Posted on 12/08/2017 11:40:40 PM PST by Oshkalaboomboom
Well, Stuart Smalley’s time in the U.S. Senate has come and gone. After eight women accused him of sexual harassment, the Minnesota Democrat decided resign in the coming weeks. Leeann Tweeden, a radio host, first lobbed allegations that he forcibly kissed and groped her during a 2006 USO tour through the Middle East. Lindsay Menz accused him of grabbing her buttocks during a photo op at the Minnesota State Fair in 2010. Before Thanksgiving, two more women alleged Franken grabbed their rear ends in 2007 and 2008 respectively; both occurred at political events. For a while, Democrats circled the wagons. They refused to say he should resign; a former Hillary Clinton staffer said Franken’s sexual misconduct was benign.
After Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) resigned over his sexual harassment allegations, the dam broke. Scores of Democrats—32 of them—including leadership, called on Franken to go. In a speech yesterday, Franken announced he would be leaving, but he did not apologize in his speech, and he even called some of his accusers liars. As Christine noted, there was little introspection as to why he was leaving. Moreover, he decided to pivot at times, noting the allegations surrounding Alabama Senate Republican candidate Roy Moore and President Donald Trump. That’s irrelevant for the time being. This whole fiasco involved you, Al—not Moore or Trump. While some might say that the Left has reclaimed the high ground, I disagree. I don’t think there was any. Ever since the Democrats gave Bill Clinton a pass on his credible rape allegations, the high ground was lost. When they dithered on what to do about Franken and Conyers, the high ground was lost. When they circled the wagons, the ground was lost. And while both Franken and Conyers will be gone by next year, it took nearly a month to reach a consensus that sexual harassers needed to go; that’s not a profile in courage.
Karol Markowicz ✔ @karol Let Al Franken's legacy as a Senator be that we went out calling women liars. 6:21 PM - Dec 7, 2017 35 35 Replies 223 223 Retweets 520 520 likes Twitter Ads info and privacy
Philip Klein ✔ @philipaklein This may be the least contrite resigning in disgrace speech ever. 5:54 PM - Dec 7, 2017 28 28 Replies 94 94 Retweets 254 254 likes Twitter Ads info and privacy
amy walter ✔ @amyewalter This speech by Franken: not a man who is intrested in much introspection about his role in sexual harassment. 6:02 PM - Dec 7, 2017 65 65 Replies 90 90 Retweets 268 268 likes Twitter Ads info and privacy The default reaction by Franken was to issue a broad apology and think that his voting record could save him, the same way it saved Bill Clinton. They’re both liberal Democrats. It’s fine, right? After twenty years, I doubt there’s been a serious come to Jesus moment. This is all about redirecting attention and pressure on Republicans. Clean house and let the Moore and his albatross—allegations of sexually molesting and abusing teenage girls—hang around Republicans’ necks.
Moving on, here’s a partial transcript of what Franken said to announce he was on his way out, courtesy of Minnesota Public Radio [emphasis mine]:
Over the last few weeks, a number of women have come forward to talk about how they felt my actions had affected them. I was, I was shocked. I was upset. But in responding to their claims I also wanted to be respectful of that broader conversation, because all women deserve to be heard and their experiences taken seriously. I think that was the right thing to do. I also think it gave some people the false impression that I was admitting to doing things that in fact I haven't done. Some of the allegations against me are simply not true. Others I remember very differently. I said at the outset that the ethics committee was the right venue for these allegations to be heard and investigated and evaluated on their merits. That I was prepared to cooperate fully and that I was confident in the outcome. You know an important part of the conversation we've been having last few months has been about how men abused their power and privilege to hurt women. I am proud that during my time in the Senate I have used my power to be a champion of women and that I have earned a reputation as someone who respects the women I work alongside everyday. I know there's been a very different picture of me painted over the last few weeks, but I know who I really am. Serving in the United States Senate has been the great honor of my life. I know in my heart that nothing I have done as a senator — nothing — has brought dishonor on this institution, and I am confident that the ethics committee would agree. Nevertheless, today I am announcing that in the coming weeks I will be resigning as a member of the United States Senate. I of all people am aware that there is some irony in the fact that I am leaving while a man who has bragged on tape about his history of sexual assault sits in the Oval Office and a man who has repeatedly preyed on young girls campaigns for the Senate with the full support of his party. But this decision is not about me. It's about the people of Minnesota. Maybe Franken thought he could hang on, maybe he thought his Senate colleagues thought better of him, which could have provided a buffer from which he could survive. No dice. Was it the whole ‘I’m a liberal Democrat’ mindset that kept Franken in a false sense of security? It surely explains where he went in his speech. He was obviously not willing to leave.
For one of Franken’s accusers, Army veteran Stephanie Kemplin, she was appalled, and rightfully so, at Franken’s inability to come to terms and own what he did; Kemplin alleges that Franken groped her breast in 2003 (via Washington Times):
“I have to say that I am so sad and appalled at his lack of response and him owning up to what he did,” Stephanie Kemplin told MSNBC, according to a clip flagged by The Daily Caller. […] “I feel that he just keeps passing the buck and making it out to be something that we took his behavior the wrong way, or we misconstrued something, or just flat-out lied about what happened to us,” she said. “Justice to me would be him owning up to what he did and to stop trying to pass the buck to other individuals who possibly did commit the same things, possibly more heinous, than what he’s done,” she added. We should just be honest here. This isn’t the Democrats cleaning house, owning their past, or trying to change the culture on the Hill. As Liz Harrington at the Free Beacon noted, it was the realization that Franken was expendable—Minnesota has a Democratic governor—and that his loss wouldn’t really reduce their ranks in the upper chamber. On top of that, they can redirect on Republicans without having to man the Franken-Conyers element on their flanks. This is solely about politics and nothing more. I know we know that; this is for the more left-leaning folks out there.
“Another friendly reminder: Franken said he would resign but he hasn’t resigned yet. Believe it when you see him carrying his belongings out the door. “
And so what Franken needs at this juncture is for another couple of women to come forward with pics. Maybe we will then see Franken move up his departure date and go now.
Actually, I want to see the dirty little creep remain in office, just so we can continue to deride and vilify him.
Why has a special election not been scheduled for Franken’s seat or why has no name been put forth to replace him? Oh. Right. Because he’s not actually resigning.
Meanwhile, the real outrage is that $17 million of taxpayer money used to silence those with suits against DC pols and their staffs for hush money. Anyone who used taxpayer funds to silence accusers should be the ones who go. The list of them hasn't been released. It's gradually coming out, but only through leaks.
Include in who should go....anyone who knew about the federal money used to silence accusers.
Al Franken mentality is going to bring down popular pols who aren't bought and paid for. It's a way to justify the opposition to Roy Moore. It's all about us losing our rights to elect our politicians, and it's been going on way too long. (Murkowski, Lieberman, Cochran)
Someone did come forward with pictures. an unconscious /sleeping woman that he was attempting to molest without her consent.
He needs to be gone.
And he blamed the women he was inappropriate with. Not himself. Nice example you have there, dems. He is the poster child for the dem party - do what you want to women and when they complain, blame them and claim you don’t remember.
There is a much better chance of picking up that Senate seat if he sticks around until 2020. Better still if he runs for re-election.
I agree, although I also concur that Franken got his seat through fraud.
I want him there for all of Minnesota to enjoy. We will get a much better outcome next election.
Al Franken probably got elected the first time with a little help from his friends. But the second time? The voters were pleased with his performance as US Senator, He was re-elected by a much more substantial margin.
“.... Meanwhile, the real outrage is that $17 million of taxpayer money used to silence those with suits against DC pols and their staffs for hush money. ....”
Indeed it’s outrage...Capitol outrage!
“Asset Forfeiture” such as personal property and accrued value of Congressional pension benefits will settle all or some of the $17M debt. And it IS a DEBT owed the government.
Color him “Not Gone Yet”, and I don’t think he will.
Franken did apologize early on when this broke around Thanksgiving. And he’ll be gone by the end of January.
Because he hasn't actually resigned. And the Minnesota Lieutenant Governor's name has been put forward as his replacement.
So he resigns, preventing any investigation...then changes his mind in a couple weeks, calling it all a witch hunt against him.
He is playing games with us.
Cue up Smokey Robinson’s “Tears of a Clown.”
Inasmuch as Franken is not shuffling out the door lugging a cardboard box of memorabilia, the senate needs to fast track a summons before the Ethics Committee. The prospect of losing his senatorial pension package will dislodge him in short order.
Franken has told his story and he is sticking to it—no apologies and no admission of guilt. Why? So when he takes the cushy-do-nothing-high-paying-job that the left has waiting for him he can still maintain that he is pure as fresh fallen snow.
Franken knows that no democrat apology is sincere or actually worth a damn.
An apology should have no weight in covering up or otherwise obscuring the sin. An apology is not a release from guilt.
Franken is going to wait until the Alabama senate race is decided, if Roy Moore wins he will refuse to resign unless the Republican leadership refuses to allow Moore to get seated. It was easy to see this when he said he would resign in the coming weeks.
I don’t want Franken to resign. Let the voters decide, next election. This is all about the US Senate deciding who can be a US Senator. NOBODY across the political spectrum should like what this leads to.
Stop the political witch hunts. Let the accusers come forward. Let there be ethics investigations. Let there be due process.
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