Franken won't resign, staffer tells newspaper

[spanone]

Star Tribune: Franken won't resign, staffer says

Washington (CNN)Minnesota Democratic Sen. Al Franken has no intention of stepping down, a Franken staffer told the Star Tribune on Saturday.

A spokesperson for Franken told the Minnesota paper "no" when asked if the senator would resign in the wake of a woman saying Franken forcibly kissed her and groped her while she slept in 2006.

"He is spending time with his family in Washington, DC, and will be through the Thanksgiving holiday," the spokesperson said. "And he's doing a lot of reflecting."

Franken's office did not immediately respond to a request to confirm or clarify the spokesperson's comments to the newspaper.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/19/politics/al-franken-minnesota/index.html

[NastyRiffraff]

1. Good. He definitely shouldn't

The more I hear about the accusations, the more I detect a funny smell.

[Heather MC]

2. This is so fucked up! She is a, lying sack of shit

[former9thward]

24. Why did he apologize?

[edhopper]

25. Because he is a good man

and rather than attack his accuser, he said he was sorry if he made her uncomfortable. Even if he was just joking around.

He has said he does not agree with what she said about the kiss. The videos and photos have bared him out.

[former9thward]

26. He did not deny the kiss

He said he did not remember it the same way. That is side stepping the question.

[edhopper]

28. We can see a video of the kiss

and we have seen that he has done the same sketch with other women.

And she has also done it on stage with others.

If you want to believe he acted that way in rehearsal that is your right.

She seems very sketchy to me.

[Heather MC]

30. She is sketchy

[Heather MC]

29. Because it was a smart move on his part

First of all he said several times that he doesn't remember the kiss the way she does.

Secondly he called for an Ethics investigation. Against himself by doing that he does not have to have a back and forth he said she said conversation with her in the media making it look as if he is attacking his accuser which is what Donald Trump and Roy Moore and all the other nasty bastards do that actually do sexually assault women

And finally this woman is a former contributor on the Sean Hannity show the night before she came out Roger Stone tweeted that Al Franken was going to be the next one in the hot seat. Why would Rodger Stone know that? I'll tell you why

Sean Hannity gave Roy Moore 24 hours to get his story right. Steve Bannon called up Sean Hannity and told him to lay off Roy Moore. A day later this woman comes out accusing Al Franken. If you think a woman associated with Sean Hannity that's accusing Al Franken of sexual assault isn't a republican plant then you don't understand how they play their games

Also she has come out and said she doesn't want him to be investigated because she knows the truth will come out if there is a formal investigation

The person who photographed the image of what it looks like Al Franken grabbing her breast has said that she was playing dead and that she was in on the joke

Sean Hannity Steve Bannon Rodger Stone Roy Moore and LeeAnn tweeden are all playing a game of checkers. But Al Franken is playing chess

[BigmanPigman]

3. He isn't an idiot or a Fucking Moron

and he knows that this is all GOP smear campaign BS. The Ethics Investigation will clear him in a second. Even the people on DU have seen and read examples that prove these allegations to be questionable and we aren't even investigators.

[hlthe2b]

10. I hope that is the case behind the scenes--that he's taking the hits so that this can backfire

BIG TIME in an ethics hearing on anyone who might have either perpetuated or created this as a full-throated "scandal".

It is really hard for me because I do think the woman making these accusations has some justification (the photo, for instance). But, as time goes on, I'm starting to think she has used that photo to create a MUCH bigger issue and even the photo clearly does NOT show "groping" but rather a staged facsimile.

Again, I don't want her accusations to be dismissed out of hand, but I think that is only a small piece of this story. I am infuriated at the likes of NYT Michelle Goldman and Salon's Amanda Marcotte calling for his resignation as well as a few other so-called progressives. I'm as much a feminist as anyone here, but this needs time to work itself through. Right now, I am supporting Franken's attempts to resolve this and to accept responsibility.

[maxrandb]

4. If Franken were to resign based on this hatchet job

Then the Democratic Party is truly dead! Stick a fork in it.

This entire episode makes me rethink ever apologizing for anything ever again.

Doing the right thing always seems to result in the Retrumplicans winning everything.

Has Donnie Short Fingers ever apologized?

Has Roy Moore?

Has Roger Stone?

Have any of them?

The damn media and the voters see any apology as weakness.

I would have preferred a good fight. At least then I would know that the Democratic Party wouldn't fold like an accordion the minute there was any criticism.

Maybe Obama was wrong. Maybe when they go low, we kick them in the teeth.

We can worry about being nice after we've rescued our country

[alarimer]

5. I agree.

The only way he would is IF it becomes too much of a distraction, or if more comes out (and this particular incident was as part of a skit in a show with a lot of bawdiness- and show business has a lot of that anyway, so I'm not sure any of that can be classified the same way as other workplace harassment, but I digress). I mean, the Democratic governor would appoint another Democrat, who would then have the advantage in a special election as the incumbent. Right now, he should stay if only to vote against the horrific tax bill.

I strongly suspect this case is about removing a Democrat so that the Republicans can still get their tax bill passed. I'm not sure if the vote is going to take place before the special election in Alabama or after and I don't know when Jones (if he won) would be seated. But IF he wins and is seated before the vote, then the bill will fail for sure, given that a couple of Republican Senators have indicated they may not vote for it. So getting rid of a Dem is highly important to the chances of this bill passing.

I'm just speculating here, of course. But "ratfucking" has a long history within the Republican party.

[SandyZ]

6. Nor should he.

[eissa]

7. Resign for what?

Fuck Michelle Goldberg and any other “leftist” so eager to throw the strongest liberal voice under the bus over a fucking hit-job.

[trueblue2007]

8. GOOD HE SHOULD NOT RESIGN. His"Kiss" was made yup I think by that woman.

Sorry, but I don't believe the story she told.

[MagickMuffin]

9. GOOD

It shouldn't even be considered.

If ms. Tweedumb laughs at being dry humped then she really doesn't have a leg to stand on.

FAUX outrage from FAUX "News"

[ellie]

11. Good.

[smirkymonkey]

12. Good. He shouldn't even consider it. This whole thing has been a joke from the start.

[Denzil_DC]

13. No reason to. n/t

[meow2u3]

14. He shouldn't have to resign

The truth will come out in the ethics investigation.

[malaise]

15. Good

Hope Dems learned from Acorn and Shirley Sherrod

[Vinca]

16. Good. Jeez . . . you'd think he visited a hooker while wearing diapers.

[Gothmog]

17. Yeah

[paleotn]

18. Uh...not hardly.

[NurseJackie]

19. Good!

[trof]

20. DAMN RIGHT!

[VOX]

21. ABSOLUTELY. If Trump & Roy Moore were the Babe Ruth & Lou Gehrig of sexual predators...

Then Al Franken would be Mario Mendoza.

Hell no, DO NOT resign!

[zentrum]

22. Support Al.

Call and tell him you stand with him. He needs to hear from us.


202) 224-5641

[Skittles]

23. nor should he

[dalton99a]

27. He has zero reason to even consider it

[tnbadger]

31. FRANKEN RORSCHACH TEST

FRANKEN RORSCHACH TEST- first see link

[link:|


Multiple choice (pick one):
1- do you feel that the sailor had requested permission for his actions before kissing the nurse:
a) no
b)yes
2-how do you interpret sailor's actions:
a)spontaneous celebration of a joyous event with a fellow human of the opposite sex
b)aggressive sexual predatory behavior
c)none of the above
3-what action should be taken regarding the sailor's behavior?:
a)court-martial with death sentence
b)empathize with a spontaneous act at the end of WWII
c)none of the above
4- how would you best describe the "kiss?":
a)a man shoving his tongue down the throat of a nurse
b)an innocent expression of wanting to share being alive after a vile war
c)none of the above
5-if the action of this couple were portrayed in a lay or recreation of the event, how would you describe the "kiss?":
a)disgusting
b)a rememberance of a special occasion
6-what should happen to any pictures/statutes which may exist, to memorialize this photo?:
a)destroy them all
b)replace them all with confederate statues
c)replace them all with statues of Putin
Scoring results to be posted next week will include rorsach categories of: 1-open minded with a sense of perspective of history, 2- strongly partisan, 3-you have obviously never "gotten any" and enjoyed it whether within the confines of a marriage or other relationship...