Embattled Sen. Al Franken’s leadership PAC has already been active this election cycle, putting roughly two dozen candidates in tough spots as the Minnesota Democrat faces allegations of sexual misconduct.
Between 2018 House and Senate races, Franken’s poorly-named Midwest Values PAC has contributed $145,500 to 25 congressional candidates, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. On the House side, the PAC donated $1,500 to seven candidates, $5,000 to one, and $10,000 to Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn. Sixteen Senate candidates have received contributions from the PAC as well, ranging from $5,000 to $10,000.
Those sixteen candidates include several vulnerable Democratic incumbents facing re-election in states President Trump won in 2016, including Sens. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., Joe Manchin, D-W.V., Bill Nelson, D-Fla., and Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D.
Most, if not all, of the candidates will face calls to return the money from Republican opponents, making a campaign issue out of their alliances with Franken. Some, including Baldwin, Heitkamp and “all of the House Democratic challengers,” have already said they plan to return or donate the money.
On Thursday, Franken was accused by Los Angeles-based local news anchor Leeann Tweeden of forcing himself on her while the two rehearsed for a skit during a USO tour in 2006. Tweeden also published a picture of the senator, then a comedian, groping her breasts while she slept. “I certainly don’t remember the rehearsal for the skit in the same way, but I send my sincerest apologies to Leeann,” Franken said in a statement. “As to the photo, it was clearly intended to be funny but wasn’t. I shouldn’t have done it.” The senator has since agreed to cooperate in an ethics investigation.
Between Harvey Weinstein and Franken, Democrats have faced calls to return money from two different alleged sexual harassers this fall.
