Woman Says Al Franken Groped Her During 2010 Photo Op

Another woman has come forward with an assault allegation against Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.).

Lindsay Menz, 33, told CNN in a report published on Monday that Franken “inappropriately touched her in 2010” while posing for a photograph at the Minnesota State Fair.

Menz said she was driven to speak out on what happened to her after local radio news anchor Leeann Tweeden revealed last week that Franken “kissed and groped her without her consent during a USO tour in December 2006.

“I don’t want to paint my story in the same light as hers,” Menz said of Tweeden’s account, adding, “If someone sees that I said something, maybe it would give them the courage to say something too.”

Of her interaction with Franken, Menz said she was left feeling “gross” after the incident at the Minnesota State Fair, which she attended with her husband and father.

Menz told CNN that she was at the fair because her father’s business was sponsoring a booth, and she spent the day taking photos with local elected officials, political candidates and celebrities, one of which happened to be Franken.

As Menz’s husband went to take a photo of her and Franken, Menz said the senator pulled her “in really close, like awkward close, and as my husband took the picture, he put his hand full-fledged on my rear. It was wrapped tightly around my butt cheek.”

“It wasn’t around my waist. It wasn’t around my hip or side. It was definitely on my butt. I was like, oh my God, what’s happening,” she added.

Menz’s husband corroborated the account, noting that Franken, who was a first-term senator at the time, pulled Menz in and “pushed his head against her head” and that she had told him immediately after the exchange: “He totally grabbed my butt.”

Then-Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.) was also nearby when the alleged incident took place, but could not corroborate Menz’s account. Menz told CNN that her interaction and subsequent photo with Kline was much more cordial. She said Kline asked her if they should “mutually put our arms around each other.” Kline told CNN that “as a matter of practice” he always asked individuals, particularly women, whether he should put his arm on their back or shoulder during photo opportunities.

Franken told CNN that he “did not remember taking the photo with Menz and that he felt ‘badly’ that she felt disrespected.”

“I take thousands of photos at the state fair surrounded by hundreds of people, and I certainly don’t remember taking this picture,” Franken said. “I feel badly that Ms. Menz came away from our interaction feeling disrespected.”

Franken’s office did not immediately return a request for further comment.

Read the whole story on CNN.

Also on HuffPost

Gretchen Carlson

<strong>Her account: </strong>In a lawsuit <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/gretchen-carlson-harassment-lawsuit_us_577d22c1e4b09b4c43c1c624">filed in July 2016</a>, Carlson accused Ailes of sexual harassment and sexism. When Carlson attempted to address the discriminatory treatment in September 2015, Ailes allegedly told her:&nbsp;&ldquo;I think you and I should have had a sexual relationship a long time ago and then you&rsquo;d be good and better and I&rsquo;d be good and better." Carlson&nbsp;claimed that Ailes fired her in June 2016 for rebuffing his sexual advances and challenging a sexist newsroom culture.&nbsp;<br /><br /><strong>Ailes' response:</strong>&nbsp;The same day Carlson filed her lawsuit, Ailes released the below statement:&nbsp;<br /><br />"Gretchen Carlson&rsquo;s allegations are false. This is a retaliatory suit for the network&rsquo;s decision not to renew her contract, which was due to the fact that her disappointingly low ratings were dragging down the afternoon lineup. When Fox News did not commence any negotiations to renew her contract, Ms. Carlson became aware that her career with the network was likely over and conveniently began to pursue a lawsuit.&nbsp;Ironically, Fox News provided her with more on-air opportunities over her 11 year tenure than any other employer in the industry, for which she thanked me in her recent book. This defamatory lawsuit is not only offensive, it is wholly without merit and will be defended vigorously.&rdquo;&nbsp;<br /><br /><strong>When we found out:&nbsp;</strong>July 6, 2016<br /><br /><strong>When she says it happened:&nbsp;</strong>2005 - 2016

Marsha Callahan

<strong>Her account</strong>: When Callahan (left) was starting out as an aspiring model in the 1960s, Ailes <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/07/six-more-women-allege-ailes-sexual-harassment.html">allegedly told</a> her that he could advance her career if she slept with him, <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/07/six-more-women-allege-ailes-sexual-harassment.html" target="_blank">New York Magazine reported</a> on July 9, 2016. During this time, Ailes was a producer on "The Mike Douglas Show&rdquo; and allegedly asked Callahan to wear a garter belt and stockings and lift up her skirt for him.<br /><br /><strong>Ailes&rsquo; response</strong>: Although Ailes did not publicly comment on Boyle&rsquo;s accusation, his lawyer Barry Asen released a&nbsp;statement. Asen blamed Carlson's initial accusations for these new allegations: &ldquo;It has become obvious that Ms. Carlson and her lawyer are desperately attempting to litigate this in the press because they have no legal case to argue. The latest allegations, all 30 to 50 years old, are false.&rdquo;<br /><br /><strong>When we found out: </strong>July 9, 2016<br /><strong><br />When she says it happened:&nbsp;</strong>1967 or 1968

Megyn Kelly

<strong>Her account: </strong>Directly after Carlson&rsquo;s accusations came to light, <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/07/14/fox-colleagues-mad-that-megyn-kelly-isn-t-speaking-up-for-roger-ailes">Kelly allegedly told 21st Century Fox</a> investigators that Ailes made unwanted sexual advances when she was just starting out as a correspondent for Fox 10 years prior. In her recent memoir, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/megyn-kelly-roger-ailes-harassment_us_581b4fa2e4b08f9841adb05e">Kelly wrote</a> that Ailes made inappropriate advances, commenting on her &ldquo;very sexy bras&rdquo; and &ldquo;how he&rsquo;d like to see [her] in them.&rdquo; He also tried to grab and kiss her, and later threatened to fire her if she did not comply. <br /><br /><strong>Ailes' response: </strong>&ldquo;I categorically deny the allegations Megyn Kelly makes about me. I worked tirelessly to promote and advance her career, as Megyn herself admitted to Charlie Rose. Watch that interview and then decide for yourself,&rdquo; Ailes said in a <a href="http://people.com/tv/roger-ailes-denies-megyn-kelly-sexual-harassment-allegations-statement/">statement to People Magazine</a> on November 15, 2016. &ldquo;My attorneys have restricted me from commenting further -- so suffice it to say that no good deed goes unpunished.&rdquo;<br /><br /><strong>When we found out: </strong>Initial accusations on July 19, 2016; details from her book on November 3, 2016<br /><br /><strong>When she says it happened: </strong>2005 - 2006

Rudi Bakhtiar

<strong>Her account</strong>: The former Fox News correspondent <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/24/business/at-fox-news-kisses-innuendo-propositions-and-fears-of-reprisal.html">told The New York Times</a> she was fired for complaining about sexual harassment from then-Fox News Washington bureau chief Brian Wilson. Similar to other accusations, Bakhtiar said Ailes also behaved inappropriately, asking her to stand during a job interview so he could see her legs and sending her miniskirts to wear at work. <br /><br /><strong>Ailes&rsquo; response</strong>: None from Ailes, Fox News or parent company 21st Century Fox. <br /><br /><strong>When we found out: </strong>July 23, 2016<br /><br /><strong>When she says it happened: </strong>2007

Laurie Luhn

<strong>Her account:</strong> Luhn, the former director of booking at Fox News, said that Ailes sexually harassed and blackmailed her into performing sexual acts for more than 20 years. &ldquo;It was psychological torture,&rdquo; she told<a href="http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/07/fmr-fox-booker-harassed-by-ailes-for-20-years.html">&nbsp;New York Magazine</a>&nbsp;on July 29, 2016. Luhn was among the few women who said she had given in to Ailes' demands, knowing he could help her career.<br /><br /><strong>Ailes&rsquo; response: </strong>&ldquo;Ms. Luhn is someone I once regarded as a friend and a person who I helped for many years,&rdquo; Ailes wrote in a statement to <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/laurie-luhn-roger-ailes-sexually-harassed-20-years/story?id=43619335">ABC News</a> in November 18, 2016. &ldquo;The stories she is telling now are fabrications built on half-truths and outright lies, and I can only assume are opportunistically intended to thrust her back into the limelight at my expense.&rdquo;<br /><strong><br />When we found out:&nbsp;</strong>July 29, 2016<br /><br /><strong>When she says it happened:</strong> 1996 - 2016

Laurie Dhue

<strong>Her account:</strong> Dhue, who worked as a Fox News anchor from 2000 to 2008, <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/fox-news-boss-roger-ailes-asked-laurie-dhue-wore-underwear-article-1.2735950">said</a> that Ailes asked if she was wearing underwear while she was jumping with his then 6-year-old son at a barbecue in New Jersey. &ldquo;Are you wearing any panties? I wish you weren&rsquo;t,&rdquo; Ailes <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/07/can-the-murdochs-contain-the-ailes-damage.html">allegedly asked</a> Dhue. &nbsp;<br /><br /><strong>Ailes&rsquo; response</strong>: No public response.<br /><strong><br />When we found out:&nbsp;</strong>August 2, 2016<br /><strong><br />When she says it happened:&nbsp;</strong>Sometime during her tenure at Fox News between 2000 and 2008.

Andrea Tantaros

<strong>Her account:</strong> In a lawsuit <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/andrea-tantaros-fox-news-lawsuit_us_57bc6919e4b0b51733a5d614">filed August 2016</a>, former Fox News host Tantaros claimed that Ailes is a &ldquo;sexual predator&rdquo; who made inappropriate sexual comments about her body and requested she hug him and twirl for him in his office. In the lawsuit, Tantaros named other Fox News male colleagues who sexually harassed her, including Bill O&rsquo;Reilly. She called Fox News a &ldquo;sex-fueled, Playboy Mansion-like cult, steeped in intimidation, indecency and misogyny.&rdquo; After Tantaros complained about Ailes and Fox News&rsquo; misogynistic culture, she said she was demoted and taken off the air. <br /><br /><strong>Ailes&rsquo; response</strong>: While Ailes did not publicly comment on the accusations, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/fox-news-tantaros-ailes_us_57c4bf6ee4b0cdfc5ac8ec8d">Fox News&rsquo; lawyers</a> called Tantaros an &ldquo;opportunist&rdquo; and said her lawsuit &ldquo;bears all the hallmarks of the &lsquo;wannabe.&rsquo;&rdquo; <br /><strong><br />When we found out:&nbsp;</strong>August 8, 2016<br /><br /><strong>When she says it happened: </strong>2014 - 2016

Shelley Ross

<strong>Her account: </strong>In an essay for <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/08/08/roger-ailes-sexually-harassed-me-i-thought-i-was-the-first-and-last" target="_blank">The Daily Beast i</a>n August 2016, Ross details the sexual harassment she experienced on &ldquo;The Tomorrow Show&rdquo; from Roger Ailes. Ross wrote that Ailes proposed a &ldquo;sexual alliance&rdquo; while she worked on the show. <br /><br /><strong>Ailes&rsquo; response</strong>: None.<br /><br /><strong>When we found out: </strong>August 8, 2016<br /><br /><strong>When she says it happened: </strong>1981

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