on the next election.
ReplyDeleteIt won't be a strong Dem. It will be a same old same old Clinton camp ass kisser who won't have the brains or the guts to nail Jeff Sessions when he lies.
DeleteIt certainly won't be Keith Ellison. He should be made a Senator. Instead he'll be left behind in the House and buried.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteDoes it even matter writing or calling? All you get is an aide and, unless positive, who's to say that your message reaches its destination?
ReplyDeleteNot much support for Gillibrand in the comments with her statement.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/KirstenGillibrand/posts/10155471770513411
No surprise at all. I don't know what she's up to but I'm convinced everything she does from here on in is about 2020.
DeletePerhaps this is because Al would be quitting in 2018 anyway and Democrats want to embed somebody else in that seat and they have a good candidate.
You don't have to be very old to remember what a knife-edge election it was in 2008.... but you can be sure Democrats have long forgotten about that. They never learn from history- for example, barely a third of voters turned out in 2014, and I'd lay good money that it won't be significantly higher in 2018... and that is ALL Democrats' fault. It's their fault every midterm they lose. It has always been their fault and they never learn to get butts off couches and into the voting booth- that is what the other side does, not us.
gahhh
Gillibrand has zero chance of winning a Presidential election. Zero.
DeleteShe may as well be a Hillary clone, with less name recognition.
I'm still waiting for Ellen DeGeneres to speak out on her BFF Matt Lauer. Think she will? Oh HELL no.
ReplyDeleteBFF? Are you retarded?
DeleteEver watched her show, 4:48 PM?
DeleteIf it makes you feel better to call me names, so be it.
Very smart. Democrats reduce their numbers in Congress while the GOP hangs in there. Won't be long for a super majority. Those accused should have been put into a group and date decided as such, Demos and Republican like. Committing suicide here. GOP in glee over this.
ReplyDeleteI guess you don't understand that the governor of MN appoints a replacement and he is a Democrat
DeleteFranken's Twitter said it is not true that he will resign,he will make the announcement what he plans to do tomorrow
ReplyDeleteThis makes me so angry,only the democrats are resigning and why are those democratic women calling for republicans to resign starting with trump
Just because a woman comes forward doesn't mean it is true,has this last accusation been investigated?
Democrats need to stop taking the high road all the time, republicans don't and nothing happens to them,they must be getting a big laugh from this one,those stupid democrats and their "doing the right thing" FOOLS
Grabbing defeat from the jaws of victory, that's what the dems are good at so yeah, you just urge that awesome senator to resign and I'm pretty sure you're going to get a wonderful Republican in his seat. You go girls ;-)
ReplyDelete#1 Reason why I am and Independent, because really, sometimes the Republicans are actually a better choice than these spineless Demos.
The only spineless are the entire Republican party. They can only win by lying and cheating. Thee most DISGUSTING UNETHICAL bunch of losers in usa history. All going down.
DeleteAs a Minnesotan, I won't vote for national Democrats again if Franken steps down and resigns now. Franken should be allowed to have the ethics committee meet (though it'll probably be a bunch of corrupt Republicans and appeaser Democrats ... so there won't be any justice for Franken probably in the ethics committee). Yet the spineless national Dems will toss Franken overboard to congratulate themselves on how strong they appear cleaning house before justice can be properly done (let Trump go first and Moore never be elected in the first place). Yet, well done Democrats, now on anonymous accusation being the tipping point. While Trump, Moore and other Republicans sit and laugh at the over zealous Democrats. Clarence Thomas might even speak a few words! It'll be business as usual in D.C. with Democrats being the losers as usual.
ReplyDeleteClarence Thomas’ wife just gave James O’Keefe some fucking right wing award for being a patriotic yellow journalist or some such shit.
DeleteThe DoJ is using a Project Veritas tape to railroad a photojournalist who was arrested on a trumped up charge at a protest.
That is the fascist state we now live in.
And Tom Perez and the rest of the spineless Democrats are congratulating themselves for bullying Franken into giving up his rights to due process. Meanwhile the Republicans are going to seat Molester Moore.
No one sees the difference between what Conyers did as a seated Senator and what Franken is accused of by anonymous “victims?”
Yeah, fuck all the National Democrats. I already e-mailed Kamala Harris I’m not voting for her and Gillibrand that if she’s thinking of running for President I won’t vote for her either. Fuck them.
I find all these Franken allegations a little suspicious, so far none of them have been women he a work environment relationship with. In this last case her quote sounds similar to trump's access Hollywood tape quote.
ReplyDeleteFranken worked as a comedian, I wonder if he ever referred to himself as an entertainer?
Gillibrand should have kept her mouth shut and let the ethics committee do there work.
What happens if it comes out this is a false accusation, Franken won't get his seat back.
Too convienient that Roger Stone,of all people, predicted there were more women going to come forward.
Who's next, Schumer, Shiff?
What we do know if the molester from AL wins,there will be no ethics investigation and Gillibrand won't say a word