Sen. Al Franken Discussing With His Family Whether to Resign (Exclusive)
Sen. Al Franken is discussing with his family whether to resign from his office, but no decision has been made, his office told TheWrap.
Franken’s team also denied a Minnesota Public Radio report that Franken will resign Thursday. Although Franken does plan to make a statement, no decision has been made on whether he will resign, the office said.
A dozen of Franken’s fellow Democrats have called on him to resign in response to seven women accusing him of unwanted groping or other sexual contact. Six female Demcoratic senators held a news conference on Wednesday saying he should step aside.
“I do not feel that he should continue to serve,” said New York’s Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “Everyone will make their own judgment.”
After the publication of this story, Franken made the following statement:
Senator Franken is talking with his family at this time and plans to make an announcement in D.C. tomorrow. Any reports of a final decision are inaccurate.
— Sen. Al Franken (@SenFranken) December 6, 2017
On Wednesday, Politico published the latest accusation against Franken: a former Democratic Congressional aide said Franken tried to forcibly kiss her back in 2006 after a taping of his radio show, before he won his Senate seat.
Franken denied the accusation.
Six other women have also accused him of unwanted contact. The first was radio host Leeann Tweeden, who wrote last month that Franken kissed her against her will, and later posted a photo of him groping her, while they were on a 2006 USO tour. She said it was taken while she slept, and that she only learned of the groping and photo later.
Franken said he remembered the kiss differently, but apologized.
