Female Democratic Senators Lead Call For Al Franken To Resign
Al Franken
WASHINGTON ― Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) officially lost the support of many of  his  colleagues Wednesday  when more than 20 Democratic senators and the chairman of the Democratic National Committee called on  him  to step down amid multiple sexual misconduct allegations  including groping and kissing women without their consent.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.)  who has been a leader on raising awareness about the epidemic of sexual misconduct  was the first to call on  Franken  to go.
“I have been shocked and disappointed to learn over the last few weeks that a colleague I am fond of personally has engaged in behavior towards women that is unacceptable ” she said in a Facebook post. “I consider  Senator Franken  to be a friend and have enjoyed working with  him  in the Senate in our shared fight to help American families. But this moment of reckoning about our friends and colleagues who have been accused of sexual misconduct is necessary  and it is painful. We must not lose sight that this watershed moment is bigger than any one industry  any one party  or any one person.”
Today  I am calling on my colleague  Al Franken  to step aside. I’ve struggled with this decision because  he ’s been a good Senator and I consider  him  a friend. But that cannot excuse  his  behavior and  his  mistreatment of women. (thread) — Senator Mazie Hirono (@maziehirono) December 6  2017
 Al Franken  should resign. — Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) December 6  2017
It is clear that  Al Franken  has engaged in a pattern of egregious and unacceptable behavior toward women.  He  should resign. — Sen. Maggie Hassan (@SenatorHassan) December 6  2017
Sexual harassment and misconduct should not be allowed by anyone and should not occur anywhere. I believe the best thing for  Senator Franken  to do is step down. — Kamala Harris (@SenKamalaHarris) December 6  2017
“I’m shocked and appalled by  Sen. Franken’s  behavior. It’s clear to me that this has been a deeply harmful  persistent problem and a clear pattern over a long period of time ” Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said in a statement. “It’s time for him to step aside.”
I believe it is best for  Senator Franken  to resign. — Sen. Tammy Baldwin (@SenatorBaldwin) December 6  2017
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) also called on  Franken  to resign. An aide said she had spoken to him privately and told him it was the right thing to do.
Fellow Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D) notably did not join her colleagues in calling for  Franken ’s resignation.
“Senator Klobuchar personally spoke with  Senator Franken  this morning. As has been reported   he  will be making an announcement tomorrow morning ” her state director  Ben Hill  said in a statement.
Eight women have now come forward with allegations that  Franken  sexually harassed them over the years.
A tipping point for the Democratic senators was a story published Wednesday by Politico  in which a woman said  Franken  tried to forcibly kiss her after a taping of a radio show in 2006.  Franken  was not yet a senator  and  he  reportedly told the woman that it was  his  “right as an entertainer” to kiss her.
“We posed for the shot. He immediately put his hand on my waist  grabbing a handful of flesh. I froze. Then he squeezed. At least twice ” DuPuy wrote. “Al Franken’s familiarity was inappropriate and unwanted. It was also quick; he knew exactly what he was doing.”
Gillibrand stopped short of calling for Democratic leaders to pressure  Franken  to resign  but said that an ongoing Senate ethics investigation is “not equipped” to adequately address the situation.
WASHINGTON ― Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) officially lost the support of many of  his  colleagues Wednesday  when more than 20 Democratic senators and the chairman of the Democratic National Committee called on  him  to step down amid multiple sexual misconduct allegations  including groping and kissing women without their consent.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.)  who has been a leader on raising awareness about the epidemic of sexual misconduct  was the first to call on  Franken  to go.
“I have been shocked and disappointed to learn over the last few weeks that a colleague I am fond of personally has engaged in behavior towards women that is unacceptable ” she said in a Facebook post. “I consider  Senator Franken  to be a friend and have enjoyed working with  him  in the Senate in our shared fight to help American families. But this moment of reckoning about our friends and colleagues who have been accused of sexual misconduct is necessary  and it is painful. We must not lose sight that this watershed moment is bigger than any one industry  any one party  or any one person.”
Today  I am calling on my colleague  [TGT]to step aside. I’ve struggled with this decision because  he ’s been a good Senator and I consider  him  a friend. But that cannot excuse  his  behavior and  his  mistreatment of women. (thread) — Senator Mazie Hirono (@maziehirono) December 6  2017
 [TGT]should resign. — Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) December 6  2017
It is clear that  [TGT]has engaged in a pattern of egregious and unacceptable behavior toward women.  [TGT]  should resign. — Sen. Maggie Hassan (@SenatorHassan) December 6  2017
Sexual harassment and misconduct should not be allowed by anyone and should not occur anywhere. I believe the best thing for  Senator Franken  to do is step down. — Kamala Harris (@SenKamalaHarris) December 6  2017
“I’m shocked and appalled by  Sen. Franken’s  behavior. It’s clear to me that this has been a deeply harmful  persistent problem and a clear pattern over a long period of time ” Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said in a statement. “It’s time for him to step aside.”
I believe it is best for  Senator Franken  to resign. — Sen. Tammy Baldwin (@SenatorBaldwin) December 6  2017
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) also called on  Franken  to resign. An aide said she had spoken to him privately and told him it was the right thing to do.
Fellow Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D) notably did not join her colleagues in calling for  Franken ’s resignation.
“Senator Klobuchar personally spoke with  Senator Franken  this morning. As has been reported   he  will be making an announcement tomorrow morning ” her state director  Ben Hill  said in a statement.
Eight women have now come forward with allegations that  Franken  sexually harassed them over the years.
A tipping point for the Democratic senators was a story published Wednesday by Politico  in which a woman said  Franken  tried to forcibly kiss her after a taping of a radio show in 2006.  Franken  was not yet a senator  and  he  reportedly told the woman that it was  his  “right as an entertainer” to kiss her.
“We posed for the shot. He immediately put his hand on my waist  grabbing a handful of flesh. I froze. Then he squeezed. At least twice ” DuPuy wrote. “Al Franken’s familiarity was inappropriate and unwanted. It was also quick; he knew exactly what he was doing.”
Gillibrand stopped short of calling for Democratic leaders to pressure  Franken  to resign  but said that an ongoing Senate ethics investigation is “not equipped” to adequately address the situation.