Franken ashamed amid groping claims, but will return to Senate work

Minnesota politician breaks his silence after allegations from 4 women, says such behavior is not something he would do intentionally

ed note–Franken was one of the few (if not ONLY) Senators of the non-Gentile persuasion from the Democratic side who vocally and loudly opposed the impeachment of Trump.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHyC9HVaEdc&w=640&h=360]

All can rest assured however that now, following his ‘rehabilitation’ he will be a compliant and cooperative Senator when time comes to bring Trump up on the political gallows.

Please note the following item–

‘When asked whether he expected any other women to step forward with similar allegations, Franken said: “If you had asked me two weeks ago, ‘Would any woman say I had treated her with disrespect?’ I would have said, ‘No.’ So this has just caught me by surprise… I certainly hope not.’

Translation–there are other photos and embarrassing revelations sitting there in Franken’s political closet, possibly much worse, quietly waiting in line to be dragged out into the limelight one by one, but as long as Franken plays ball vis Trump’s impeachment, they will remain there, out of public sight and therefore out of public discourse. 

Times of Israel

Minnesota Senator Al Franken broke his silence Sunday after being swept into a nationwide tide of sexual harassment allegations, saying he feels “embarrassed and ashamed,” but looks forward to returning to work on Monday and gradually regaining voters’ trust.

The Democrat spoke to a handful of media outlets in Minnesota in the first interviews he has granted after four women publicly accused him of misconduct. Franken’s staff did not respond to repeated interview requests from The Associated Press.

Three women allege that Franken grabbed their buttocks while taking photos with them during campaign events. Franken, who is Jewish, told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that he does not remember the photographs, but that such behavior is “not something I would intentionally do.”

When asked whether he expected any other women to step forward with similar allegations, Franken said: “If you had asked me two weeks ago, ‘Would any woman say I had treated her with disrespect?’ I would have said, ‘No.’ So this has just caught me by surprise… I certainly hope not.”

The first woman to come forward was Los Angeles radio news anchor Leeann Tweeden, who earlier this month released a photograph of the former comedian grinning while reaching out as if to grope her, as she slept on a military aircraft during a USO tour in 2006. Tweeden said Franken also forcibly kissed her while rehearsing for a USO performance, which Franken has disputed.

Franken told Minnesota Public Radio on Sunday that the photo with Tweeden was “inexcusable,” but he declined to explain it further.

“What my intention was doesn’t matter. What matters is that I am chained to that photo,” Franken said. “She… didn’t have any ability to consent. She had every right to feel violated by that photo. I have apologized to her and I was very grateful that she accepted my apology.”

A few days after Tweeden released the photo, another woman, Lindsay Menz, publicly alleged that Franken pulled her in closely and squeezed her buttocks, while they posed for a photo at the Minnesota State Fair in 2010.

Two other women, speaking anonymously to The Huffington Post, said this week that Franken grabbed their buttocks during political events in 2007 and 2008, during his first campaign for Senate.

One woman said the then-candidate suggested they visit the bathroom together. Franken has denied propositioning a woman to go to the bathroom and said it was “difficult to respond to anonymous accusers.”

On Sunday, he told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that he has posed for “tens of thousands of photos” over the years and does not remember any that ended with his hand sliding down to cup women’s backsides.

“I don’t remember these photographs, I don’t,” he said. “This is not something I would intentionally do.”

Franken has walked a careful line in his response to the allegations. He earlier apologized to any woman who felt disrespected from their encounters.

Franken faces a Senate ethics investigation — which he welcomed in the wake of Tweeden’s allegation — though it’s unclear when that review may begin. A swirl of sexual harassment allegations at the Minnesota Capitol forced the resignations of two state lawmakers at party leaders’ urging, but Franken has not faced similar widespread calls to leave his US Senate seat.

Franken came to the Senate after a months-long recount gave him a 312-vote victory in his 2008 election. He immediately tried to distance himself from his decades of professional comedy, which included off-color jokes about rape and disparaging women, and avoided national reporters.

Dozens of women who have worked with Franken, including former Senate staffers and women who worked with him on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” signed statements supporting Franken following Tweeden’s allegations.