Franken accusers say resignation speech was hypocritical

[TomCADem]

Source: The Hill

Several women who accused Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) of sexual misconduct say they were not satisfied by his resignation speech Thursday, with some calling it disappointing and "hypocritical."

Los Angeles morning radio host Leeann Tweeden, who first accused Franken of groping her and shared a picture of the 2006 USO tour incident on Twitter, suggested that Franken was defensive in his speech made from the Senate floor early Thursday.

"I'm not celebrating his resignation. It's a lose-lose situation," Tweeden told CNN. "I'm not celebrating his resignation but we also can't tolerate hypocrisy. We can't have our leaders saying one thing and doing another."

In his defiant resignation speech, Franken called himself a "champion of women" and said that some of the allegations against him were "simply not true."

Read more: https://www.google.com/amp/thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/363828-franken-accusers-disappointed-after-resignation-speech%3famp

---

What is amazing is that they seemed to defend Trump and Moore by complaining about the reference to them in Franken speech.

[SHRED]

1. Leeann Tweeden

Is a self-righteousness hypocrite.

[Sneederbunk]

25. +1000

[wisteria]

66. Yes, yes, yes.

[Kimchijeon]

36. Well jeepers

If the "totes legit" accusers want a full blown investigation that is just fine by me.

[LisaM]

37. The LeeAnn Tweeden of this thread???

Here, in case anyone missed it.


https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029943676

[FakeNoose]

50. I'll bet she's got a big payday coming

[Scarsdale]

55. She has a history of tweeting

with tRump Jr. Plus, golfing at tRump courses. I think she was used to set up Franken.

[maryallen]

74. Leanne ...

The Twitter pal of Don Jr.?

[awesomerwb1]

2. Ironic that woman would utter those words

being that she's a republican and probably part of a set up.

"We can't have our leaders saying one thing and doing another".

F her.

[chelsea0011]

3. Wait a minute. Tweeden is complaining of hypocrisy?

I am still waiting for her apology for sticking her hand up the guitar players ass.

[msongs]

4. kirsten and the gang thought that's that it's over now. wrong. dems actions are

just weapons to be used against them.

[Archae]

5. Fuck them! Starting with Tweeden.

This is one big ratfucking plot by the right-wing.

[zentrum]

33. Yup. It's tragic. nt

[kirby]

6. So what is the new standard here?

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?

[yurbud]

20. good point

[Voltaire2]

30. Ive been saying this repeatedly.

We need to not be hypocrites. We are the party of economic social and political justice. We need to make that crystal clear.

[mountain grammy]

63. If this was the worst affront shes experienced

She’s one very lucky woman. She claims she was traumatized. Wow! I listened to her hosting Fuglesang’s show today Self righteous bull. I used to be a fan.

[Grins]

83. Maybe she should she should share "that" photo with us...?

...because I think she's full of crap.

I remember giving a good good-bye hug to the wife of a friend when she left my home and she hugged me right back. When she reached out and up (I'm 6'1", she 5.5&quot put her arms around me, her top rode up a tad and my hand hit flesh? Assault? (She didn't react and didn't break off the hug either. We're still friends.)

Maybe that "grope" isn't what she said it was, or far less than claimed?
Maybe it was a freak incident. Maybe it was harmless.
Was she dressed as the "professional woman" she claimed to be, or something less where touching "flesh" was inevitable?
What was the look on her face at that moment?

Remind me again what was it the Reich-wing once said - "No photo? No video? It didn't happen"...?

Q: How do you get rid of those stupid smilies in the text? I didn't put that in there and could not get rid of it.

[jalan48]

7. Sue him. Let's see what you got.

[The_Casual_Observer]

8. What exactly does tweeden/stone want now?

What a miserable conniving little monster.

[BootinUp]

11. +1

[exboyfil]

28. Pour a gallon of gasoline over his head

and light a patch. The fact they were not gracious after collecting the scalp tells me all that I need to know.

[Mr.Bill]

54. They want him to resign. In case you didn't notice,

he didn't do that this morning.

[whathehell]

77. He did do that this morning..

He said he would be leaving in a few weeks.

[Mr.Bill]

84. Saying you are goint to do something later

is quite different than actually doing it. Nowhere is that more true than Washington DC.

[JI7]

73. they want him and us to leave the Pussy Grabber and Pedo Moore alone

[wasupaloopa]

9. Leeann, trump is our leader when are you going to call him out?

[TomCADem]

12. Cant Understand Them Protecting Moore and Trump

You would think they would be in solidarity with their accusers.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

21. It's all about power. Tweeden is crying crocodile tears. She is boosting her career. The "grope"

The "grope" photo is not a grope. She did worse; she actually groped a musician on stage in front of an audience on that same tour.

She an operative from the Roger Stone school. He was either in on the faux allegation from the beginning or alerted hours before the her announcement. Her hard right radio station held meetings about how and when to time her announcement.

[Doodley]

32. Okay, but you have no evidence of the relationship between the guitar player she

groped and her. You are also dismissing her complaint as a career move. And all these other women, did they lie too. If it was consensual with the guitar play and what Franken did wasn't, then that is two different things. Franken has said that he sees what he did was disgusting and offensive to other women who see it. He has admitted to doing something that you might not find amusing if it was to your family members. Why are people defending it?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

41. I was calling out only Tweeden who is a Roger Stone operative. I said nothing about the others.

I did not deny their statements. Only hers.

However, the anonymous accusers should not hide when a Senate seat is in question. I'm sorry, it is hard on them, but the millions of voters have a stake in this.

Further, it is a fundamental right of USA law to be able to face your accusers.

[questionseverything]

78. what he said was...he could see how SOME woman could be offended

that is admitting nothing

SOME women are offended by the mere presence of a man

[cannabis_flower]

81. Anyone seen the Drew Carey Show episode

Where Drew was accused of sexual harassment over a cartoon of a caterpillar trying to seduce a French fry?

[sfwriter]

82. He was referring to the "groping" photo...

...taken on a sexualized, "ham-it-up" USO tour.

https://www.mediaite.com/opinion/the-most-mind-blowing-aspects-of-al-frankens-demise/

[LBM20]

10. Oh please. Enough from the FAKE Trump Loving "accusers."

[stonecutter357]

13. #fakenews.

[Bengus81]

14. It's over so she can get back to her Obama birther BS again...........

And then keep claiming parties and politics had nothing to do with Franken.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

15. You aren't entitled to the condemned's contrition on the gallows

You got to frag Senator Franken and that is all you're getting.

[Paladin]

26. Fucking bullseye, SWS! Nicely put. (nt)

[geardaddy]

40. +1 million

[SansACause]

16. Let's pretend this had nothing to do with Roy Moore.

Or Trump. And call Franken a hypocrite for actually resigning.

[LakeArenal]

17. Integrity 0.

Hypocritical? She's the poster child for ass grabber. Pictures actually prove it,

[Chasstev365]

18. That little witch made this up.

For God sakes she's friends with Don Jr. & Hannity!

[byronius]

19. Another step in denigrating #metoo and setting back the movement decades.

Important that no Democrat ever be allowed to appear to do the right thing.

This was part of the plan all along.

Give it up to Roger Stone -- he knows how to take the lowest road.

[BlueIdaho]

60. This is so important!

I heard someone say - This is a revolution and there are always casualties in a revolution. Senator Franken is one of those casualties. But he is not alone. In the short run this may seem like a “win” for the Me Too movement, but in the long run this is really bad for the movement’s legitimacy and far worse for women who do really suffer at the hands of those who choose to denigrate and harass them.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

22. The Hill is falling down not highlighting in first paragraph her hard right agenda & connections. nt

[FreeStateDemocrat]

23. Fuck "The Hill" for publishing this serial character assassination by unsubstantiated accusations!!!

No journalistic integrity, afraid to go after the monster in the White House who is a self-admitted "pussy grabber!"

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

24. "I'm not celebrating his resignation but we also can't tolerate hypocrisy."

Yes you can. You voted for Tangeranus. You probably support Moore.

You can tolerate hypocrisy just fine, Ms. Tweeden. You're soaking in it.

[left-of-center2012]

27. Tweeden got her 15 minutes of fame

And the GOP got a victory

[Doodley]

29. Yes it was very hypocritical. Last week he said his behavior was disgusting and now

he did not accept any wrongdoing and he was a victim in which he was resigning but Trump and Moore were still there. He can't have it both ways. He can't suddenly play the victim and thereby dismiss his accusers. Where was the word "sorry." This is a question of character. And much as I have respected him, his speech did not earn me much respect.

[OilemFirchen]

49. Apparently you missed this:

Over the last few weeks, a number of women have come forward to talk about how they felt my actions had affected them. I was shocked. I was upset. But in responding to their claims, I also wanted to be respectful of that broader conversation. Because all women deserve to be heard and their experiences taken seriously. I think that was the right thing to do. I also think it gave some people the false impression that I was admitting to doing things that in fact I haven't done. Some of the allegations against me are simply not true. Others I remember very differently. I said at the outset that the ethics committee was the right venue for these allegations to be heard and investigated and evaluated on their merits. That I was prepared to cooperate fully and that I was confident in the outcome.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/07/politics/speech-al-franken-transcript/index.html

My bold. I think he was talking to you.

[Doodley]

62. Then why did he apologize?

[concreteblue]

68. Looks like you

Are the one trying to have it both ways. You claim he did not say something he absolutely did. Then when caught tack to "Why did he do what I accused him of not doing"?

[LBM20]

70. Thanks for adding to this OBVIOUS RIGHT WING HIT JOB.

[liberal_patriot_md]

71. One simple reason

He recognized her feelings and how she could feel. Not that he did what he was accused of - but that she could find the picture humiliating.

And after that picture came out he apologized to her, which she accepted at the time.

This new reaction is BS.

I want to know why no reporter ever tracked down who else was on the plane, who could have seen, and who took that initial picture.

[democratisphere]

31. Hypocrites calling out the hypocracy of others.

Insane.

[riverwalker]

34. I hope he sues her

The story has fallen apart, there are witnesses on the plane, the EXIF photo data, all contradict her story. There must be enough for defamation or slander.

[MojoWrkn]

35. Please, Ms. Tweeden, tell us how you feel about

the Dotard saying one thing and doing another?

[Freethinker65]

38. Franken did support legislation helpful to women. That is what he was talking about

She knows it.

[FailureToCommunicate]

39. Right. And it probable means nothing that Leeann and Don Jr were twitter buddies...

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029944642

[outinleftfield2]

42. Accusers are LIARS

Leeann Tweeden was literally coached b Roger Stone and has appeared on sean Hannity's program and now it's discovered that she was twitter "buddies" with Don Jr. She is a LIAR. A goddamn Playboy bunny who was groping men at USO performances back in '06 and yet Senate Dems railroaded Franken. I became a democrat when I was old enough to vote 40 years ago. Today I quit the party because of this travesty. Tweeden is a liar and 33 Senators are too stupid to realize it. No more donations from me! Changed my affiliation officially this morning.

[Lulu KC]

43. Leeann Tweeden

can shut anytime now. Shut up, Leeann. Go tweet Donny Jr. if you're lonely. Nobody's listening to you.

[bucolic_frolic]

44. They're turning the hypocrisy spotlight away from the GOP

before it gets visited on them

Conservatives have no moarlity but they do know how to control the dialogue

You'd think Democrats would study the techniques for awhile

[aka-chmeee]

45. In the beginning, I considered this whole drill as similar to the Salem witch hysteria,,,,

Now I see it more as the House UnAmerican Activites Hearings where lives and careers are being destroyed by innuendo and accusations and absolutely no due process.

[still_one]

46. Go to hell Tweeden, you have never been an advocate for womens rights based on who you

supported

[keithbvadu2]

47. I-N-V-E-S-T-I-G-A-T-I-O-N-! - Why none?

I-N-V-E-S-T-I-G-A-T-I-O-N-! - Why none?

[Honeycombe8]

48. I guess they're feeling the pinch of making much ado about nothing. Literally nothing.

PUtting hand around waist, grabbing some flesh in the process, for a requested close-up pic? I'm being GROPED! (As one who has been groped, that's ain't it.)

[liberal_patriot_md]

72. It was the language used that made it so much worse

Groped, grabbed, cupped, forced.

Assigned intent when that is not clear. I remember how she described the picture as evidence of him grabbing her breasts. Whether you think he’s touch the body armor (not a flak vest) or not - it’s clear he’s not grabbing her at all. But made the story more lurid.

That’s how it became much ado about nothing.

[dlk]

51. Apparently, She Didn't Accept His Apology

[no_hypocrisy]

52. What Tweeden was trying to say was that she resented Al Franken retaining his

pride and composure under duress . . . . and that he wasn't destroyed by her efforts.

This was not a response about being contrite or consistent with past statements.

[BootinUp]

53. Im literally seething mad rt now,

Talk me down.

[Scoopster]

56. She can go to hell.

She's been planning this since 2009. The proof of that, and that the pictures were doctored, is in the image data.

[Raine]

57. They need to STFU

they got their way, it's the voters who lost and have reason to complain!

[keithbvadu2]

58. Would Sarah Huck sue Donald?

Would Sarah Huck sue Donald?
.

[MrsMatt]

59. Come out from the shadows

Not taking ANY work of anonymous accusers.

Fuck them.

[rainin]

64. Projection...

When the Republicans use the word "hypocrisy", they are trying to claim the word for themselves. Bannon accused us of "weaponizing" sexual assault allegations so we can't accuse them of that. He said it was a "witchhunt" so we can't say that.

They are masters and we are playing defense. We need a democratic equivalent of Bannon.

I don't know how anyone can believe Tweeden or any of the other accusers at this point. It is so obvious he was set up.

[wisteria]

65. Well fuck all the Republican women, and the disgruntled Democrat

[Collimator]

67. Proof God Does Not Exist

Leeann Tweeden says this: ". . . we also can't tolerate hypocrisy. We can't have our leaders saying one thing and doing another."

And is NOT struck down by lightning bolt.

[alarimer]

69. Tweeden has no room to stand on hypocrisy

Photos of her grabbing some guy's ass on stage.

Fuck you, you fucking piece of shit (Tweeden).

I think her problem is that he didn't throw himself on his sword. He said basically that he is sorry for offending them, but that he remembers these events differently (which is likely to be true, give how fallible everyone's memory actually is. Hint: your bran is not a recording device. This goes both ways really).

[wiley]

75. Of course they did!

Thank You Sen. Gillibrand. Thanks you to the treachery of @jess_mc . We sent Gillibrand to the Senate to stop the bullshit tax fraud scam from happening. Where was she screamong loudly about that in upstate NY when some of her Republican colleagues in Congress were voting for it? We sent her to prevent the elimination or privatization of Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security. Feeble minded Sen. Susan Collins fell for the bullshit from McConnell that that would never happen! Yet where was Gillibrand when she could have been shrieking in Collins ear about that? Or calling a press conference about that? Talking about Bill Clinton having consensual sex with an adult. She says she cares about the sexual abuse and rape of women in the US military and how they suffer but where was she when the administration decided to stop funding programs to help vets suffering from PTSD - including women that had been raped or sexually humiliated? Sighing and saying she had just had enough after some delerious woman complained about having her stomach squeezed twice while taking a picture with Franken. Haven't heard much lately about the millions of Puerto Ricans suffering, still, deserted by her while she thinks about her run for the Presidency. Because of a Time magazine cover? By stabbing Al Franken in the back is she really so incredibly stupid that she thinks men will stop harassing and sexually abusing women? With the Republicans actively destroying the Rule of Law, tearing down the FBI, CIA and the separation of Church and State who does she think a woman could even go to for help? Roy Moore? Take a look at his rulings always in favor of sexual abusers and molesters. She should be in Alabama campaigning for Jones. What a stupid, stupid woman.

[SHRED]

76. I'm not sure how

How I get over what the Democratic Senators and Bernie did to Al Franken by piling on.

[questionseverything]

79. she is dino,most corporate dems are

[still_one]

80. The pot calling the kettle black