Was Franken "groping" photo photoshopped in 2009?

[mainer]

On Twitter, an IT professional has analyzed the photo EXIF data and it reveals that the original was taken at 5 PM on Dec. 21 (not on Christmas Eve, as the victim stated) and that it was altered three years later -- right after Franken won his first election.

1 - Thread.
About @SenFranken
EXIF data - the stuff cameras stamp on the digital versions of files? It protects, among other things the copyright of the photographer by LITERALLY stamping the date on when the snap was taken.

It ALSO records the last time a photo was modified.

Link to tweet

[MFM008]

1. I dont put ANYTHING past

the Roger Stone/ Bannon filth machine.

[calimary]

57. If Roger Stone was in ANY way involved, its bogus as hell.

His specialty in politics for decades is what he himself refers to as “rat-fucking.”

I felt as though I smelled a rat when this story came out of KABC-AM, a right-wing talk station here in LA. Wouldn’t surprise me at all if he had friends there in his surely vast and VILE-as-sin world of contacts that stretch across the globe - from the Russians to Julian Assange and more human vermin.

You’ve heard of the fabled seventh level of Hell? There will have to be a special seven-HUNDREDTH level of Hell excavated and developed, just for him.

[bearsfootball516]

2. If it wasn't real, wouldn't they both have come out and said that?

[yallerdawg]

51. "Give 'em enough rope..."

Franken has been fighting these idiots and liars for decades now.

As the recent headline says, "We aren't just dealing with alternate facts - we're in an alternate universe."

[Ken Burch]

62. Possibly Al doesn't actually remember the incident-it was eight years ago.

If something happened one night and you have no memory of a particular event, how do you prove what did or did not happen or who was or was not "in on the joke" at that event?

Or he's figuring there's no way he can look good by trying to prove she's falsely accusing him(if it is a false accusation).

[oberliner]

3. This is reminiscent of the right-wingers saying the Roy Moore yearbook signature is fake

Not good.

[Kingofalldems]

8. How do you know?

[oberliner]

19. The similarity of questioning the accuser and her claims

As opposed to starting with believing the woman.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

63. Well the Moore accusers aren't birther pushing Hannity show Trump trash.

The Moore accusers are civilians. Not soldiers in the culture war.

That said, I'm sure the photo is real. It's her story calling it "groping" that, based on the photo, is complete bull shit.

[L. Coyote]

10. Yeah, they checked yearbook's metadata file and saw when it was modified and whose name was removed

Not even close!

[FBaggins]

56. Actually it's easier to edit metadata

Than forge someone's handwriting

[L. Coyote]

69. Are you saying there is a conspiracy to make it appear there is a conspiracy?

[FBaggins]

72. Not even close

I'm saying that your lame attempt at spin was ludicrous.

The real conspiracy theorist in this case is the nut job on Twitter who thinks that somebody hacked into the metadata to remove the GPS data and the name of the photographer but somehow missed that the date was inconsistent with what he wanted.

The few times that I've seen to claim that the yearbook evidence is unreliable are actually more believable than claims that the photograph proves that she's lying (other than the claim that it shows him groping her of course)

[rzemanfl]

11. You certainly have a lot of concern over the Franken story.

It is noted.

[Kingofalldems]

12. Yep.

[oberliner]

18. Absolutely

I care much more about Democrats than Republicans.

[FreeState]

21. We should care about everyone regardless n/t

[oberliner]

46. But I devote my time to getting Democrats elected and defeating Republicans

I'm already doing everything I can to stop Republicans from getting elected. They are the bad guys.

[Eliot Rosewater]

31. No surprise though, is it.

Reminder, she alleges he shoved tongue down her throat, he says no.

He is known for being truthfyl, she is connected to the worst slime on the planet

NOT he said she said, "man known for being decent and truthful said, person connected to vile filthy lying scum said"

[califootman]

4. I don't know...

If it was photoshopped they did a crappy job. Wouldn't you at least put his hands ON the flak jacket (or even UNDER it) if you wanted to make it look like he was groping her?

[WhiskeyGrinder]

5. "Modified" could mean anything, including cropping.

[L. Coyote]

6. The metadata indicates that it was modified on July 1st, 2009 - Coleman concedes!

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[orangecrush]

42. Holy shit

Nice detective work, to put it mildly!

[FBaggins]

65. So Franken is lying?

Or have you somewhere seen him say "that's not the photo I remember" ?

Why would he apologize for something he didn't do?

This is ridiculous...She obviously felt violated... HE says "It's obvious how Leeann would feel violated by that picture"... and this guy is trying to say it's a fake photo? Based on image metadata that is incredibly easy to fake (in fact the author claims that it has been manipulated... apparently by someone too stupid edit other fields?)

[L. Coyote]

68. You are misunderstanding the story.

Maybe read it again and give it some thought?

[FBaggins]

71. "It's obvious how Leeann would feel violated by that picture"

Why do you disagree with Franken's own take?

[VOX]

7. Merely brightening the image would be a modification.

Don’t get me wrong, this whole thing reeks of Roger Stone and Steve Bannon.

So I’m all for tearing a page out of their playbook, and sowing DOUBT about anything Republicans do. There’s no glory in it, but they have to be stopped, or we’re all cooked.

[Blue Owl]

67. Or breitbarting the image...

[VOX]

70. Oh, no doubt there.

[Agschmid]

9. Its not photoshopped, Franken has said as much.

[loyalsister]

13. He gets it

He posed for a photo that objecttified and demeaned the woman. It's an unfortunate scenario for a man who takes the high road on policy. He has handled it with class.

[mainer]

14. Exactly. He admits it was in bad taste.

But she could certainly have been part of the gag. The question is, why did she lie about the time and date it was taken? Maybe to hide the fact it was 5 in the afternoon, and not in the middle of the night?

Also, who sleeps in a helmet with the chin strap in place while everyone else on the plane has their head uncovered? It looks posed.

[loyalsister]

20. I don't see why questions are necessary

It seems to me his apology is enough and we should move on. Trying to discredit this woman is going to kill the effectiveness of #me too movement.

[OnDoutside]

23. Even if it is a distortion of what actually happened ?

[loyalsister]

26. That's only relevant if someone is pursueing prosecution or something

He invited an investigation. The problem with a vociferous defense is that it diminishes Roy Moore's accusers along with any other woman who comes forward. This is pat of a larger cultural problem that has been festering. It's only political if we fall for it and kill any movement towards addressing sexual harassment as embedded in our culture. I'm sure Roy Moore and Donald Trump supporters love Al Franken's most loyal defenders who are validating their own partisan defenses.

[OnDoutside]

29. That's the kind of scorched earth attitude that cannot differentiate between a paedo and what

Franken did. Let the full truth come out in the ethics investigation before you rush to hang him.

[loyalsister]

34. No one who says it's okay to demean women

as long as it isn't rape or groping has an ounce of credibility to criticize any of it.

[OnDoutside]

59. Even in the current lynch mob climate, there's a world of a difference

Between boorish ignorant behavior and what Moore did.

[loyalsister]

61. This isn't criminal court

The assertion that there is a distinction in what demeaning an devaluing women looks like enables all of it.

[OnDoutside]

64. Indeed it isn't, which is why I referred to it as

a lynch mob climate. A rational discussion is not currently possible.

[BannonsLiver]

25. The #metoo movement is well on its way to jumping the shark.

Why? Because of the way the media has covered it and human nature. The extreme volume of accused and accusers leads to fatigue among the populace and fatigue leads to parody and satire. When that happens, it's done. We're getting close to that point I think. I don't think that's a good thing either.

[loyalsister]

28. And those who know they are guilty breathe a sigh of relief

Last edited Fri Nov 17, 2017, 07:10 PM - Edit history (1)

and jump for joy behind closed doors knowing they can comfortably continue their abusive behavior as our male allies desert us. I'm not calling for him to resign, but I really hate that some are handing over the perfect whataboutism on a silver platter.

[rzemanfl]

36. Please check your spelling. n/t

[octoberlib]

17. I think all he's saying right now is that the the photographers name and GPS location of the pic

were removed . Probably in case they decided to use the photo.




ModifyDate 2009:07:01 22:30:56


DateTimeOriginal 2006:12:21 17:19:30

CreateDate 2006:12:21 17:19:30

[csziggy]

27. The EXIF data was edited - on the DAY that Coleman conceded the race to Franken

Last edited Fri Nov 17, 2017, 07:31 PM - Edit history (1)

8. Well here's another odd thing about this .jpg file - It was modified the day Mr. Coleman finally conceded that you had indeed beaten him and his party for that seat.

The metadata indicates that it was modified on July 1st, 2009 at 10:30 PM.

That means that the GOP has been holding this photo for eight years just for the chance to use it against Franken.

[orangecrush]

44. So no one

Could track down the photographer when it was used against Franken.

[csziggy]

45. The owner of the Twitter account is attempting to find the photographer

He makes the point "The Nikon D2H was top of the top in 2005/2006. According to our AMA - that's what the USAF Combat Camera is given.. So - the photo was likely taken by either a pro photog with USO or Combat Camera.

That either person would let you grope someone says something."

[orangecrush]

60. Yes

And I hope he finds him.

[Denzil_DC]

47. That second comment's based on a debunked source:

The photographer tht took the pic DID put out a statement explaining tht it was done for a SNL skit & she KNEW tht he was supposed to “grope” her & “kiss” her as part of it & she signed on for it!! This was done to distract us while the repiglicans jammed the tax scam thru house!

See here: https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029852049

[csziggy]

48. Thanks - I edited that comment out of my message nt

[Denzil_DC]

49. Cool.

[Joe941]

16. Set up!

[csziggy]

22. The main thread - from the Twitter link in the OP

It's chaos. Be kind.‏ @DipswitchDan

1 - Thread.
About @SenFranken
EXIF data - the stuff cameras stamp on the digital versions of files? It protects, among other things the copyright of the photographer by LITERALLY stamping the date on when the snap was taken.

It ALSO records the last time a photo was modified.
10:46 PM - 16 Nov 2017

828 Retweets
981 Likes
Raven Dawn Head💔 (?)
The Wind
The Diva on a Diet
Maria X
thomas macdonald
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#FREEDOM
Inspired Naturalist
Barb🇨🇦

173 replies 828 retweets 981 likes

New conversation
It's chaos. Be kind.‏ @DipswitchDan
15h15 hours ago

Replying to @DipswitchDan @SenFranken

2. There's lots of stuff in EXIF.
Date. Time (to the second!) Down to the focal length and shutter speed.
Pro photographers also put their Copyright Information in the EXIF as well. What good's a date without a person to attach that date to, after all?
4 replies 113 retweets 191 likes
It's chaos. Be kind.‏ @DipswitchDan
15h15 hours ago

3. Your accuser used the actual photo in her article.
She alleges: "The tour wrapped and on Christmas Eve we began the 36-hour trip home to L.A."
9 replies 111 retweets 169 likes
It's chaos. Be kind.‏ @DipswitchDan
15h15 hours ago

4. The photo here, if you check the metadata - was taken at 5:19 PM on December 21st.
So - not Christmas Eve. Not at night while sleeping.
Folks, grab a copy of the photo and follow along with me.
http://metapicz.com/#icc-box

But that's not all, Mr. Franken.
19 replies 179 retweets 278 likes
It's chaos. Be kind.‏ @DipswitchDan
15h15 hours ago

5. Mrs. Tweeden claims you groped her while she slept on that flight.
On Christmas Eve 2006, and because you're a gross old man, you took a photo.
(Which the pigfuckers at Brietbart are claiming your brother Owen took.)
5 replies 121 retweets 204 likes
It's chaos. Be kind.‏ @DipswitchDan
15h15 hours ago

6. These are her allegations - you groped her while she slept AND took a picture of it. She wasn't aware of the picture until -- I guess she's alleging it was 36 hours after Christmas Eve - so St. Swivven's day?

This photo wasn't taken at night, or on Christmas Eve.
3 replies 128 retweets 206 likes
It's chaos. Be kind.‏ @DipswitchDan
15h15 hours ago

7. So - that's one wrinkle.
Second - remember this day, Senator Franken?
2 replies 109 retweets 178 likes
It's chaos. Be kind.‏ @DipswitchDan
15h15 hours ago

8. Well here's another odd thing about this .jpg file - It was modified the day Mr. Coleman finally conceded that you had indeed beaten him and his party for that seat.

The metadata indicates that it was modified on July 1st, 2009 at 10:30 PM.
10 replies 185 retweets 285 likes
It's chaos. Be kind.‏ @DipswitchDan
15h15 hours ago

9. So, this picture's been waiting to do what it did today the second you became a Senator.
Since 2009, someone's been holding on to a picture - something they KNEW would detonate your career if it was what it LOOKED LIKE.
They even ALTERED it the day you were elected.
10 replies 227 retweets 371 likes
It's chaos. Be kind.‏ @DipswitchDan
15h15 hours ago

10. Weird, right?
As to the kiss - she's forgiven you. She even said she'd like you to call on @jaketapper 's show.

Maybe after you inquire about this one last thing...
6 replies 108 retweets 211 likes
It's chaos. Be kind.‏ @DipswitchDan
15h15 hours ago

11. See, the metadata also carries with it -- when you use Photoshop to alter a pic (which this one seems to have been altered to remove WHO took the photo and the GPS data from the camera -- weird, right?) -- the serial number of the copy of Photoshop that used it.
5 replies 154 retweets 260 likes
It's chaos. Be kind.‏ @DipswitchDan
15h15 hours ago

12. Yeah - so, if we find the serial number on the program that erased the photographer's identity, we find out who altered the photo and maybe we could ask THEM why.

My money would be on USAF Tech Sergeant Chris DeWitt maybe? He takes a lot of USO photos and was at Bagram.
2 replies 147 retweets 271 likes
It's chaos. Be kind.‏ @DipswitchDan
15h15 hours ago

13. For the record, I have my doubts that you mashed on a woman who wasn't Frannie. And I haven't even started checking this thing in Photoshop yet. (But I invite everyone out there following along to.)
4 replies 120 retweets 248 likes
It's chaos. Be kind.‏ @DipswitchDan
14h14 hours ago

P.S. - The camera used was a NIKON - now there's lots of them, of course, but it's also one that the journos in the military use.
Luckily there's an AMA about it.
4 replies 111 retweets 210 likes
It's chaos. Be kind.‏ @DipswitchDan
14h14 hours ago

The Nikon D2H was top of the top in 2005/2006. According to our AMA - that's what the USAF Combat Camera is given.. So - the photo was likely taken by either a pro photog with USO or Combat Camera.

That either person would let you grope someone says something.

[moriah]

24. Can we all agree anyone can be anything on Twitter?

That guy, allegedly from Wisconsin, links to a Chinese website.

Domain name: dipswitchcomics.com
Registry Domain ID: 2160502656_DOMAIN_COM-VRSN
Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.bizcn.com
Registrar URL: http://www.bizcn.com
Updated Date: 2017-09-07T06:49:40Z
Creation Date: 2017-09-07T14:49:40Z
Registrar Registration Expiration Date: 2018-09-07T14:49:40Z
Registrar: Bizcn.com,Inc.
Registrar IANA ID: 471
Registrar Abuse Contact Email: [e-mail]
Registrar Abuse Contact Phone: [phone]
Reseller: Baidu
Domain Status: clientDeleteProhibited (http://www.icann.org/epp#clientDeleteProhibited)
Domain Status: clientTransferProhibited (http://www.icann.org/epp#clientTransferProhibited)
Registry Registrant ID: Not Available From Registry
Registrant Name: ying yipeng
Registrant Organization: ying yipeng
Registrant Street: zhejiangshenglishuishijinyunxianqianluxiangqianlucun
Registrant City: Lishui
Registrant State/Province: Zhejiang
Registrant Postal Code: 321400
Registrant Country: cn
Registrant Phone: [phone]
Registrant Phone Ext:
Registrant Fax: [phone]
Registrant Fax Ext:
Registrant Email: [e-mail]

And the site linked has a link to another site which jt seems to be a mirror of, also not from Wisconsin:
Domain Name: YABOLIANMENG.COM
Registry Domain ID: 2162408571_DOMAIN_COM-VRSN
Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.godaddy.com
Registrar URL: http://www.godaddy.com
Update Date: 2017-09-13T09:18:58Z
Creation Date: 2017-09-13T09:18:57Z
Registrar Registration Expiration Date: 2018-09-13T09:18:57Z
Registrar: GoDaddy.com, LLC
Registrar IANA ID: 146
Registrar Abuse Contact Email: [e-mail]
Registrar Abuse Contact Phone: [phone]
Domain Status: clientTransferProhibited http://www.icann.org/epp#clientTransferProhibited
Domain Status: clientUpdateProhibited http://www.icann.org/epp#clientUpdateProhibited
Domain Status: clientRenewProhibited http://www.icann.org/epp#clientRenewProhibited
Domain Status: clientDeleteProhibited http://www.icann.org/epp#clientDeleteProhibited
Registry Registrant ID:
Registrant Name: lu li
Registrant Organization:
Registrant Street: manila makati
Registrant Street: makati ayala st
Registrant City: makati
Registrant State/Province: manila
Registrant Postal Code: 0900
Registrant Country: PH
Registrant Phone: [phone]
Registrant Phone Ext:
Registrant Fax:
Registrant Fax Ext:
Registrant Email: [e-mail]

-------

I may put the word filters up for Tweet, Twitter, and Tweeted to trash threads with those keywords soon, because otherwise....

Zzzzzzzzzz......

Just because Trump thinks Twitter is a legitimate information platform doesn't mean we should take every tweet as Gospel.

[mainer]

30. So is the EXIF data he tweeted all fake?

I'd really like to know.

[Lee-Lee]

33. You can take any image and change the EXIF data

Is not even complicated.

[moriah]

35. I don't know, I haven't dug into the photograph myself.

But I think if Franken had questions about the authenticity, he would have said something.

And even if he wouldn't have, again... Twitter isn't news and unless you've opened the image from Leeann's blog site yourself and examined the metadata, or someone actually reputable does and puts their real life, not likely fake Twitter, reputation on the line by saying it's shopped...

Zzzzzzzzzz....

[kcr]

37. So, he's just calling for an investigation for fun?

He's not interested in actually getting any information out of it. Like questioning the authenticity of the photo, maybe. Stuff like that.

[moriah]

43. I think he's calling it to call the bluff about Beverly Young Nelson wanting...

... to testify and for Moore to be subpoenaed by that committee to testify as well.

He's saying "I dispute the backstage allegations and the photo was in bad taste, but I'll still submit to an investigation into me being a juvenile asshat. Now, will the asshat who forced juveniles to submit to him be investigated?"

[mainer]

38. True or false (below)? Or is he still throwing nonsense on Twitter?

(This is from the same guy's Twitterfeed)

EXIF data - the stuff cameras stamp on the digital versions of files? It protects, among other things the copyright of the photographer by LITERALLY stamping the date on when the snap was taken.

It ALSO records the last time a photo was modified.


Metadata (can be edited). But not the Adobe log of changes to the file in Photoshop. All we know is that instead of a fixed date, this photo could have been taken ANYTIME.
But was alleged (by Franken's accuser) to have been taken at a very specific time. Christmas Eve.
But WAS altered when Al became a senator.

[moriah]

40. I haven't examined the data to tell you.

I could pretend to be an expert, but I'm not.

However, it'd be pretty easy to verify by someone here who IS good at it to go to the original photo Leeann posted on her blog and examine.

[Lee-Lee]

32. Unless he got the document from the source it means literally nothing

I can take a camera, set the internal clock to 10 years ago, take a picture, change the date on my computer to 5 years ago, upload the pic to the computer, resize it, and then when you look at the data you will see that it says the pic is 10 years old and was modified 5 years ago when it’s really 5 minutes old.

And there are programs that let you manipulate it as well.

If he is downloading the image from the internet there is absolutely no way to know is any of that data is legitimate at all.

[mainer]

39. I think he took it from the accuser's website

And I think others can as well.

[spotthebird]

41. Also, if they did alter it, she is still a liar

So why bother? Franken didn't touch her as she claimed the photograph showed. It's a rather pathetic attention grab. Poor thing.

[kcr]

50. What are you talking about?

Are you claiming he's making a copy and then altering that? If so, that will be super easy to tell pretty quickly.

[riverwalker]

52. Als brother Owen was on that USO tour

If everyone on the tour received a CD of pictures (as Leeann claims) then someone would have original. There is another photo of them both laughing and smiling on the plane, Al is wearing same orange shirt. Trying to locate guy who took pic, was from his blog, was on USO tour.

[paulkienitz]

53. ferchrissake, Franken does not deny that the incident happened as shown in the pic.

And as a photographer, I can assure you that there is nothing odd about the metadata not including the photographer's name, and that it's easy to accidentally mark a pic as modified even if it is visually identical.

[SunSeeker]

58. The metadata also shows the photo was taken at 5:19 pm on 12/21/06, not at night on Christmas Eve.

Link to tweet

[Ms. Toad]

73. Not exactly. What it shows (assuming it was not altered)

is that the camera clock said the time was 5:19 on 12/21/06 - which may, or may not, have been the actual time.

[DemoTex]

66. As an Emmy-winning photographer (which does not make me better than any other), here is my read ..

My digital images are loaded to the max with metadata. And I have caught thieves on the internet, FWIW (nothing!). Much more satisfying, however, is to have your works stolen in the dark of night - from gallery walls. Then you enter an artists' world with a great history: art theft. C' est moi (x2)!

But that is not really my point. My point is (and I am not a portrait photographer) that Al Franken - funny man - was hamming it up for a person with a camera. Not a candid camera. A person with a camera (what kind of camera? - it is in the metadata, if it was digital). Was it a Hasselblad or high end Canon/Nikon of a professional? Or a cell phone (or point-and-shoot)? Again, the truth is in the metadata.

But he was looking at a witness with a camera, and his hands were posed. HE KNEW HE WAS BEING PHOTOGRAPHED. To come away with any other impression, is to believe in Steve Bannon. Verb sap.

[Hekate]

54. Well, well, well

[VMA131Marine]

55. Franken hasn't disputed the authenticity of the photo

And I'm not going to beat someone up over getting the exact date wrong when they were only off a few days. Unless you have a diary, it is really easy to make mistakes like that a decade later.

There will be ample opportunity to question Ms. Tweeden under oath in the ethics investigation. I'm assuming she will agree to cooperate.

[Kire]

74. It certainly shows him not touching her.

If he were touching her, there would be no shadow: