I think Franken is guilty. And I think he STILL should not have resigned...

[Locut0s]

Let me be crystal clear here I don't think that sexual assault is a minor crime. All accusations should be taken seriously and handled through DUE PROCESS. Hold an investigation and if the results show that he's guilty of even one of the charges then fire him. IMHO I feel his apologies and admission of feelings of guilt make me suspect he's guilty of at least some sexual misconduct. Although we are talking about something very different from being a pedophile, like across the isle. The US is supposed to be a Democracy, what's left of it. Forcing him out without due process just plays into the republicans hands.

All it does is show the public that a Republican can run on a platform of pussy grabbing and open sexual assault and be elected president. A Republican senator can run while accused of being a pedophile. And in both cases nothing happens. But if a democrat is guilty of sexual misconduct then their own party will kick them out. Now at first people are going to say, yes this is the right thing to do. We are taking the higher road. But without due process it's just a political farce and plays into the republicans hands. Even if such due process is biased and the results are not fair, that is still the actual "high road". The republicans are never going to force one of theirs to resign because of similar crimes in a million years.

[Fullduplexxx]

1. What proof is there besides the word of hannity's friend

[Dr Hobbitstein]

2. 7 women. nt

[hatrack]

3. 5 of them anonymous . . .

.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

4. Anonymous to YOU, not to the credible reporters

who reported on it.

[hatrack]

5. Well alright then!

.

[USALiberal]

27. LOL, ok! nt

[Thor_MN]

43. Please cite these "credible reporters" that you keep hyping.

[Ms. Toad]

37. Eight women, four anonymous.

[Fullduplexxx]

6. 7 women what .. ok so hannity has 7 female friends?

So if i got 7 anonymous men to say gillibrand sexually harrassed them i could force her out?

[Dr Hobbitstein]

8. All of his female colleagues in the Senate felt they were credible.

I think they may know more than we do.
I support Gillibrand 100%.

[Fullduplexxx]

9. Sometimes people displace their anger . She could do nothing about the gop

But she'll make damn sure THIS ONE doesnt get away.. wether he did it or not he's gonna pay for the gop getting away with it

Franken got acorned

[Dr Hobbitstein]

12. Franken groped women.

No ACORN about it.

[Fullduplexxx]

13. So says you and hannity's friend. But you keep telling yourself that

If that makes you feel better

[Dr Hobbitstein]

14. 7 women, dude. 7 DIFFERENT women.

Glad sexual harassment is a fucking joke to you. Disgusting.

[Fullduplexxx]

15. Glad to see due process is nothing to you. Even more disgusting

[Dr Hobbitstein]

18. Due process only applies to a court of law.

This is more an ethics issue.
If this were a hit, and Franken is the “fighter” everyone claims him to be, he would fight this. He did not.

[kcr]

22. So, are you saying that outside of a court of law, ethics means anything goes?

People aren't talking about due process because they think this has anything literally to do with a court of law. They're talking about the same ethical code that our legal system is based off of. Because they're technically not correct doesn't mean they're wrong.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

24. Actually, it does mean theyre wrong.

That’s the definition of “not correct”.

[Fullduplexxx]

41. The senate has due process and it starts with the ethics investigation

[Dr Hobbitstein]

42. And Franken retired before the investigation...

He could've stayed on and waited. If I were innocent, I sure as hell would. YMMV.

[Cattledog]

17. Guilty until proven innocent.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

19. Harvey Weinstein. Woody Allen. Bill Cosby. Matt Lauer... nt

[Thor_MN]

44. Your proof?

[kcr]

16. "Women." That's it?

We're being weaponized and politicized as a concept to the point where you can just one-word us like that? That's amazing.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

21. I was correcting the poster who stated it was one woman.

“7 women” was the correction.

I suppose I could’ve used more wording such as
“Actually, it was 7 women who accused him, bot just the one that you are mentioning”.

Weaponize, my ass.

[kcr]

23. No. They asked for proof. Your response of "women" was nonsensical.

And you edited it. It said, "Women." Aren't you the honest one? Huh. How's that for ethics.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

25. They referred to Tweeden only.

My response was not “women”. My response was “7 women”, which is accurate. 7 women made credible accusations against Al Franken, not just Tweeden.

[kcr]

26. Oh, bullshit! You edited.

Don't talk to anyone about ethics and morals.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

29. Of course I edited.

I edited my response to you right after I clicked post because I realized I was wrong on a point. That’s what the edit button is for.

The history is there for all to see. If I wanted to hide, I’d have deleted the post and posted again.
But I’m honest and transparent, so i don’t.

[kcr]

30. "My response was not women. My response was 7 women, which is accurate."

[Dr Hobbitstein]

31. Yup. That is what my post says.

Both before and after the edit.

[kcr]

34. It's ok to edit posts, but don't try to make someone out to be a liar.

I wouldn't call that ethical.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

35. I didnt make someone out to be a liar.

I’m confused about what you’re talking about.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

36. Wait, are you saying my original post was edited?

It always said 7 women. I never edited that.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

33. I changed my subject, and added clarification.

It’s all there in the history. Nothing to hide. As I said, I’m honest and transparent.

[Vinca]

7. You can think anything. Without an investigation only the 2 people involved know for sure.

[Fullduplexxx]

11. Phhht who needs an investigation when you have righteous indignation

[Ligyron]

10. That's the problem with no investigation occurring.

He's automatically guilty of the worst. In five years all half the country will remember is he was some type of sex offender.

[kirby]

20. So anyone who perceives something as 'sexual assault'

is to be immediately believed? You say you think he is guilty before there is even due process. Sounds like you have prejudged the outcome. It is one thing to listen and investigate but come on...

His one accuser...the Democrat wrote:

"Then I saw Al Franken. I only bug celebrities for pictures when it’ll make my foster mom happy. She loves Franken, so I asked to get a picture with him. We posed for the shot. He immediately put his hand on my waist, grabbing a handful of flesh. I froze. Then he squeezed. At least twice.

I’d been married for two years at the time; I don’t let my husband touch me like that in public because I believe it diminishes me as a professional woman. Al Franken’s familiarity was inappropriate and unwanted. It was also quick; he knew exactly what he was doing."

While she may have been offended, is that that standard that everyone is held to? Someone who has a personal belief system that they won't let their husband touch them in public 'trumps' a fairly common practice of putting an arm around someone during a photo op? And her personal conclusion was that 'he knew what he was doing?' Sounds like it could have been a misunderstanding or some other issue here. How many sexual assaulters do we have here on DU if that is the standard?

[NCTraveler]

28. Thank you for making the case...

Without seeing how many groups you can offend and dismiss.

Well stated position.

[Cary]

32. I assume Democrats did their homework

Focus groups, polls, ....

I could be wrong but I assume they have a strategy here and I have to defer to that. As for Al, he is a very smart man. I assume he had access to that same data and that he has signed off on the strategy. I expect Democrats to hammer Republicans hard on their lack of integrity. Whether that works or not, we shall see.

And while I agree with much of what you say I am not at all sorry to see women gain some ground. Al knows whether the allegations are true. If he stuck his tongue down womens' throats, that's pretty bad.

[Lil Missy]

38. Anonymous accusers, never showed their faces. Tweeden a friend of Don-Con Jr.

I think it stinks to high heaven.

[Locut0s]

40. It may. Or it may not. But that's double the reason for an investigation. Nt.