At least 35 Senate Democrats, led by Senate women, are now calling for Minnesota Democratic Senator Al Franken’s resignation, amid an increasing number of sexual harassment accusations. Senator Franken is slated to speak today. More than a half-dozen women have now accused Franken of touching them without their consent, including a former congressional aide who on Wednesday said Franken had tried to forcibly kiss her back in 2006, before Franken became a senator. This is New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, speaking Wednesday.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand: “Enough is enough. I mean, this is a conversation we’ve been having for a very long time, and it’s a conversation that this country needs to have. And I think when we start having to talk about the differences between sexual assault and sexual harassment and unwanted groping, you are having the wrong conversation. We need to draw a line in the sand and say none of it is OK, none of it is acceptable.”
Meanwhile, Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi is also calling on Nevada Democratic congressmember Rubén Kihuen to resign, following a report that he repeatedly sexually harassed his former campaign finance director during his 2016 congressional campaign.