Minnesota governor will appoint his lieutenant Tina F. Smith to replace Franken in Senate
Al Franken
Minnesota Lt. Gov. Tina Smith (D) accepts  her appointment to Al Franken's newly-vacant Senate seat .  Franken  announced  he  would resign following multiple accusations of sexual misconduct. (Reuters)
Minnesota Lt. Gov. Tina Smith (D) accepts  her appointment to Al Franken's newly-vacant Senate seat .  Franken  announced  he  would resign following multiple accusations of sexual misconduct. (Reuters)
Minnesota’s governor announced his intention to appoint Lt. Gov. Tina F. Smith  his former chief of staff  to fill the seat expected to be vacated by  Sen. Al Franken  — and she plans to run for election in November to finish out the term.
[ Franken  announces  he  will resign from the Senate as harassment issue rocks Congress]
Franken  who has faced multiple allegations of sexual harassment  announced last week that  he  would resign  his  office “in the coming weeks ” but has not set a date. Smith said she expected to take office in “early January.”
Schumer declined to answer questions about  Franken ’s departure date or Smith on Wednesday morning  saying  he  would leave it to Dayton to make the announcement. Dayton said he had not received any written notice of  Franken ’s resignation. “ Sen. Franken  is a man of  his  word ” Dayton said. “I fully expect that  he  will follow through and resign.”
 Franken  has apologized for  his  behavior  while contesting the particulars of some women’s claims against  him . “Some of the allegations against  me  are simply not true. Others I remember very differently ”  Franken  said  when  he  announced  his  resignation  under intense pressure from  his  Democratic colleagues.
Republicans are likely to mount a serious challenge for  Franken ’s Senate seat  which was previously held by Republican Norm Coleman. One possible candidate  floated by Senate Republicans  is former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty  who unsuccessfully sought the 2012 GOP nomination for president and now serves as president of the Financial Services Roundtable.
Minnesota Lt. Gov. Tina Smith (D) accepts  her appointment to [TGT]'s newly-vacant Senate seat .  Franken  announced  he  would resign following multiple accusations of sexual misconduct. (Reuters)
Minnesota Lt. Gov. Tina Smith (D) accepts  her appointment to [TGT]'s newly-vacant Senate seat .  Franken  announced  he  would resign following multiple accusations of sexual misconduct. (Reuters)
Minnesota’s governor announced his intention to appoint Lt. Gov. Tina F. Smith  his former chief of staff  to fill the seat expected to be vacated by  Sen. [TGT]  — and she plans to run for election in November to finish out the term.
[ Franken  announces  he  will resign from the Senate as harassment issue rocks Congress]
Franken  who has faced multiple allegations of sexual harassment  announced last week that  he  would resign  his  office “in the coming weeks ” but has not set a date. Smith said she expected to take office in “early January.”
Schumer declined to answer questions about  Franken ’s departure date or Smith on Wednesday morning  saying  he  would leave it to Dayton to make the announcement. Dayton said he had not received any written notice of  Franken ’s resignation. “ Sen. Franken  is a man of  his  word ” Dayton said. “I fully expect that  he  will follow through and resign.”
 Franken  has apologized for  his  behavior  while contesting the particulars of some women’s claims against  him . “Some of the allegations against  me  are simply not true. Others I remember very differently ”  Franken  said  when  he  announced  his  resignation  under intense pressure from  his  Democratic colleagues.
Republicans are likely to mount a serious challenge for  Franken ’s Senate seat  which was previously held by Republican Norm Coleman. One possible candidate  floated by Senate Republicans  is former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty  who unsuccessfully sought the 2012 GOP nomination for president and now serves as president of the Financial Services Roundtable.