US Senator Al Franken announces resignation over sexual harassment claims
Democratic Party senator is latest casualty in firestorm of sexual abuse cases against powerful men
US Democratic Senator Al Franken said on Thursday he plans to resign after more than a half-dozen women came forward over the past several weeks with allegations that he touched them improperly or made unwanted sexual advances.
Franken also disputed some of the accusations and suggested he is being held to a different standard than President Donald Trump.
“A couple months ago I felt we had entered an important moment in the history of this country,” Franken said on the Senate floor. “We were finally beginning to listen to women about the way mens’ actions affect them,” he said. “Then the conversation turned to me,” said Franken. “I was shocked” but trying to be respectful of the women’s feelings, he said.
“It gave some people the false impression I was admitting to doing things that in fact I haven’t done,” he said, insisting “some of the allegations against me simply are not true.”
Nevertheless, Franken said he would resign over the next several weeks.
Many of the allegations predate Franken’s Senate career, but the former comedian and Saturday Night Live cast member had already apologised and said he would “gladly cooperate” with a Senate Ethics Committee investigation of his behaviour.