Senator Al Franken accused of sexual assault

[Underverse]

At the very least he isn't trying to hide everything like Moore and Trump, but this is certainly wrong and he'll get punished for it. At the very least I'll give him props for being a decent person about this, minus the doing sexual assult.

If all the evidence of sexual assault is his hands hovering over her fully clothed chest then I would say that's a pretty weak case. As for the kiss, it seems like a miscommunication at worst.

Look at her recounting. First, it was a comedic show that she knew would be full of sexual innuendo. She was not unaware of this and in fact stated as much:

The headliner was comedian and now-senator, Al Franken.

Franken had written some skits for the show and brought props and costumes to go along with them. Like many USO shows before and since, the skits were full of sexual innuendo geared toward a young, male audience.

She lays out her expectations in her mind, but also makes it clear that she never vocalized those expecations to Franken. In fact, she says:

As a TV host and sports broadcaster, as well as a model familiar to the audience from the covers of FHM, Maxim and Playboy, I was only expecting to emcee and introduce the acts, but Franken said he had written a part for me that he thought would be funny, and I agreed to play along.

Then, she again describes her mindset, but fails to vocalize this:

When I saw the script, Franken had written a moment when his character comes at me for a ‘kiss’. I suspected what he was after, but I figured I could turn my head at the last minute, or put my hand over his mouth, to get more laughs from the crowd.

On the day of the show Franken and I were alone backstage going over our lines one last time. He said to me, “We need to rehearse the kiss.” I laughed and ignored him. Then he said it again. I said something like, ‘Relax Al, this isn’t SNL…we don’t need to rehearse the kiss.’

He insists and she consents. The kiss is more aggressive than she expects, and she tells him not to do it again. He follows her wish.

He continued to insist, and I was beginning to get uncomfortable.

He repeated that actors really need to rehearse everything and that we must practice the kiss. I said ‘OK’ so he would stop badgering me. We did the line leading up to the kiss and then he came at me, put his hand on the back of my head, mashed his lips against mine and aggressively stuck his tongue in my mouth.

So what exactly is the problem here? This is exactly the kind of 'sexual assault' cases that people roll their eyes at, because they detract from real, damaging sexual assault. She consented, got something that was a bit more than she expected, told him not to do it again, and he obeyed. That's a normal human interaction.

[kaelleria]

FRANKEN: "I am asking that an ethics investigation be undertaken, and I will gladly cooperate"

Looks like the investigation will happen.

[PACOX]

The country is in the middle of this moment where sexual assault is being taken very seriously. It sends a bad message to have a Senator remain in his seat after being accused with some photographic evidence. And if the Democrats continue to support him, it makes them full-blown hypocrites when it comes to attacking Trump on the issue. It's moral and political issue. It's better for the country and for the party if he steps down.

Stepping down does nothing but makes it another isolated issue that goes away with resignation. An investigation needs to be done so that actual rules are set in place.

[Skroe]

Stepping down does nothing but makes it another isolated issue that goes away with resignation. An investigation needs to be done so that actual rules are set in place.

Both need to happen, even if the resignation happens at the end of the investigation. He needs to go.

Government must be a place of the highest ethical and moral standards. Franken falls for short by this single action, even though it happened prior to his election. It was in 2006. He was middle aged them. He is not a different person. It's not like smoking weed when you're 18.

I don't know on what planet these jokers think their behavior is appropriate. But then again, one look into the other sexual harassment threads and we see weird dudes contort themselves justifying doing weird and deeply unacceptable things simply because they want to do it.

People just dont have enough respect for their fellow (wo)man this day in age.

[Dacien]

He should resign immediately.

I'm honestly not so sure. Nobody wants to talk about gradations of evil, and circumstances, and mitigating factors, but these things do matter. I think Roy Moore attempting to rape an underage girl requires stepping down.

But I'm not so sure Al Franken is irredeemable here.

[cubby]

I'm as liberal as they come. Check out my other comments.

I wasn't quoting you. Not sure why you're responding to someone else.

[Daelak]

Looks like the investigation will happen.

Good, it's time to show the society that not even US senators or candidates, including the president, are above reproach, no matter how long ago the events transpired. I think it is a salient point to bring up Trump's storied history of women, which never included preparing for a skit, but rather 'surprise' and voyeuristic checks on teens and young women for his miss universe pageantry. I can't imagine the fear of trying to tell one's story about a sitting president.

[cubby]

What is misrepresented? He posed for a pictures grabbing her breasts while she was asleep. That's wrong.

Again. This isn't about Moore or Trump. But you're free to check my posting history.

Almost everything is misrepresented. First all, that pic isn't sexual assault - it's a gag photo, done at a USO show. That's not sexual assault, and by claiming it is, you are demeaning every actual victim out there.

I'm pretty sure you've called for Trump and Moore's resignation over their actual sexual assault allegations - shouldn't have implied you didn't. My bad.

[kaelleria]

Both need to happen, even if the resignation happens at the end of the investigation. He needs to go.

Government must be a place of the highest ethical and moral standards. Franken falls for short by this single action, even though it happened prior to his election. It was in 2006. He was middle aged them. He is not a different person. It's not like smoking weed when you're 18.

I don't know on what planet these jokers think their behavior is appropriate. But then again, one look into the other sexual harassment threads and we see weird dudes contort themselves justifying doing weird and deeply unacceptable things simply because they want to do it.

People just dont have enough respect for their fellow (wo)man this day in age.

My bet is this is going to open up a huge can of worms.... There are currently 265 Repulican men and 164 Democat men in the house and 79 men in the Senate.

[downnola]

He insists and she consents. The kiss is more aggressive than she expects, and she tells him not to do it again. He follows her wish.



So what exactly is the problem here? This is exactly the kind of 'sexual assault' cases that people roll their eyes at, because they detract from real, damaging sexual assault. She consented, got something that was a bit more than she expected, told him not to do it again, and he obeyed. That's a normal human interaction.

Pestering someone into kissing you, who clearly doesn't want to do it, is not a normal human interaction. If someone is into the idea of kissing you, it doesn't take much effort to convince them. And I don't know how you were socialized as a child, but I wouldn't consider ramming your tongue down a reluctant persons throat as something a properly socialized person would do.

Your post is a steaming pile of rationalized dogshit.

[cubby]

Her article states that she was asleep when that photo was taken. If that's the case, that's totally not ok. If they contact the photographer or others there and the corroborate her story, then he should absolutely resign. It gives more credence to the kiss.

If there is more, then yes, we should review. But this incident is NOT sexual assault. And it demeans every person, including yourself, by claiming otherwise. It's pathetic.

- - - Updated - - -

Pestering someone into kissing you, who clearly doesn't want to do it, is not a normal human interaction. If someone is into the idea of kissing you, it doesn't take much effort to convince them. And I don't know how you were socialized as a child, but I wouldn't consider ramming your tongue down a reluctant persons throat as something a properly socialized person would do.

You're right. Too bad there were rehearsing a scene. PAY ATTENTION.

- - - Updated - - -

He should resign immediately.

Al Franken? Are you kidding me? This is not sexual assault. This incident demeans every other actual sexual assault victim and clouds the issue. If there is other information that hasn't been seen, let's look at it. But this incident screams of "I need another 15-minutes of fame".

[Valizix]

I think Roy Moore attempting to rape an underage girl requires stepping down.

I find it hilarious people are so willing to throw away innocent until proven guilty these days

[kaelleria]

“The first thing I want to do is apologize: to Leeann, to everyone else who was part of that tour, to everyone who has worked for me, to everyone I represent, and to everyone who counts on me to be an ally and supporter and champion of women. There's more I want to say, but the first and most important thing—and if it's the only thing you care to hear, that's fine—is: I'm sorry.

“I respect women. I don't respect men who don't. And the fact that my own actions have given people a good reason to doubt that makes me feel ashamed.

“But I want to say something else, too. Over the last few months, all of us—including and especially men who respect women—have been forced to take a good, hard look at our own actions and think (perhaps, shamefully, for the first time) about how those actions have affected women.

“For instance, that picture. I don't know what was in my head when I took that picture, and it doesn't matter. There's no excuse. I look at it now and I feel disgusted with myself. It isn't funny. It's completely inappropriate. It's obvious how Leeann would feel violated by that picture. And, what's more, I can see how millions of other women would feel violated by it—women who have had similar experiences in their own lives, women who fear having those experiences, women who look up to me, women who have counted on me.

“Coming from the world of comedy, I've told and written a lot of jokes that I once thought were funny but later came to realize were just plain offensive. But the intentions behind my actions aren't the point at all. It's the impact these jokes had on others that matters. And I'm sorry it's taken me so long to come to terms with that.

“While I don't remember the rehearsal for the skit as Leeann does, I understand why we need to listen to and believe women’s experiences.

“I am asking that an ethics investigation be undertaken, and I will gladly cooperate.

“And the truth is, what people think of me in light of this is far less important than what people think of women who continue to come forward to tell their stories. They deserve to be heard, and believed. And they deserve to know that I am their ally and supporter. I have let them down and am committed to making it up to them.”

New statement from Franken... Stark contrast to the statements from Moore or Trump.

[Elba]

So, how many Republicans who defended pedo Moore are outraged at this?

[Skroe]

I'm honestly not so sure. Nobody wants to talk about gradations of evil, and circumstances, and mitigating factors, but these things do matter. I think Roy Moore attempting to rape an underage girl requires stepping down.

But I'm not so sure Al Franken is irredeemable here.

I disagree. If you touch anybody without their permission in a sexual manner, joking or not joking, you're done. No second chances.

And I'm going to tell you why. Our entire society has become exceptional at making easy excuses as to why we're bad at things, why we tolerate failure, misbehavior or incompetence.

Sexual harassment is a great place to draw the line. It is the first (and critically important in and of itself) of MANY things that need to be one strike and your out. Once we establish a new norm of men being terrified to do exactly what Al Franken has done here, least of all, extending all the way to Roy Moore's pedophilia, then we can move on to raising the standards of behavior for other things.

This is how we get this country back on the saddle of being a more moral and ethical place. By showing zero tolerance and zero forgiveness for the people who fuck up to deter against future malfeasance.

[Symphonic]

I don't understand why we can't get morally stable people in senate and congress. the world.

[Deletedaccount1]

Wow, the right is getting super desperate to deflect from Moore. Aside from the glaring contradiction in her own statement (she was asleep but "knew he forcibly kissed her"), Franken ISN'T grabbing her breasts, and he is doing something funny.

When is Trump resigning again?

When is Moore resigning again?

Please keep your faux morale outrage in check - it's just silly.

This whole post reeks of desperation.

[Dacien]

I find it hilarious people are so willing to throw away innocent until proven guilty these days

I think the accusations against Moore are extremely credible.

I also, preliminarily, find the accusations against Franken credible. I'm not convinced Franken's isolated (so far) incident rises to the level of requiring him to step down.

All that said, it's troubling anyone would say that the allegations don't constitute sexual assault. It's a lesser gradation of that evil, but it's undeniably assault.

[Deletedaccount1]

I find it hilarious people are so willing to throw away innocent until proven guilty these days

There's a picture of him grabbing her breasts while she's asleep. He even half-hearted apologized to it which lends credibility to the story. I was tentative at first but I am starting to believe all of these accusations now.

[downnola]

You're right. Too bad there were rehearsing a scene. PAY ATTENTION.

A scene that he snuck into the act without even running it by her first. Did you even read the article or are you just going into full creep apologist mode because it's Al Franken?