A liberal grassroots organization said Thursday that Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., should stay in the Senate to help change the culture of sexual harassment in Congress.
“This behavior isn’t excusable in any context, and we’re glad he’s attempting to take responsibility and show remorse,” the Progressive Change Campaign Committee said in a statement. “We hope he commits himself to being part of a necessary culture shift in the halls of Congress, the entertainment industry, and across society.”
The PCCC boasts of raising $22 million for progressive candidates since its founding in 2009. Their statement, which rebukes Franken without calling for his departure, suggests that the Democratic political base might be willing to rally around the lawmaker.
That statement was released after the publication of a photo in which Franken, before he became a senator, is shown groping the breasts of a sleeping woman he worked with during USO tours in Iraq. KABC radio host Leeann Tweeden also accused him of forcing her into a kiss during the 2006 event.
“We believe Leeann Tweeden’s account and are disappointed in Senator Franken’s actions,” the PCCC said. “Sexual harassment and assault are not joking matters.”
The allegation surfaced as Senate Republicans are trying to convince Alabama standard-bearer Roy Moore to withdraw from a Senate special election following allegations that he sexually assaulted several women, including a 14-year-old girl. They’re part of a broader trend of accusations that have rocked Hollywood and entertainment in recent weeks.
“The first thing I want to do is apologize: to Leeann, to everyone else who was part of that tour, to everyone who has worked for me, to everyone I represent, and to everyone who counts on me to be an ally and supporter and champion of women,” Franken said Thursday. “I respect women. I don’t respect men who don’t. And the fact that my own actions have given people a good reason to doubt that makes me feel ashamed.”
“Al Franken has been a good friend of mine for years, but we as a progressive community must take her words seriously, and fully commit ourselves to creating a world free from sexual harassment and assault,” Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., told the Washington Examiner.
Franken won re-election in 2014. His current term ends in 2020.
