If Franken is not guilty, why would he resign??

[kentuck]

He's a fighter, isn't he?

How easy is it to force someone out of the Senate on "false" charges?

[FBaggins]

1. He wouldn't

It's also true to say that there are plenty of senators on the list who would never call for his resignation unless they were convinced that he was guilty.

Of course - there are also political opportunists who WOULD do so... but even in that case, they wouldn't stick their necks out like that unless they had already been convinced that he was going to resign.

[OnDoutside]

12. They're hardly sticking their necks out to dish out group think rough justice !!!

[FBaggins]

13. Don't be ridiculous... of course they are.

If he didn't do anything wrong and refuses to resign over nothing... then there are plenty in the party who will believe him and would stop supporting those senators who tried to get him to step aside.

Goodness... just read the posts here over the last 24 hours.

[OnDoutside]

18. On the contrary, the vast majority of them piled in on Franken at the START of the last 24 hours

when they didn't want to be left behind in the group think kicking, once Gillibrand showed her poor judgement.

[RestoreAmerica2020]

24. This is what should have occured to bring down

....trump, particularly after the access bus tape where he admitted to sexually assaulting women--where was the non-stop rabid frenzied mob to stop him in his tracks? Instead, Franken is the scapegoat to be made an example of...talks of zero tolerance only works if both parties adhere, agree to a bipartisan resolution where all members will be accountable-- until then Franken should ignore them (dems and repubs alike calling for his resignation.) Franken should not step down. Period!

[Zoonart]

2. Very easy.

Democrats are allowing themselves to be driven by the internet mob which may be awash in bots.

[FBaggins]

11. Lol. So it isn't just Franken that is being pressured to do something that he shoudn't...

... it's 30+ senior democrats? And by an "internet mob" no less?

Yeah... that makes sense.

[hlthe2b]

3. that old fashioned sense of "honor"? Putting family, party, others first?

I am old enough to remember a time when people actually did so, despite the cost to themselves.

Not what I want to see, but Franken is old-fashioned in many ways, so this is at the least, a possibility

[still_one]

4. That of course is the most important question, though I would suspect some would argue what guilt

and innocence are in this case is debatable

[Chasstev365]

5. Because the Democrats are chumps!

False equivalency wins again! Fuck you, Sean Hannity!

[leftynyc]

6. When you have a mob

chasing you down with pitchforks, I can easily see surrendering rather than letting them mow you down.

[spooky3]

7. I think its very possible that he would resign because his colleagues have

asked him to do so, even if he believed he had not done wrong.

[Vidal]

23. Agree

This is likely the case. Although he is not totally innocent either.

[Johonny]

25. Yeah, if he's lost the confidence of his fellow senators

then he's basically taking up space and not being effective at representing his state.

[Orsino]

8. He has to know how tough his life as a senator is going to be if he can't clear his name.

He may even realize that sticking around will hamstring #metoo as a Democratic rallying point.

[mn9driver]

9. How easy is it? Youre about to find out.

Once Franken is gone, this will become a standard Republican attack. And if you expect the Republicans to apply the same standard to their candidates and office holders, I have some land in Florida to sell to the first lucky buyer.

[StevieM]

16. This is already the standard operating procedure of the GOP in every presidential election.

They swift boat the Democrat and create scandals out of thin air. Remember when Al Gore said he went to Texas with Director of FEMA when he had actually gone with the Deputy Director of FEMA? It cost him the election. (Setting aside the non-recount in Florida).

I don't get the joke at the end of your post. You say you have land to sell in Florida, but isn't that a plausible possibility? I thought the job was supposed to be something like "I have some oceanfront property in Colorado." Or "I have a bridge to sell you." In other words, something that could never actually happen.

[mn9driver]

21. Florida land scams were common in the 60s and 70s

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swampland_in_Florida

[JI7]

10. Because pressure from those supposed to be on his side

[LexVegas]

14. He wouldn't if he was not guilty. nt

[Bengus81]

15. How easy?? ROFLMAO!! You've seen it and Dems carry water for Republicans.....

Those CONS are LAUGHING and high fiving over what Dems have done and how EASILY this was to pull off. Who's NEXT on the Republican hit list or do people think this is over??

BS............

From Tweeden's My Space page. Oh my the guys are just "being silly."

[oberliner]

17. He has already apologized and stated that he crossed a line

Have people not seen/heard his remarks on this?

[MFM008]

31. He apologized because

Of the PERCEPTION of impropriety.
That he MAY have offended although
He said he remembered the events
Differently. Did you not hear that?
Then the ridiculous pile on, planned by
The Republicans began.
It sure has seemed from the beginning
It's gleefully important to get rid of Franken
By both parties and many in this forum.

[dembotoz]

19. his fellow senators turned against him

the gop supports theirs not matter what

we slice and dice ours....

[trueblue2007]

20. i have been up all night, not able to sleep. THE DEMS NEED TO SUPPORT FRANKEN.

they are circling AL and gonna drag him down.

i just called WYDENS AND Merkley'S OFFICE telling them they need to support Senator Franken.
I'm so upset.

[dembotoz]

27. he should be leading the charge...not this

as we babble about how to get young folks interested we have essentially 2 bullets

1 bernie...who is old and as trump obviously deteriorates with presumed dementia...age will be a factor

2 Al ....

my sample size is small...as my my family...They actively listen to bernie and al and snooze thru the rest

[enough]

22. The implication then is that if the person resigns he must be guilty?

This logic just makes the Republicans' propaganda for them.

Democrats call for resignation when someone is accused. Republicans do not. Republicans stay in office. Therefore, By your logic, Democrats are guilty and Republicans are not guilty.

Donald Trump and Roy More did not step down, therefore they are not guilty?

[bagelsforbreakfast]

26. Why should he put up with this sh*t? I'd say the dems get the govt they deserve and live off

My residuals!

[MiniMe]

28. Country over party or individual

Al would sacrifice himself for the "good of the country". I don't agree that is a good strategy, the repukes will burn the dems once again on this, and Roy Moore will be a Senator

[democratisphere]

29. Forced out by your own political party without proof of actual guilt?

WTF has happened to US? Guilty until proven innocent without a "trial"?

[flamingdem]

30. This is a hit job against Franken originally organized by Roger Stone, dems are being gullible

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/tom-arnold-leeann-tweeden-was-coached-on-al-franken-sexual-assault-allegations/article/2642803

Actor and comedian Tom Arnold claimed that the woman who was first to accuse Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., of sexually assaulting her was "coached."

In a series of tweets Wednesday night, Arnold said that Los Angeles-based radio broadcaster Leeann Tweeden's allegations were the result of a political attack involving longtime Trump confidante Roger Stone.

"I’m disappointed with my friend Leeann Tweedon [sic]," he said. "Her partner at KABC John Phillips is a Roger Stone pal & they coached her for weeks to bring Al Franken down. I’d hoped she’d use her voice to speak out for all women again predators like Roy Moore & Donald Trump but she’s a birther."

John Phillips is a CNN political commentator and right-leaning radio talk show host at the same station, KABC, as Tweeden.

Phillips denied that he was involved with Tweeden's decision to come out public with her accusations in November.

"Hey Arnie, first of all your friend’s name is spelled 'Leeann Tweeden,'" he replied to Arnold. "Second, we never talked about it before she went public. Third, I think ur a great comic and were fantastic on #Roseanne, but @therealroseanne was the genius on that show."

[NCTraveler]

32. I believe he is guilty.

That said, I imagine many men in Congress are just as guilty, if not more so. I believe Franken is the most common of sexual assaulters and the easiest for people to justify.