New reporting casts doubt on key Franken allegation

[left-of-center2012]

Seven Democratic senators have said they regret calling on former Minnesota Sen. Al Franken to resign over accusations of sexual harassment.

In a new story in the New Yorker, investigative reporter Jane Mayer found a number of holes in the story of Franken’s primary accuser (Leeann Tweeden). In November 2017, a conservative talk-radio station released a photo of Franken pantomiming grabbing radio host Leeann Tweeden’s breasts while on a 2006 USO tour. That was followed by seven additional allegations ... eventually leading to 36 Democratic senators calling for him to step down despite the fact that both Franken and Tweeden were calling for an independent investigation.

Mayer talked to a number of the Democratic senators who urged Franken to step down, and seven regretted it, with Sen. Patrick Leahy saying it was “one of the biggest mistakes I’ve made” in his 45-year Senate career.
“If there’s one decision I’ve made that I would take back, it’s the decision to call for his resignation,” said former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota.
“I made a mistake,” said Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico. “He had the right to be heard by an independent investigative body. I’ve heard from people around my state, and around the country, saying that they think he got railroaded.”

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York has faced much of the blame from donors for being one of the first Democrats to call for him to step down. Gillibrand said she felt Franken was entitled to request a process but that “he wasn’t entitled to me carrying his water, and defending him with my silence. I’d do it again today,” said Gillibrand.

Franken criticized Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for “not insisting to his caucus that an investigation was under way, and that due process required facts before a verdict. Look, the Leader is called the Leader for a reason”. Franken resigned three weeks after the allegations first arose.

full article:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/al-franken-senate-resignation-regrets-jane-mayer-140923542.html

[underpants]

1. New reporting? It was obvious at the time.

He never touched her.

[Nuggets]

6. Yep

But the GOP and their MSM needed a scandal to get rid of any truth tellers. Especially one who just keeps exposing them for the scummy crooks they are.


It worked and they will use it again and again to target Dems while completely ignoring the many corrupt members in their own party.

[pazzyanne]

17. Right after Al Franken resigned from the Senate, Keith Ellison was targeted

just a few days before the primary in Minnesota. People who felt their vote had been taken away, did vote for Ellison in the primary and he won the general election as well. So, yes, they are and will use this playbook again.

[spanone]

12. Exactly.....😎👍🏼

[iluvtennis]

14. Exactly.

[Tipperary]

18. Exactly.

What an utter farce that was.

[sarisataka]

23. There were a lot of people

Here who thought the photos were damning evidence at the time and saw no need for due process.

Their silence now is remarkable

[DemocracyMouse]

33. A theatrical parody of sexual silliness is a PARODY.

The lack of consciousness of the difference should make ALL artists, comedians, writers and filmmakers think twice about actually producing any kind of satire. Our "leaders" – like Gillibrand – are too ignorant (or exploitive) to see it for what it is. Tweeden herself was hamming it up and (satirically) slapping the ass of a musician on stage during the same USO tour. There's a VIDEO of her behavior!

Stupid Americans.

[emmaverybo]

36. Monty Python and Benny Hill and Father Ted would all be unacceptable today just for starters...

[DemocracyMouse]

39. It's all so ridiculous because a PARODY is essentially discrediting the act it's targetting

[emmaverybo]

40. Yes! But we have lost appreciation for satire, for parody, for self-mocking. For mocking! It's not

like he sent the silly pictures around the internet. Good heavens, Moliere mocked sexual avidity.

[uponit7771]

28. +1

[LakeArenal]

2. Yet no media has questioned any of the railroading senators about it

I want them to triple down on their political ambush. Let the world know who they are.

I know many people are interested to downright irate about it to this day.

[samnsara]

3. he would have been the one to debate trump...

[onecaliberal]

4. But the media isn't asking any meaningful questions to the child rapist.

[moondust]

5. "I'd do it again today," said Gillibrand.

Maybe she should now resign for driving the train that railroaded a good man out of the Senate apparently for no good reason. Very poor judgment.

[Timewas]

7. Hopefully

Her political career is over

[eppur_se_muova]

9. Her presidential aspirations certainly are. nt

[KPN]

11. Yup -- no doubt about it. Her ambition got in her own

way on this one. She drove the spike herself.

[trueblue2007]

24. Very poor judgment. she needs to get outta there.

[suegeo]

44. KG did not speak with the accusers to assess their credibility

In these times, when the GOPEe are conspiring with the Russians to destroy democracies, why didn't she, or anyone, proceed with that in mind? That it was a setup? That Tweeden is a partisan hack? That some accusers were too? Perhaps some were being paid off to make false accusations?

Order basic background checks, ffs. At least talk to them, face to face.

Instead, our leaders believed the "reporting" of the right-wing schemers flinging mud. So gullible, at a time we can least afford it.

Due process. Testimony under oath. What terrible precedent is set by when bypassing. Jesus wept.

[global1]

8. And What Happened To The MeToo Movement In Relation To Trump?.......

If anyone should resign - it should be Trump. Why haven't they put the heat on Trump. He really can't defend himself of all the accusations of assault, pussy grabbing, peeping and rape. There are too many women with the same story and we have his own words that can sink him and pictures of his actions with women.

Mitch maybe could save Trump from impeachment for collusion or obstruction - but Mitch can't save Trump from these sexual predatory actions Trump displays.

If the pressure is kept on Trump on this - he wouldn't survive. The pressure needs to be loud, continuous and non-stop. He shouldn't be let up for air to defend himself.

Mitch and the Repugs would look awfully bad if they tried to protect Trump from this type of pressure.

Even if Trump won't resign -- this pressure will keep him busy from getting us into other trouble. He should have to put all his attention on trying to fend these accusations and calls for him to resign.

What gives? Where is the MeToo movement?

For that matter - where is the MSM. Why aren't they putting pressure on Trump for this?

And for that matter - why aren't those same Dem Senators that sunk Franken - doing the same thing to Trump. Why aren't they on Trump's back on his sexual predatory habits?

[hunter]

41. There is no "mainstream" media.

The illusion of freedom will continue as long as it's profitable to continue the illusion. At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will just take down the scenery, they will pull back the curtains, they will move the tables and chairs out of the way and you will see the brick wall at the back of the theater.

-- Frank Zappa

[BigmanPigman]

10. This is the definition of being railroaded!

I never forgive for shit like this. The Dems who did this to him don't deserve to be forgiven. My mind hasn't changed a bit since this came out and I doubt it will.

I wish Franken could/would run again ..... he'd get my vote!

[Skittles]

13. plenty of DUers thought it was peachy keen too

they make me sick

[rzemanfl]

29. +1. n/t

[dflprincess]

35. I'm with you!

I miss Al, his replacement (Tina Smith) is okay but, like Klobuchar, very bland.

One of the local progressive radio host (KTNF AM 950) has said on the air, that he has heard rumor that there were those in the DFL who wanted Al out and Tina in.

I would bet, there were those in the DNC that wanted him out & jumped on this as an excuse. Just as they blocked a more progressive candidate from challenging Klobuchar when she first ran, the last thing the centrists running the party want is more Wellstone types who will try to rock the boat.

[Duppers]

20. "never forgive for shit like this"

Say it again, girl. +100

[BamaRefugee]

15. I hated G'brand for what she did then. I DO IT AGAIN TODAY

[LittleGirl]

16. It was a setup by

Roger Stone and Gillibrand fell for it, hook, line and sinker.
I will never forgive her.
She’s done.
If Al ran for President, he’d be the winner.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

19. Stone even bragged about it TWO DAYS before the story broke.

If Gillibrand had been similarly accused, would she have stepped down ?

[wellst0nev0ter]

21. Nope, she'd double down

In July, the female staffer alleged one of Gillibrand’s closest aides — who was a decade her senior and married — repeatedly made unwelcome advances after the senator had told him he would be promoted to a supervisory role over her. She also said the male aide regularly made crude, misogynistic remarks in the office about his female colleagues and potential female hires.

...Gillibrand, who was not made available for an interview, issued a statement to POLITICO defending her office’s handling of the incident.

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/03/11/gillibrand-sexual-harassment-1214831

[LittleGirl]

43. Just like she did on

"The View" when they discussed it. I knew I made the right decision is never forgiving her.

[LittleGirl]

42. When it broke after Stone's bragging

I knew Al had been set up. Al was getting too many kudos for being hard on the GOP and they had to get rid of him.
Kirsten fell for it. She would not have done the same. She's toast.

[pangaia]

22. I am really surprised at Leahy.. really, that he couldn't see thrugh this

and not just him

the whole thing pissed and pisses me off no end.

Schumer....
he is one of my senators...

[Trenzalore]

25. Gillibrand is an ass

I'm glad she won't be on the debate stage in September.

[rzemanfl]

26. Can someone PM me when that "Post Removed" person

chimes in?

[democratisphere]

27. Gillibrand is where she is.

And she would do it again?

[zentrum]

30. Franken is worth

...ten Gillibrands and Schumers. Still really mad and sad about this.

[jberryhill]

31. What a load of crap

Gillibrand sets up a false dichotomy. It is not “defending with silence” to say “these are troubling allegations which merit a full investigation”.

She also championed that nutty “mattress girl” at Columbia, over which Columbia had to shell out a settlement eventually to the maligned victim of that campaign.

[ProudLib72]

38. That's why I'm sticking with Avenatti for 2020

He's not nearly as disappointing.

[LiberalFighter]

32. What was also troubling in my opinion was when the event occurred.

It did not occurred while Franken was a Senator or as a candidate for any office.

It occurred while Franken was a comedian, one which was going overseas to entertain the troops. Even as a comedian he did not touch or grabbed the woman. And apparently, their rehearsing did not involved actual kissing.

[KT2000]

34. is Tweeden still on the radio?

she was likely rewarded for her scam.

[elias7]

37. What new doubt has been cast?

There’s a lot of detail and stuff about inner workings of Dem leadership and how his forcing out unfolded, but nothing that addresses if this was a RW ratfucking project or not.