Resignation of Al Franken, 2018

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Term in office:
2009-2018

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Special election:
November 6, 2018

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Related pages Sexual misconduct overview

For our main article on the sexual misconduct allegations in American politics in 2017, click here

On December 7, 2017, Al Franken (D-Minn.) announced that he would resign his seat in the United States Senate after multiple women accused him of groping or forcibly kissing them. His resignation occurred on January 2, 2018. Franken said the allegations against him either were not true or he remembered the situations differently than his accusers.[1]

On December 6, 2017, 35 members of the Democratic Caucus in the United States Senate, including Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), called on Franken to resign. See the senators who called for Franken's resignation here.[2]

The calls for Franken's resignation on December 6 followed a Politico report that detailed allegations from a former Democratic congressional aide. The aide, who was not named in the report, said that in 2006 Franken had tried to forcibly kiss her and told her, “It’s my right as an entertainer.” Franken denied the allegation.[3] Before this allegation was reported, six other women had alleged that Franken groped them or tried to kiss them, starting with allegations from television commentator and model Leeann Tweeden on November 16, 2017. After the initial allegations, Franken apologized and urged an investigation by the Senate Ethics Committee. Read more about the allegations against Franken here.

On December 13, 2017, Gov. Mark Dayton (D) announced that he was appointing Lieutenant Gov. Tina Smith (D) to Franken's seat upon his resignation. Read more about the process for filling a vacant Minnesota Senate seat here. Read more about the special election to fill Franken's seat here.

On December 20, 2017, Franken announced that his resignation would take effect on January 2, 2018, allowing Smith to be sworn into office on January 3. Smith stated that she will run in the November 2018 special election to serve out the remainder of Franken's term.[4][5]

Franken was first elected to the United States Senate in 2008 and was re-elected in 2014. Before he was elected, he was a screenwriter for Saturday Night Live and the host of a national radio show.

## Contents

* 1 Background
* 1.1 Weinstein reports
* 1.2 Franken allegations
* 2 Responses
* 2.1 Calls to resign
* 2.2 Support for Franken
* 3 Special election
* 4 See also
* 5 External links
* 6 Footnotes

## Background[edit]

### Weinstein reports[edit]

Starting in October 2017, stories of sexual misconduct across the federal and state levels of American government emerged following a rising tide of media coverage triggered by sexual harassment allegations against Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein. A Glamour Magazine article tracking sexual harassment allegations that were brought to light following Weinstein's firing described it as having "sparked an avalanche of accusations against high-profile men in media, politics, Silicon Valley, and Hollywood, all with varying degrees of repercussions."[6]

In response to the Weinstein allegations, Franken wrote a Facebook post saying, "The women who have shared their stories about Harvey Weinstein over the last few days are incredibly brave. It takes a lot of courage to come forward, and we owe them our thanks."[7]

### Franken allegations[edit]

November 16, 2017

Leeann Tweeden, a model and television commentator, accused Sen. Franken of sexually assaulting her during a USO tour to the Middle East in 2006. According to Tweeden, Franken forcibly kissed her while rehearsing a skit backstage. A photo she released also shows Franken placing his hands on or near her chest while she was asleep.[8] In response to the allegations, Franken said, “I certainly don’t remember the rehearsal for the skit in the same way, but I send my sincerest apologies to Leeann. As to the photo, it was clearly intended to be funny but wasn’t. I shouldn’t have done it.” Franken urged the Senate to open an ethics investigation into the matter.[9] Both Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) also called for an investigation by the Senate Ethics Committee.[10]

November 20, 2017

CNN reported that another woman, Lindsay Menz, alleged that Franken had grabbed her buttocks during an encounter at the Minnesota State Fair in 2010 when Franken was serving his first term in the U.S. Senate. In a statement, Franken said, "I take thousands of photos at the state fair surrounded by hundreds of people, and I certainly don't remember taking this picture. I feel badly that Ms. Menz came away from our interaction feeling disrespected."[11]

November 22, 2017

The Huffington Post reported that two additional women had come forward alleging that Franken had touched them inappropriately. The first woman, who remained anonymous, claimed that Franken groped her as she posed for a photo with him after a 2007 event in Minneapolis, Minnesota. "My story is eerily similar to Lindsay Menz's story," she said. "He grabbed my buttocks during a photo op." The second woman, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed that Franken groped her buttocks at a 2008 fundraiser in Minneapolis, and then suggested they visit the bathroom together. In response to these allegations, Franken told HuffPost, "I can categorically say that I did not proposition anyone to join me in any bathroom."[12]

November 30, 2017

Stephanie Kemplin, a former army police officer, accused Franken of groping her during a photo op with him in Kuwait in 2003. "When he put his arm around me, he groped my right breast. He kept his hand all the way over on my breast. I've never had a man put their arm around me and then cup my breast. So he was holding my breast on the side," Kemplin said. In response, a spokesperson for Franken said, "[Sen. Franken] takes thousands of photos and has met tens of thousands of people and he has never intentionally engaged in this kind of conduct. He remains fully committed to cooperating with the ethics investigation."[13]

November 30, 2017

An unidentified former elected official from New England accused Franken of sexual misconduct. According to Jezebel, the woman appeared on Franken's radio show in 2006. After the interview, the woman says she extended her hand to shake his. “He took it and leaned toward me with his mouth open. I turned my head away from him and he landed a wet, open-mouthed kiss awkwardly on my cheek,” she says.[14] As of December 4, 2017, Franken had not issued a formal response to this allegation.

December 6, 2017

Politico reported that an unnamed former Democratic congressional staffer claimed that Franken tried to forcibly kiss her in 2006 and told her, “It’s my right as an entertainer.” In response, Franken said, "This allegation is categorically not true and the idea that I would claim this as my right as an entertainer is preposterous. I look forward to fully cooperating with the ongoing ethics committee investigation."[3]

Also on December 6, Democratic writer Tina Dupuy wrote a piece for The Atlantic where she alleged that Franken had groped her in 2009.[15] As of December 6, Franken had not responded to the allegation.

## Responses[edit]

### Calls to resign[edit]

The chart below shows statements from Democratic senators calling for Franken to resign from the U.S. Senate. As of 8:30 PM ET on December 6, 35 of 48 members of the Democratic Caucus had called for Franken's resignation. This included 13 of 16 women in the caucus and 22 of 32 men. Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Brian Schatz (D-H.I.) could not comment on the matter due to their involvement in the ethics investigation into Franken.[2]

DNC Chairman Tom Perez also called for Franken to resign.[16]

Democratic Senate Caucus members calls for Al Franken to resign

Member | Statement
Chuck Schumer
(D-N.Y.) | "Senator Franken should resign. I consider Senator Franken a dear friend and greatly respect his accomplishments, but he has a higher obligation to his constituents and the Senate, and he should step down immediately."
Kirsten Gillibrand
(D-N.Y.) | "While Senator Franken is entitled to have the Ethics Committee conclude its review, I believe it would be better for our country if he sent a clear message that any kind of mistreatment of women in our society isn’t acceptable by stepping aside to let someone else serve."
Mazie Hirono
(D-H.I.) | "Today, I am calling on my colleague Al Franken to step aside. I’ve struggled with this decision because he’s been a good Senator and I consider him a friend. But that cannot excuse his behavior and his mistreatment of women."
Claire McCaskill
(D-Mo.) | "Al Franken should resign."
Maggie Hassan
(D-N.H.) | "It is clear that Al Franken has engaged in a pattern of egregious and unacceptable behavior toward women. He should resign."
Patty Murray
(D-Wash.) | "It’s time for us as elected representatives to hold ourselves to a higher standard, to set an example, and to live a set of values that is truly representative and worthy of the Congress, our democracy, and our great country."
Kamala Harris
(D-Calif.) | "Sexual harassment and misconduct should not be allowed by anyone and should not occur anywhere. I believe the best thing for Senator Franken to do is step down."
Tammy Baldwin
(D-Wis.) | "I believe it is best for Senator Franken to resign."
Bob Casey
(D-Penn.) | "I agree with my colleagues who have stepped forward today and called on Senator Franken to resign. We can’t just believe women when it’s convenient."
Heidi Heitkamp
(D-N.D.) | "We must commit to zero tolerance – which is where I believe we as a country and Congress should be – and that means Senator Franken should step down."
Joe Donnelly
(D-Ind.) | "Senator Franken's conduct and behavior are unacceptable and he should resign."
Debbie Stabenow
(D-Mich.) | "Sexual harassment is unacceptable. I believe Senator Franken should do the right thing and resign."
Michael Bennet
(D-Col.) | "Sexual harassment and misconduct are never acceptable. I understand Senator Franken will make an announcement tomorrow morning, and I'm confident he'll do the right thing and step aside."
Ed Markey
(D-Mass.) | "I join my colleagues in calling for Senator Franken to step aside and resign. Sexual harassment is unacceptable, completely inappropriate and cannot be tolerated."
Maria Cantwell
(D-Wash.) | "Senator Franken’s actions are disturbing, egregious, and demonstrate a pattern of serious misconduct and abuse. It is time for Senator Franken to resign from office."
Dick Durbin
(D-Ill.) | "Senator Franken’s behavior was wrong. He has admitted to what he did. He should resign from the Senate."
Patrick Leahy
(D-Vt.) | "He has to step aside. I hope as a nation that we are beginning to come to terms with the systemic problem of sexual harassment and assault, but we still have a long way to go."
Martin Heinrich
(D-N.M.) | "Senator Franken needs to step down and we all need to do more to make clear that sexual harassment and assault are unacceptable."
Dianne Feinstein
(D-Calif.) | "It’s clear the American people don’t look lightly on these kinds of actions, no matter who they’re committed by, and the number of complaints against Senator Franken is a concern. I think resignation is the right thing for him to do."
Jeff Merkley
(D-Oreg.) | "Senator Franken has said he will make an announcement tomorrow, and I hope that he will do the right thing. It is in the best interest of our country for him to step aside."
Ron Wyden
(D-Oreg.) | "I expect that Senator Franken will announce his resignation tomorrow. It is the right thing to do given this series of serious allegations."
Tom Carper
(D-Del.) | "Al Franken has been a friend to many in the Senate – Republicans, Democrats and Independents alike – but these allegations are deeply troubling, especially as the number has grown. I believe it's time for him to resign."
Tammy Duckworth
(D-Ill.) | "I am deeply disappointed by Senator Franken’s behavior. He must step aside."
Tom Udall
(D-N.M.) | "Senator Franken should send a strong message that sexual misconduct is unacceptable in any setting and step down."
Sherrod Brown
(D-Oh.) | "I have listened to them. I have listened to my female colleagues, to women I work with and women in my life. And I agree the time has come for Senator Franken to step aside."
Elizabeth Warren
(D-Mass.) | "I think he should resign."
Sheldon Whitehouse
(D-R.I.) | "Given what we have learned in recent weeks, I expect Senator Franken to step aside."
Gary Peters
(D-Mich.) | "I think the time has come for Senator Franken to step down"
Chris Murphy
(D-Ct.) | "Senator Franken has denied some of these allegations and has the right to continue to seek a process through the Ethics Committee, but I believe the best course of action for him right now is to step down, as I expect he will do tomorrow."
Cory Booker
(D-N.J.) | "I think it's time for him to step down."
Jon Tester
(D-Mont.) | "Elected officials must be held to a high standard, Al Franken is no exception. It’s time for him to step down."
Jack Reed
(D-R.I.) | "I think Senator Franken should resign. The accumulating accusations and acknowledgment that inappropriate behavior took place cannot be countenanced. Sexual harassment must not be tolerated and this is part of a larger national discussion that is long overdue and must lead to fundamental change and lasting progress"
Bill Nelson
(D-Flor.) | "Sexual harassment is never acceptable. I agree with a majority of the Democratic senators that Sen. Franken should step aside."
Bernie Sanders
(I-Vt.) | "Sen. Franken has said that he will be making an announcement about his political future tomorrow. The right thing is for him to resign."
Angus King
(I-Me.) | "For me, I think it's time for my friend to resign."

### Support for Franken[edit]

On December 18, Politico reported that four Democratic senators, including three who had called for Franken's resignation, regretted that Franken was leaving the Senate and were critical of the push by Democrats to have him resign. Politico identified two of the senators as Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.). According to the report, which he did not comment on, Leahy privately told Franken that he regretted calling for resignation.

Manchin, who did not call for Franken's resignation, said the following in an interview with Politico's Off-Message podcast: "What they did to Al was atrocious, the Democrats...The most hypocritical thing I’ve ever seen done to a human being — and then have enough guts to sit on the floor, watch him give his speech and go over and hug him? That’s hypocrisy at the highest level I’ve ever seen in my life. Made me sick." Manchin said that he wanted Franken to reverse his resignation and for senators who called on him to resign to reverse their positions and ask Franken to remain until an ethics investigation took place.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) did not change her position on Franken's resignation, reportedly saying, "He was entitled to a process, but he was not entitled to my silence." The Politico report also mentioned that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) had not changed his mind about Franken's resignation.[17]

## Special election[edit]

See also: United States Senate special election in Minnesota, 2018

The special election was held on November 6, 2018.

Minnesota law lays out the procedures for filling vacancies in the United States Senate. Here is a breakdown of the process that will be used to fill Franken's seat:[18]

1. After the vacancy occurred, Gov. Mark Dayton (D) appointed Lieutenant Gov. Tina Smith (D) to fill the seat until the next regularly scheduled general election on November 6, 2018.*
2. Smith served until the November 2018 election, at which point she, along with other qualified candidates, has the opportunity to seek election to the seat. A special primary election to select partisan candidates for the November 8 election was held on August 14, 2018.
3. The winner of the November 2018 election served until Franken's original term expires. Franken was last elected in 2014, so his term ended on January 3, 2021. This means an election to fill the next term was held on November 3, 2020.

*If Franken had resigned less than 11 weeks before a regularly scheduled primary election, then Smith would not have faced an election until the following year. The next regularly scheduled primary in Minnesota was August 14, 2018, with May 29, 2018, being the date that was 11 weeks before it. If Franken had not resigned until after May 29, 2018, then Smith would have competed in a special election on November 5, 2019, rather than November 6, 2018.

## See also[edit]

* Sexual misconduct in American politics (2017)
* Al Franken

## External links[edit]

* Full list of statements by Democratic senators calling for Franken's resignation

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ CNN, "Al Franken resigning, calls out Trump and Moore," December 7, 2017
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Politico, "Full list: Majority of Democratic senators call for Franken to resign," December 6, 2017
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Politico, "Another woman says Franken tried to forcibly kiss her," December 6, 2017
4. ↑ Newsweek, "WILL AL FRANKEN RESIGN? WHAT HAPPENS IF MINNESOTA DEMOCRAT STEPS DOWN OVER GROPING RADIO HOST," November 16, 2017
5. ↑ Politico, "Franken to resign from Senate in January," December 20, 2017
6. ↑ Glamour Magazine, "Post-Weinstein, These Are the Powerful Men Facing Sexual Harassment Allegations," November 30, 2017
7. ↑ Business Insider, "Here's how Al Franken, now accused of sexual misconduct, responded to the Harvey Weinstein allegations," November 16, 2017
8. ↑ KABC, “Senator Al Franken Kissed and Groped Me Without My Consent, And There’s Nothing Funny About It,” accessed November 16, 2017
9. ↑ CNN, “Read Al Franken's apology following accusation of groping and kissing without consent,” November 16, 2017
10. ↑ Slate, “How Democrats Are Responding to the Franken Assault Allegation,” November 16, 2017
11. ↑ CNN, "Woman says Franken inappropriately touched her in 2010," November 20, 2017
12. ↑ [ https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/al-franken-two-more-women-groping_us_5a15a455e4b09650540ec295 HuffPost, "Two More Women Accuse Sen. Al Franken Of Inappropriate Touching," November 22, 2017]
13. ↑ CNN, "Army veteran says Franken groped her during USO tour in 2003," November 30, 2017
14. ↑ Jezebel, "New England Elected Official Says Al Franken Tried to Give Her A 'Wet, Open-Mouthed Kiss' Onstage," November 30, 2017
15. ↑ The Atlantic, "I Believe Franken’s Accusers Because He Groped Me, Too," December 6, 2017
16. ↑ BBC, "Democrats urge Senator Franken to quit amid groping claims," December 6, 2017
17. ↑ Politico, "Franken urged to reverse his resignation," December 18, 2017
18. ↑ The Office of the Revisor of Statutes, "204D.28 UNITED STATES SENATE VACANCY; MANNER OF FILLING." accessed December 6, 2017

v • e

Sexual misconduct in American politics (2017)

Responses|

Sexual misconduct in American politics (2017) • Sexual misconduct in state capitols (2017)

Events|

Resignation of Al Franken, 2018 • United States Senate special election in Minnesota, 2018

Related pages|

Process for reporting sexual misconduct in Congress