.I like Al Franken

[vlyons]

I was deeply disappointed that a woman accused him of groping her, and I believe her. But unlike these deplorable Republicans, who lie and make all kinds of excuses, Al Franken actually has a conscious. That he has apologized and agreed to a review by the ethics committee shows that he actually has a moral compass, and it points in the correct direction. No way do I believe that Al would ever molest a child, or threaten a woman's job with a demand sexual favors. Al made an awful mistake that crossed the boundary, but I see no pattern here. If I lived in his state, I would vote for his re-election.

[Homeoutside]

1. He didn't apologize...

for groping her. He apologized for the photo. Let's keep that clear.

"Al made an awful mistake that crossed the boundary"

What boundary? Being involved in a childish photo? Yes. That's all, imo.

[greeny2323]

3. Exactly

I am skeptical of her. I'm allowed to be skeptical of claims made by people based on my own judgment. I'll be happy to change my mind based on evidence.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

6. Of course... that's fair.

[avebury]

2. I don't believe her. It looks like there are

witnesses who have come forward and are disputing her story. That, along with the fact that she is a known Trump supporter, tends to lend credible doubts to her story.

[Irish_Dem]

4. If these are the facts to date, then unless other women come forward, looks like not much to

the allegations, I agree.

[Squinch]

8. So the inquiry that he has requested, in which both get a fair hearing, is important.

[uponit7771]

10. +1, people who were there are speaking up on Franken's behalf

[Squinch]

11. When he so readily requested the hearing, I thought we would see that.

And the hearing would put it into an official record.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

5. Me too... and I do give Franken credit for the way he's handling the situation...

Still torn though.

[John1956PA]

7. I respect Franken for his trips with the USO.

The current sexual misconduct controversy aside, I have long respected Al Franken for his considerable involvement with the USO tours to Iraq and Afghanistan.

From https://www.minnpost.com/eric-black-ink/2008/08/coleman-and-franken-iraq-everything-you-need-know:

Franken has been to Iraq four times on USO tours to entertain the troops. In our interview, he said that he had been to Iraq before Coleman went, that his visits lasted longer, and that he spent a lot more time with ordinary troops than did Coleman, whose visits to Iraq were official congressional delegation tours.

[PeaceNikki]

9. People are a sum of their parts. Franken has been an incredible ally to women.

t
Especially victims of sexual and domestic violence.

In 2009, Franken introduced a provision to the next year’s defense appropriations bill that banned federal funding for “defense contractors who forced employees to mandatory binding arbitration in the case of rape, assault, wrongful imprisonment, harassment, and discrimination."

In 2011, he joined other Dem senators to introduce the Arbitration Fairness Act (he reintroduced the bill in 2015) to “eliminate forced arbitration clauses in employment, consumer, and civil rights cases.” Such clauses often apply to employees alleging workplace harassment.

In 2012, he supported the Violence Against Women Act, saying "The VAWA reauthorization bill is another step toward a more just society as Sheila [Wellstone] described it,” Franken said. “And I look forward to it becoming law.”

October 2017 Franken pushed a bill to establish federal funding to train first responders and members of law enforcement in interviewing possible survivors of sexual assault.Franken sponsored the legislation after a former intern raped a 19-year-old university student, Abby Honold, who reached out to Franken’s office to discuss the subject.

Al Franken has helped abused women through his advocacy and legislation and I will never NOT support that.