And Another One.....Senator Al Franken Apologizes For Groping Woman On USO Tour
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http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/16/politics/al-franken-sexual-harassment/index.html
(CNN)A woman accused Minnesota Democratic Sen. Al Franken on Thursday of groping her and kissing her without her consent in 2006 while she was on a USO Tour overseas.
Leeann Tweeden is now a morning news anchor on TalkRadio 790 KABC in Los Angeles and posted her story in a lengthy post on the station's website.
CNN has reached out to Tweeden and she's expected to speak Thursday morning with CNN.
Tweeden described the harassment as being part of a script for a USO skit where Franken wrote where he's supposed to kiss her. She writes that Franken repeatedly insisted they rehearse the kissing scene despite her protests. When she relented, Franken, "put his hand on the back of my head, mashed his lips against mine and aggressively stuck his tongue in my mouth."
"Senator Franken, you wrote the script," Tweeden wrote. "But there's nothing funny about sexual assault."
She also included a photo in which Franken appears to grabbing Tweeden's breast while she's asleep.
"I couldn't believe it. He groped me, without my consent, while I was asleep," Tweeden writes. "I felt violated all over again. Embarrassed. Belittled. Humiliated."
The post does not address whether Franken was reached out to for comment in advance of publishing and includes no comment from Franken or his office.
In a statement to reporters, Franken said he doesn't remember the forced kissing, but said he shouldn't have conducted his behavior as he did in the photo.
"I certainly don't remember the rehearsal for the skit in the same way, but I send my sincerest apologies to Leeann," Franken said. "As to the photo, it was clearly intended to be funny but wasn't. I shouldn't have done it."
Tweeden said she's coming forward now after hearing testimony from women -- including California Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier -- who have shared similar stories of men in power who have committed sexual harassment and sexual assault.
"I want to have the same effect on them that Congresswoman Jackie Speier had on me," Tweeden wrote. "I want them, and all the other victims of sexual assault, to be able to speak out immediately, and not keep their stories --and their anger-- locked up inside for years, or decades."
(CNN)A woman accused Minnesota Democratic Sen. Al Franken on Thursday of groping her and kissing her without her consent in 2006 while she was on a USO Tour overseas.
Leeann Tweeden is now a morning news anchor on TalkRadio 790 KABC in Los Angeles and posted her story in a lengthy post on the station's website.
CNN has reached out to Tweeden and she's expected to speak Thursday morning with CNN.
Tweeden described the harassment as being part of a script for a USO skit where Franken wrote where he's supposed to kiss her. She writes that Franken repeatedly insisted they rehearse the kissing scene despite her protests. When she relented, Franken, "put his hand on the back of my head, mashed his lips against mine and aggressively stuck his tongue in my mouth."
"Senator Franken, you wrote the script," Tweeden wrote. "But there's nothing funny about sexual assault."
She also included a photo in which Franken appears to grabbing Tweeden's breast while she's asleep.
"I couldn't believe it. He groped me, without my consent, while I was asleep," Tweeden writes. "I felt violated all over again. Embarrassed. Belittled. Humiliated."
The post does not address whether Franken was reached out to for comment in advance of publishing and includes no comment from Franken or his office.
In a statement to reporters, Franken said he doesn't remember the forced kissing, but said he shouldn't have conducted his behavior as he did in the photo.
"I certainly don't remember the rehearsal for the skit in the same way, but I send my sincerest apologies to Leeann," Franken said. "As to the photo, it was clearly intended to be funny but wasn't. I shouldn't have done it."
Tweeden said she's coming forward now after hearing testimony from women -- including California Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier -- who have shared similar stories of men in power who have committed sexual harassment and sexual assault.
"I want to have the same effect on them that Congresswoman Jackie Speier had on me," Tweeden wrote. "I want them, and all the other victims of sexual assault, to be able to speak out immediately, and not keep their stories --and their anger-- locked up inside for years, or decades."
Comments
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These dudes just need to stop apologizing to these broads and fight back. ? prove that ? or I'm suing your ass for slander, libel, and defamation of character.
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Another hypocrite. Hilarious.
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konceptjones wrote: »These dudes just need to stop apologizing to these broads and fight back. ? prove that ? or I'm suing your ass for slander, libel, and defamation of character.
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konceptjones wrote: »These dudes just need to stop apologizing to these broads and fight back. ? prove that ? or I'm suing your ass for slander, libel, and defamation of character.
Do you not see the picture of him grabbing her right above your post? -
konceptjones wrote: »These dudes just need to stop apologizing to these broads and fight back. ? prove that ? or I'm suing your ass for slander, libel, and defamation of character.
lol
for fraken, at least, it's going to be hard to deny any wrong doing with that picture -
konceptjones wrote: »These dudes just need to stop apologizing to these broads and fight back. ? prove that ? or I'm suing your ass for slander, libel, and defamation of character.konceptjones wrote: »These dudes just need to stop apologizing to these broads and fight back. ? prove that ? or I'm suing your ass for slander, libel, and defamation of character.
Do you not see the picture of him grabbing her right above your post?
I'm speaking in general terms, not just about Al Franken. But even in his case, does the pic tell the whole story? Was she asleep or did she blink? If you gonna come out years after-the-fact and claim some ? you had better have more than a pic of the person in question grabbing handfuls of body armor. -
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Black_Samson wrote: »Groped thru a sapi plate in a flak vest, well ill be damned.
^^^ sees it. -
Yea
The pic is inappropriate... But not a ? -
Touching those ? wouldnt even be enjoyable with all that ? she got on.
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konceptjones wrote: »konceptjones wrote: »These dudes just need to stop apologizing to these broads and fight back. ? prove that ? or I'm suing your ass for slander, libel, and defamation of character.konceptjones wrote: »These dudes just need to stop apologizing to these broads and fight back. ? prove that ? or I'm suing your ass for slander, libel, and defamation of character.
Do you not see the picture of him grabbing her right above your post?
I'm speaking in general terms, not just about Al Franken. But even in his case, does the pic tell the whole story? Was she asleep or did she blink? If you gonna come out years after-the-fact and claim some ? you had better have more than a pic of the person in question grabbing handfuls of body armor.
C'mon now. If everybody in the Reason knows Don't Blink! you don't think that's part of the US Army training? She had to be sleeping. -
Good and true points being made here....but in the current climate with all thats going on....he may as well have a ? in his mouth
edit.
As I said this is a gift from the Gods,for his political opponents -
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BTW... She was bad back in the day but always been an annoying ?
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Minnesota/Twin Cities is very very left wing. I wonder if they will turn on him or give him a pass because he’s been the liberal poster boy for years here.
The righties are gonna have a ? field day with this. I really think it’s in terrible taste and I see the awful attempt at humor, but it’s assault. -
Yeah. He explained what had happened. It's him being an ? but not a sexual predator.
He said she deserves to be heard and believed, though.
Dead at republicans asking him to just leave but Roy is their boy lol nah FOH -
Stuart Smalley gets a lifetime pass in my book
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Black_Samson wrote: »Jackassery, not sexual assault.
it's harassment if he made previously advances and she relented...which is what she is alleging
she could be lying of course
but the apology and this excuse that he doesn't better remember the other incident just seems like he is trying to cover his ass in case more women come forward
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Yea them conflating the issues.. things that are deemed as crossing the line.. and things that would be categorized as sexual assault/abuse is troubling.. now for his sake he there better not be past behaviors that mirror his action here or worse..
also my thing is.. he stepped over the line.. and he was checked.. what was the reaosn for making this a story.. just me pondering ... -
She could get shot in the chest with a 9mm and not get touched but his bare hands groped her?
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Doesn't look like he's actually grabbing her, more like making the gesture.
Just your normal locker room fun. -
Madame_CJSkywalker wrote: »Black_Samson wrote: »Jackassery, not sexual assault.
it's harassment if he made previously advances and she relented...which is what she is alleging
she could be lying of course
but the apology and this excuse that he doesn't better remember the other incident just seems like he is trying to cover his ass in case more women come forward
He didnt say he didnt remember the rehearsal incident... He said he "certainly dont remember the rehearsal skit the same way"
AKA he sayin she lyin on that part -
Black_Samson wrote: »Madame_CJSkywalker wrote: »Black_Samson wrote: »Jackassery, not sexual assault.
it's harassment if he made previously advances and she relented...which is what she is alleging
she could be lying of course
but the apology and this excuse that he doesn't better remember the other incident just seems like he is trying to cover his ass in case more women come forward
I hear you.
Just think hers is nonsense compared to all the ? and grooming.
This is the equivalence to drawing a ? on someones face. Is it harassment? Totally.
Is it worthy of a thread or time on a news channel? Nope.
THIS. MSNBC stopped a conversation about the new tax bill to go to her rambling news conference.
I'm all for everyone having the conversation about sexual harassment/assault, but not every story needs national coverage. -
I swear, all the males in Congress (and pretty much EVERYWHERE at this point that's not in a social setting) just need to establish a 3-foot barrier from every female. Nothing but handshakes should get through, on some just business ? while males dap up every male in the muhfucker.
I mean, that will keep everyone honest, and people out of the ? .
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