Democratic senators, staff and family members were somber yet emotional as they watched Minnesota Sen. Al Franken say he would resign.
Franken's family members sat in the Senate gallery, some of them crying. Staff lined up in the back of the chamber, stone faced. And around 18 Democratic senators quietly listened to his speech on the floor. No Republicans were present except the chamber's presiding officer, Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan.
Democrats who sat and listened to Franken's speech included Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, the first to call Wednesday for Franken to resign.
Franken was facing multiple sexual misconduct allegations. After his 11 minute speech, Democrats lined up to hug him.
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12:05 p.m.
Minnesota Sen. Al Franken says he'll resign in the coming weeks. He's repeatedly apologized as several women accused him of sexually inappropriate behavior, and as his support from fellow Democrats evaporated.
The Minnesota lawmaker took to the Senate floor to say, "I may be resigning my seat, but I am not giving up my voice." He says he'll addressing issues as an activist.
Franken says he can't go through a Senate Ethics Committee investigation and effectively represent his state at the same time.
In remarks that lasted 11 minutes, he said that, thanks to his family, "I'm going to be just fine."
He says some charges against him are untrue and that he remembers other differently than his accusers do. But he says women "deserve to be heard and their experiences taken seriously."
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11:45 a.m.
Minnesota Sen. Al Franken is resigning amid multiple sexual misconduct allegations.
Once a rising star in the Democratic Party, Franken made the announcement in a speech Thursday on the Senate floor.
The two-term lawmaker has repeatedly apologized as several women stepped forward to accuse him of sexually inappropriate behavior, from groping to forcibly trying to kiss them.
But a fresh allegation on Wednesday unleashed a torrent of Democratic demands that Franken step aside. Female senators led the chorus.
Franken is an actor who appeared on "Saturday Night Live" and an author who narrowly won his Senate seat in 2008 after a prolonged vote count. He has been a fierce opponent of the Trump administration.
His political fall has been swift by congressional standards. The first allegation surfaced on Nov. 16.
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11:35 a.m.
Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine is asking about the number of sexual harassment claims filed against senators and staffers, along with the amount of money spent on settlement of harassment cases.
Kaine writes in a letter to the Senate Office of Compliance that he will publicly release any information he receives to promote greater awareness of the problem and develop solutions.
The Virginia senator's letter comes as Democrat Al Franken of Minnesota is under pressure to resign from the Senate amid allegations of sexual misconduct.
The House has revealed it paid $84,000 in taxpayer money to settle a sexual harassment complaint against Texas Republican congressman Blake Farenthold. Settlements by senators, if any, have not been made public.
Kaine says sexual misconduct continues to be a barrier against gender equality.
___
9:29 a.m.
Sen. Al Franken will say whether he is resigning in a speech on the Senate floor at 11:45 a.m.
Franken is under intense pressure to step down as allegations of sexual misconduct have mounted, with at least eight women accusing him of acting inappropriately.
The Minnesota senator's support among fellow Democrats crumbled on Wednesday after a woman accused Franken of trying to forcibly kiss her in 2006. Hours later another woman said Franken inappropriately squeezed "a handful of flesh" on her waist while posing for a photo with her in 2009.
A tweet on Franken's Twitter account Wednesday evening said Franken was talking with his family, and any report of a final decision his future was inaccurate.
___
3:57 a.m.
Minnesota Democrat Al Franken, facing fresh allegations of sexual misconduct and vanishing support from fellow Democrats, appears to be on the brink of resigning from the Senate.
Franken scheduled an announcement for Thursday, though his office tweeted Wednesday evening that he had not made "a final decision" on resigning.
But a majority of the Senate's Democrats called on the two-term lawmaker to quit after a woman emerged Wednesday morning saying he forcibly tried to kiss her in 2006. Hours later, another woman said Franken inappropriately squeezed "a handful of flesh" on her waist while posing for a photo with her in 2009.
That brought the number of women alleging misconduct by Franken to at least eight.
Poster Comment:
An obnoxious, leering, fathead who had as much business being a senator than Hitlery had being president! DemocRATS: easy to hate these communist bastards.
These traitors to their oaths all get pensions regardless of how much time they wasted in Congress.
#1: misterwhite To: IbJensen (#0)
Well, $17 million of taxpayer money went somewhere. If the average settlement was $50,000, that represents 340 cases.
misterwhite posted on 2017-12-07 12:44:36 Reply Private Reply
#2: Jameson To: IbJensen (#0)
Good.
Senator Franken knowingly and purposely crossed the line of decency with these women. He is man enough to accept his blame and resign from his office.
I know that we can all agree that he is doing the right thing.
It is now time for President Garrison to act like a man and resign.
Anything less is unacceptable.
Jameson posted on 2017-12-07 12:53:12 Reply Private Reply
#3: Jameson To: IbJensen (#0)
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2017/nov/30/donald-trump-sex sexual-misconduct-allegations-full-list sexual-misconduct-allegations-full-list
Jameson posted on 2017-12-07 13:00:04 Reply Private Reply
#4: IbJensen To: Jameson (#3)
Sorry – the page you have requested does not exist
You may have followed an outdated link, or have mistyped a URL. If you believe this to be an error, please report it
-The Guardian
IbJensen posted on 2017-12-07 13:04:47 Reply Private Reply
#5: IbJensen To: Jameson (#2)
Another Hitlery or Sanders supporter?
IbJensen posted on 2017-12-07 13:06:10 Reply Private Reply
#6: Hondo68 To: IbJensen, Americas Mayor (#0)
Now Trump needs to resign for molesting America's Mayor!
Hondo68 posted on 2017-12-07 13:14:27 Reply Private Reply
#7: IbJensen To: hondo68 (#6)
Ha, ha, ha! Very funny.
IbJensen posted on 2017-12-07 13:30:25 Reply Private Reply
#8: Jameson To: IbJensen (#4)
Jameson posted on 2017-12-07 13:31:05 Reply Private Reply
#9: Jameson To: IbJensen (#5)
I would support ANY candidate running against any republican in all future elections.
Jameson posted on 2017-12-07 13:32:48 Reply Private Reply
#10: Vicomte13 To: Jameson (#2)
To you.
For my part, I think all of this stuff is a tempest in a teapot.
Vicomte13 posted on 2017-12-07 16:02:49 Reply Private Reply
#11: Vicomte13 To: Jameson (#9)
I can't go with you there. Republicans and Democrats are both pretty bad. I have to look at what's on offer and pick one or the other based on what he's offering that sounds reasonable, and whether I believe him or not.
I don't really care whose ass he grabbed or who slapped his face. It makes no difference to me. I'm electing somebody to give me a better regulatory regime, tax code and foreign policy. If he's morally a dirt bag it's no skin off my nose. God will take care of that. I'm not voting for a pope but a policymaker.
Vicomte13 posted on 2017-12-07 16:05:14 Reply Private Reply
#12: IbJensen To: Jameson (#9)
Thanks for your honesty.
You are one asshat that I will never pay attention to.
IbJensen posted on 2017-12-07 17:25:25 Reply Private Reply
#13: CZ82 To: IbJensen (#0)
Didn't he originally win his seat thru voter fraud?
CZ82 posted on 2017-12-07 17:29:42 Reply Private Reply
#14: GrandIsland To: hondo68 (#6)
GrandIsland posted on 2017-12-07 20:02:37 Reply Private Reply
#15: Hondo68 To: GrandIsland, Trump lisp canary (#14)
Doctors orders! Trump has developed a lisp, and is headed to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
libertysflame.com/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=53735
Hondo68 posted on 2017-12-07 20:28:23 Reply Private Reply
#16: Hondo68 To: CZ82 (#13)
Yes, but he succeeded where algore failed. They kept counting the vote until el Frankenstein won!
Hondo68 posted on 2017-12-07 20:36:52 Reply Private Reply
#17: Jameson To: Vicomte13 (#11)
Until November 2016 I shared your approach, but no more.
The gop must be punished.
Jameson posted on 2017-12-08 05:29:57 Reply Private Reply
#18: CZ82 To: hondo68 (#16)
IIRC they had to change well over 1000 votes for him to be announced as the winner.
CZ82 posted on 2017-12-08 06:46:45 Reply Private Reply
#19: A K A Stone To: Jameson (#17)
You must be punished for murdering children. I'm thinking the death penalty.
A K A Stone posted on 2017-12-08 07:18:12 Reply Private Reply
#20: Jameson To: A K A Stone (#19)
How IRONIC!!
Jameson posted on 2017-12-08 07:32:15 Reply Private Reply
#21: Vicomte13 To: Jameson (#17)
As things continue, a more and more populist GOP will replace the corporatist one - assuming Trump stays the course and the populists continue to advance.
I always said the GOP could never change from within. I did not anticipate a billionaire being a populist. Did not see that coming. That changes things.
Of course, the Democrat Party could also be hijacked by a popular figure who doesn't believe what they believe on a variety of things. But that hasn't happened yet, and it IS happening right now in the GOP.
So if there's going to be a change at all, our best shot at it is with Trump. Therefore, I support Trump. Roy Moore pisses off the GOP Establishment and the Democrats, therefore I support him: He has the right enemies.
Vicomte13 posted on 2017-12-08 07:40:11 Reply Private Reply
#22: A K A Stone To: Jameson (#20)
A K A Stone posted on 2017-12-08 07:56:04 Reply Private Reply
#23: Jameson To: Vicomte13 (#21)
If the gopers didn't want trump, they could have stopped him. Sort of like how the dems stopped Bernie Sanders. The republicans continue to financially support the Alabama predator.
So I disagree with your claim.
The gop controlled House, Senate and WH are all enjoying the lowest approval ratings in history - and they are in the process of passing some of the most Anti-American tax laws ever.
The gop led government is hell-bent on making it impossible for a very large chunk of middle-class Americans to have access to affordable health insurance.
Jameson posted on 2017-12-08 12:10:19 Reply Private Reply
#24: Jameson To: A K A Stone (#22)
False!
I have great regard for human life, dignity, and freedom.
Jameson posted on 2017-12-08 12:11:25 Reply Private Reply
#25: Vicomte13 To: Jameson (#23)
I don't like this tax reform bill.
Vicomte13 posted on 2017-12-08 16:26:04 Reply Private Reply