US Senator Al Franken on Thursday said he would resign in the face of multiple accusations of sexual misconduct, becoming the second prominent Democrat forced out in a week over the snowballing harassment allegations convulsing the nation, but in an emotional and defiant address from the US Senate floor, the comedian-turned-lawmaker also delivered a parting shot at US President Donald Trump and Republican politician Roy Moore, who is running for the Senate, despite being accused of molesting teenagers.
Facing a groundswell of demands to resign from within his own party, Franken acknowledged his position had become untenable, but also insisted he remained a “champion” of women and that some of the accusations against him “are simply not true.”
“There’s been a very different picture of me painted over the last few weeks, but I know who I really am,” the 66-year-old Minnesota lawmaker said. “I know in my heart that nothing I have done as a senator — nothing — has brought dishonor on this institution. Nevertheless, today I am announcing that in the coming weeks, I will be resigning as a member of the United States Senate.”
Photo: Reuters
The once-popular lawmaker, who made his name on the late-night comedy show Saturday Night Live, last month acknowledged and apologized for one incident of sexual misconduct, vowing to work to regain public trust.
The allegation, dating back to 2006, was made by sports broadcaster and former model Leeann Tweeden, who said Franken forcibly kissed her and touched her through a flak jacket as she slept during a tour entertaining US troops deployed in Afghanistan.
Six other women have since reportedly coming forward to accuse Franken of touching them inappropriately and Democrats told him it was time to go.
In announcing his resignation, Franken also took direct aim at Trump — who has faced multiple allegations of harassment — and at Alabama politician Moore, who received the US president’s endorsement ahead of a special election next week, despite accusations he molested underage girls when he was in his 30s.
“I, of all people, am aware that there is some irony in the fact I am leaving while a man who bragged on tape about his history of the sexual assault sits in the Oval Office and a man who repeatedly preyed on young girls campaigns for the Senate with the full support of his party,” Franken said.
On Thursday night, Republican congressman Trent Franks of Arizona also announced his resignation amid media reports that he had asked two female staffers to be surrogates to help him and his wife have a third child.
The couple had twins through surrogacy and when a subsequent attempt failed, Franks, a staunch conservative, discussed the topic with his aides, the lawmaker said in a statement announcing his resignation effective Jan. 31.
“Due to my familiarity and experience with the process of surrogacy, I clearly became insensitive as to how the discussion of such an intensely personal topic might affect others,” Franks said, without specifying whether he had asked them to serve as surrogates or discussed the topic in general.
For Franken, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton said he expected to announce a decision on a replacement to fill the senator’s vacant seat in the coming days.
Franken’s resignation came just two days after Democrat John Conyers, the longest-serving member of US Congress, left the House of Representatives after several former staffers accused him of sexual misconduct.
Franken’s accuser Tweeden acknowledged his decision to stand down.
“While I do not celebrate Senator Franken’s resignation, we cannot tolerate hypocrisy,” she said. “We must be able to trust and respect our leaders.”
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