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Sen. Alan S. “Al” Franken (D.-Minn.) issued a new statement Thursday to supplement his previous short explanation about his take on the charge made earlier in the day by Leeann Tweeden that that Franken constructed a sexually awkward comedy skit for her to perform with him during their 2006 Middle East USO tour and that Franken insisted on a private rehearsal, where he groped and kissed her.After she shook off his sexually-tinged advances, Tweeden said Franken began ridiculing her for the rest of the tour–and at one point drew devil horns on a photo of her.Also after the rehearsal incident, Franken posed...

What happened to believing women when they speak out against powerful male accusers? On Thursday, evidence broke of a 2006 incident in which Democrat Al Franken groped and forcibly kissed TV and radio personality Leeaan Tweeden. Photographic proof backs up her claim. Yet, MSNBC’s Kasie Hunt described the now-Senator's predatory behavior this way: “[Franken] took a picture, which his office now says was of a joke, that showed him potentially — not actually groping — but mock-groping her while she was asleep." In the noon hour, Hunt repeated her mild description. This time, she didn't cite the Franken staff and...

Today, the amendment offered by U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) to stop funding defense contractors who deny assault victims their day in court passed the United States Senate by a vote of 68 - 30 Last Thursday, Sen. Franken introduced an amendment (S.2588) to the FY2010 Defense Appropriations Bill that would restrict funding to defense contractors who commit employees to mandatory binding arbitration in the case of sexual assault. The legislation, endorsed by 61 women’s, labor and public interest groups, was inspired by the story of Jamie Leigh Jones, who watched the vote from the Senate gallery today. “I’m proud...

Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) faced swift and bipartisan condemnation Thursday and a call for an ethics investigation after a Los Angeles model and broadcaster accused him of “forcibly kissing” and groping her in 2006. After originally issuing a brief apology and saying he didn’t recall the incident the way Leeann Tweeden did, Franken issued a longer apology — “There’s no excuse” — and welcomed the ethics investigation, saying he will “gladly cooperate.” The top Democrat, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), said he hopes there will soon be one by the Senate Ethics Committee, which has the authority to recommend...

Broadcaster and model Leeann Tweeden on Thursday said that now-Sen. Al Franken from Minnesota forcibly kissed her and also groped her without her consent while she was on a USO tour to entertain troops in late 2006, and that there is “nothing funny about sexual assault.” She announced her post on Twitter using the hashtag “me too.” Tweeden tweeted on Thursday that it was “time” to tell her story, and she linked to a post published on KABC, a Los Angeles station where she is a morning show anchor. Tweeden wrote that she was on her ninth USO Tour to...

As a feminist and the author of a book on rape culture, I could reasonably be expected to lead the calls for Al Franken to step down, following allegations that he forced his tongue down a woman’s throat, accompanied by a photo of him grinning as he moves in to grope her breasts while she sleeps. It’s disgusting. He treated a sleeping woman as a comedy prop, no more human than the contents of Carrot Top’s trunk, and I firmly believe he should suffer social and professional consequences for it. But I don’t believe resigning from his position is the...

A Thursday afternoon CNN Newsroom panel showcased political tribalism as three liberal journalists downplayed the disturbing sexual misconduct allegations against Democratic Senator Al Franken (Minn.) by harping on the fact that Franken was “just a comedian” while those against Roy Moore and President Trump were far more serious. “But just out of the gate, the fact that you have Gloria, you know, Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer, right, from the left and right, both saying there needs to be an ethics investigation. I realize that this was years and years ago, this story, and he was a private citizen at...

Isn’t it just so much fun watching as the same Democrats and fake journalists who have been calling for Roy Moore’s twist themselves into logical pretzels finding rationales for Al Franken to keep his seat in the U.S. Senate? A.B. Stoddard made a complete fool of herself on Franken’s behalf last night on the Fox Report panel, saying that well, Franken apologized and Ms. Tweeden said she doesn’t want him to resign, so, you know, it all ok. I didn’t d…wait, you have pictures? Ok, well, yeah, I did that. – Yeah, Franken apologized for fondling Lee Ann Tweeden’s breasts...

In the wake of the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment/assault scandal, allegedly feminist entertainers are being accused left ... and left. The latest is comedian/Sen. Al Franken. Photographic evidence undeniably proved that he placed his hands over a woman's breasts while she was asleep on an airplane returning from a USO tour in 2006. The woman, KABC radio anchor Leeann Tweeden, added that he forced his tongue down her throat during a rehearsal of a skit for the soldiers. Now ask yourself: What if Franken's most hated rival, Sen. Ted Cruz, had been pictured doing exactly that to a sleeping woman...

President Trump blasted Sen. Al Franken on Twitter Thursday over allegations the former SNL comic groped and forcibly kissed a woman during a USO tour in 2006. “The Al Frankenstien picture is really bad, speaks a thousand words. Where do his hands go in pictures 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 while she sleeps?” Trump tweeted, referring to an image of the Minnesota Democrat appearing to grope Former model, and now Los Angeles radio news anchor, Leeann Tweeden. Trump — who has been accused of sexual misconduct himself by numerous women — then added: “And to think that just last...

The United Service Organizations, commonly referred to as the USO, has been bringing entertainment to the American Armed Forces since 1941. In wartime and during peace the USO has been there to help bring a little bit of ‘home’ to soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen, serving in all corners of the planet. Back during the Vietnam War, Bob Hope was famous for entertaining the troops in Vietnam for many years running. Bringing along with him many well-known Hollywood celebrities and entertainers, and televising his USO tour for families at home, hoping to catch a glimpse of their loved...

Two prominent members of Minnesota's Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party are calling on Sen. Al Franken to resign his Senate seat following allegations of sexual misconduct. Although many other Democrats have called the former comedian's actions disturbing, state auditor Rebecca Otto and Megan Thomas, president of the party's official Feminist Caucus, say he should leave office.

This is disgusting. A “feminist” writer has finally said publicly what the worst progressives really think: a Democrat who sexually abuses a woman should be let off the hook because he’s a Democrat. The blogger, Kate Harding, is “sincerely” making this argument. Democracy 2017: I am sincerely arguing that we should not force a Democrat to resign for sexually abusing a woman, because I know Republicans never will, and that once the first Democrat goes, R's next move is finding shady Ds from states with R governors. — Kate Harding (@KateHarding) November 16, 2017 Why? Because all men in politics...

U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) said he is pleased after the Senate took an important step to help address sexual assault in the U.S. Military by advancing one piece of legislation on the subject. "The number of sexual assaults experienced by members of our military is totally unacceptable, and it's outrageous how hard it has been for these survivors to seek and get justice," said Sen. Franken. "I'm pleased we were able to come together to take steps that will help curb military sexual assaults.

As news breaks that Senator Al Franken was sexually inappropriate with journalist Leeann Tweeden whilst on a USO tour in 2006, it’s time to see if the Democrats and Republicans are really as concerned by the Roy Moore allegations as they claim to be, or whether it is just a feeble attempt to remove a conservative from the race. Consider that for one of the “suspects,” there is no evidence, and for the other, there is a photograph of him groping her breasts while she sleeps aboard a C17 on her way back from entertaining the troops. It will be...

A second woman is coming forward with allegations that Democratic Senator Al Franken “stalked and harassed” her. The accusations come after sports commentator Leeann Tweeden sent shockwaves throughout the media by accusing Franken of groping her “without my consent.” The incident allegedly occurred during a USO tour of Vietnam in December 2006.

Hours after news broken that a U.S. senator made inappropriate sexual advances on a woman, Alabama Republican Senate nominee Roy Moore said he is not getting the similar benefit of the doubt. Sen. Al Franken, D-Minnesota, was accused by sports broadcaster Leeann Tweeden of groping her and kissing her aggressively when they were rehearsing a skit for a USO show in 2006. The incidents occurred two years before Franken - a former comedian - was elected to the Senate. Sen. Al Franken accused of kissing, groping woman Sen. Al Franken accused of kissing, groping woman TV host and sports broadcaster...

Alabama Republican Senate nominee Roy Moore reacted to the groping allegations made against Minnesota Democratic Sen. Al Franken on Thursday by arguing a double standard is at play. In a tweet, Moore, who is facing calls to drop of the Senate race after multiple women have accused him of sexual misconduct in the past, attacked Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell over his differing responses. Moore tweeted: “Al Franken admits guilt after photographic evidence of his abuse surfaces. Mitch: ‘Let's investigate.’ In Alabama, ZERO evidence, allegations 100% rejected. Mitch: ‘Moore must quit immediately or be expelled.’”

A woman just accused the Minnesota senator of sexual misconduct. If he's really an advocate for women's rights, he should step down. On Thursday, KABC anchor Leeann Tweeden came forward with an accusation that Minnesota senator Al Franken kissed her and groped her without her consent in 2006, while they were on a USO tour. She included a photograph of Franken—who was then just a liberal comedian but has become a Democratic senator and theoretical 2020 presidential candidate—fondling her while she was asleep. Condemnation on social media was swift and aggressive, as it should have been. Hearing a story like...

Democratic Sen. Al Franken was accused by a California sports radio broadcaster on Thursday of kissing and groping her without her consent in 2006 -- but the politician has a history of making crude remarks about sexually assaulting women. Franken, then a comedian, was quoted in a 1995 New York Magazine article discussing a skit for “Saturday Night Live” that involved drugging and raping CBS reporter Lesley Stahl.