Al Franken resigns: Democratic senator stands down over sexual assault claims

The Minnesota Senator maintained that some of the allegations are 'simply not true'

Democrat Senator Al Franken has resigned after facing a string of sexual misconduct allegations from a number of women, including claims of groping.

Speaking on the Senate floor, Mr Franken called some of the allegations "simply not true" while others he said he "remembered very differently".

Mr Franken said his earlier apology statement gave people a "false impression that I was admitting to things I had not done".

“I know in my heart that nothing I've done as a senator - nothing - has brought dishonour on this institution,” Mr Franken said. “Nevertheless, today I am announcing that in the coming weeks, I will be resigning as a member of the United States Senate.”

He also pointed out the "irony" of his departure as a "man who bragged on tape of his history of sexual assault sits in the Oval Office, and a man who has preyed on underage girls is running for the Senate with the full support of his party,” 

He was firstly referring to a 2005 videotape, that surfaced last year as President Donald Trump was running for the White House, where Mr Trump was heard bragging about kissing and touching women. Mr Trump apologised for the remarks, but called them private “locker-room talk” and said he had not done the things he talked about. Mr Trump has also faced claims of sexual misconduct from at least a dozen women. The White House and Mr Trump have denied the allegations. The White House's official position is that the women accusing Mr Trump of sexual assault or harassment are lying.

Mr Franken was also referring to Roy Moore - running for the vacant Alabama Senate seat - has been accused by has been accused by several women of sexual assault or misconduct when they were teenagers and Mr Moore was in his early 30s. Mr Moore, 70, has denied the accusations. He is getting funding from the national Republican party for his campaign.

Mr Franken, former Saturday Night Live cast member said the recent conversation surrounding sexual harassment and misconduct - which started with numerous women coming forward and accusing blockbuster Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein - was "long overdue."

He said he was "hopeful that it would result in real change" but "then the conversation turned to me."

He said he was "shocked" by the accusations of Leeann Tweeden, a Los Angeles radio host, who in November accused him of forcibly kissing her, and then groping during a 2006 USO tour in Afghanistan.

Several women followed with accusations of how Mr Franken allegedly tried to grope or forcibly kiss them. He issued a statement at the time: "I’ve learned from recent stories that in some of those encounters, I crossed a line for some women — and I know that any number is too many. Some women have found my greetings or embraces for a hug or photo inappropriate, and I respect their feelings about that".

Talking abut the apology on the Senate floor, Mr Franken said: "In responding... I wanted to be respectful of that broader conversation," , adding that "all women deserve to be heard and their opinions taken seriously."

While having acknowledged and apologised for some inappropriate behaviuor,Mr Franken strongly denied the latest accusation that came from a former Democratic congressional aide, who said he tried to forcibly kiss her after a taping of his radio show in 2006. 

The woman, who was not identified, told Politico that she ducked to avoid his lips but Franken told her: “It's my right as an entertainer.” Mr Franken said the idea he would claim such conduct as a right was “preposterous.” 

However, the allegation was enough for Democratic Senators Kirsten Gillibrand, Chuck Schumer, Claire McCaskill, Kamala Harris, Sherrod Brown and seven others to publicly call for his resignation. 

Mr Franken is among a host of public figures accused of sexual misconduct, including fellow Democrat and Representative John Conyers who also resigned this week after several women came forward with stories about his alleged inappropriate behaviour. Mr Conyers has denied any wrongdoing.

Mr Franken had earlier called on the Senate Ethics Committee to investigate the allegations, however today he said that he "can’t sit through the committee process and be an effective senator for" the people of Minnesota. 

He thanked the junior Senator from his state Amy Klobuchar, who he credited for his success in Congress, as well his "brilliant" young staff. 

"There is a big part of me that will always regret leaving this job when there is so much work to be done," he said.

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The Senator from expressed how proud he is to be from Minnesota and reminisced about his first election, which he won by just 312 votes. 

"It wasn’t easy and it wasn’t always fun," Mr Franken said in an emotional speech about his time on Capitol Hill, but added that "even on the worst day of my political life, it’s all been worth it."

Mr Franken urged his colleagues to "have political courage" in the face of the Trump administration and quoted former Minnesota senator, the late Paul Wellstone: "'The future belongs to those who are passionate and work hard' it’s still true and it will always be true." 

The departure of Mr Franken presents an opening for Republicans to recapture a seat they lost when Mr Franken won election in 2008, and to build on their 52-48 Senate majority.

The election to succeed him, however, will not be held until November 2018. Minnesota's Democratic governor, Mark Dayton, will appoint someone to take Mr Franken's place until then, ensuring Democrats hold the seat for now. Mr Dayton said he expected to announce his decision "in the next couple of days".