Al Franken accused of sexual harassment

[I’m not Stu]

Franken and Menendez will not win another term. If Gavin Newsom is accused of sexual harassment, he won't be Governor of California. Roy Moore, however, will win the Senate race.

[MAINEiac4434]

Franken and Menendez will not win another term. If Gavin Newsom is accused of sexual harassment, he won't be Governor of California. Roy Moore, however, will win the Senate race.

Don't be so sure of that last point, brother: https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/16/roy-moore-doug-jones-alabama-poll-245558

[I’m not Stu]

Franken and Menendez will not win another term. If Gavin Newsom is accused of sexual harassment, he won't be Governor of California. Roy Moore, however, will win the Senate race.

Don't be so sure of that last point, brother: https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/16/roy-moore-doug-jones-alabama-poll-245558

Extremely small sample size. Were most of the participants from major cities?

[OneJ]

I have a hard time agreeing that somebody should be disqualified for the rest of her of his life due to an inappropriate attempt at "joke". Censured? Criticized? Yes. But let's be honest here, 90% of the population would be disqualified under such strict standards (and I'm not talking just about sexual context).

Now, crossing certain barriers is thoroughly a diffrent matter. Still, I can't endorse somebody having to resign as soon as the accusation is being raised. And it's not whether we believe the accuser or not (and, in the vast majority of such cases, accusations are indeed turning out to be true). It's about upholding "innocent until proven guilty" principle. And if we want to apply this principle to other cases, then we can't make an exception here. And this applies to Roy F-king Moore too, or at least applied until the whole dome broke.

All I can say it doesn't look good for Franken and I won't shed any tears for him if he'll have to step down in disgrace after all.

As usual, good post.

[Dr. MB]

I have a hard time agreeing that somebody should be disqualified for the rest of her of his life due to an inappropriate attempt at "joke". Censured? Criticized? Yes. But let's be honest here, 90% of the population would be disqualified under such strict standards (and I'm not talking just about sexual context).

Now, crossing certain barriers is thoroughly a diffrent matter. Still, I can't endorse somebody having to resign as soon as the accusation is being raised. And it's not whether we believe the accuser or not (and, in the vast majority of such cases, accusations are indeed turning out to be true). It's about upholding "innocent until proven guilty" principle. And if we want to apply this principle to other cases, then we can't make an exception here. And this applies to Roy F-king Moore too, or at least applied until the whole dome broke.

All I can say it doesn't look good for Franken and I won't shed any tears for him if he'll have to step down in disgrace after all.

I agree.

If this is the only incident, I don't think he should step down. But if, as usually happens, more accusations come out, he probably should quietly withdraw from politics.

[Virginiá]

Anyone wanna tell me how to change my Username RIP

lmbo!

PM Dave Leip. He can change it for you. No guarantee when he'll respond, although he has been relatively active the past week.

Maybe an email instead of forum PM would have greater chances of being noticed?

I prefer to wait for a full moon, put 20 candles in a circle and say Dave Leip backwards three times.

[BudgieForce]

I think the calls for Franken to step down were premature. Franken has apologized and his accuser has accepted the apology. As long as no other women come forward and Franken keeps his head down untill the probe is over, he'll have no trouble winning re-election in 2020.

[Koharu]

At lest he is contrite. Moore is defiant.

True, but this doesn't excuse him from his actions nonetheless.

This. As much as I really, truly appreciate Franken stepping  up and apologizing, he needs to set an example. It sucks for him (and for the Senate and Minnesota), but now is the best time to do it. Show that the Democratic party isn't shallow on this front, and if there's ever a time to keep your seat safe, now is it, as much as I hate how that comes into consideration.

[Santander]

Come on people. You all (should) know that most men (and some women) have engaged in this kind of behavior during isolated incidents in their lives. It doesn't make it right, but as long as it is not a pattern, and as long as he apologizes (which he has), don't ruin his life over it.

[Fuzzy Bear]

I have a hard time agreeing that somebody should be disqualified for the rest of her of his life due to an inappropriate attempt at "joke". Censured? Criticized? Yes. But let's be honest here, 90% of the population would be disqualified under such strict standards (and I'm not talking just about sexual context).

Now, crossing certain barriers is thoroughly a diffrent matter. Still, I can't endorse somebody having to resign as soon as the accusation is being raised. And it's not whether we believe the accuser or not (and, in the vast majority of such cases, accusations are indeed turning out to be true). It's about upholding "innocent until proven guilty" principle. And if we want to apply this principle to other cases, then we can't make an exception here. And this applies to Roy F-king Moore too, or at least applied until the whole dome broke.

All I can say it doesn't look good for Franken and I won't shed any tears for him if he'll have to step down in disgrace after all.

I agree.

If this is the only incident, I don't think he should step down. But if, as usually happens, more accusations come out, he probably should quietly withdraw from politics.

I'm not defending Franken and I'm not condoning his actions.  But the way this issue is going is getting way out of hand to where folks' lives will be ruined by mere accusations.  Even if these accusations are never supported by viable evidence, folks' lives will be ruined if victims' stories are sacrosanct and not subject to reasonable scrutiny.  Is that going to produce a more just society?  Somehow, I question that.

\

[publicunofficial]

In this instance "Folks's lives are being ruined" really just means "They no longer get to be some of the most powerful people in the country, and just have to be regular old rich people instead" so cry me a river.

[Ye We Can]

In this instance "Folks's lives are being ruined" really just means "They no longer get to be some of the most powerful people in the country, and just have to be regular old rich people instead" so cry me a river.

I don't really ever agree with you but you are 100 percent correct.

[Pragmatic Conservative]

State Auditor Rebecca Otto calls on Franken to resign

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/two-prominent-minnesota-democrats-call-on-al-franken-to-resign/article/2640991

Edit: State rep Erin Murphy as well

http://www.startribune.com/radio-personality-accuses-sen-al-franken-of-unwanted-kissing-groping/457997643/#1

[Mr. Smith]

State Auditor Rebecca Otto calls on Franken to resign

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/two-prominent-minnesota-democrats-call-on-al-franken-to-resign/article/2640991

Edit: State rep Erin Murphy as well

http://www.startribune.com/radio-personality-accuses-sen-al-franken-of-unwanted-kissing-groping/457997643/#1

Yikes.

[Yank2133]

This article by Erin Gloria Ryan pretty much sums up my biggest fears with this movement.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/after-al-franken-and-roy-moore-we-are-dangerously-close-to-botching-the-metoo-moment

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

I have a hard time agreeing that somebody should be disqualified for the rest of her of his life due to an inappropriate attempt at "joke". Censured? Criticized? Yes. But let's be honest here, 90% of the population would be disqualified under such strict standards (and I'm not talking just about sexual context).

I totally agree with this, especially the underlined part.

Sexual assault is never merely just an attempt at a joke. We are not exactly overwhelmed with seats in Congress that need filling. There are 325 million Americans, and 535 congresscritters. We can be a little picky.

Also the point publicunofficial made above. I don't think Franken should be cast out of society, have his memory damned, or anything like that. There's plenty he can do, even plenty of very good work for very good causes, without being a US Senator.

I also think that those who say "everyone does it" are, for whatever reason (I doubt it's a flattering one), grossly overestimating the percentage of the population who have engaged in sexual assault.

Furthermore, I consider that the Republican Party must be destroyed.

[Fuzzy Bear]

This article by Erin Gloria Ryan pretty much sums up my biggest fears with this movement.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/after-al-franken-and-roy-moore-we-are-dangerously-close-to-botching-the-metoo-moment

Is it really irrational to think that a needed cause for a genuine movement could get contaminated by attention-seekers and golddiggers?

[Yank2133]

This article by Erin Gloria Ryan pretty much sums up my biggest fears with this movement.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/after-al-franken-and-roy-moore-we-are-dangerously-close-to-botching-the-metoo-moment

Is it really irrational to think that a needed cause for a genuine movement could get contaminated by attention-seekers and golddiggers?

No.

But I think it is something people are ignoring at the moment since it is an unpopular thing to say out loud.

[Xing]

This is incredibly disappointing. It's been hard to see people that I respected turn out to have done deplorable things. We should all be condemning these actions no matter which side of the political aisle is committing them.

[publicunofficial]

This article by Erin Gloria Ryan pretty much sums up my biggest fears with this movement.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/after-al-franken-and-roy-moore-we-are-dangerously-close-to-botching-the-metoo-moment

Is it really irrational to think that a needed cause for a genuine movement could get contaminated by attention-seekers and golddiggers?

Bitches and whores, am I right?

[Beet]

The #MeToo movement is very fragile. All it takes is one bad accusation and the whole thing will fall apart. Let's not forget that A Rape on Campus destroyed the campus anti-rape movement within a few weeks. That being said, the sheer number of absolutely credible, documented and/or admitted instances that have come out so far should be a wake up call that much of this stuff has long been very common and has been hidden under the surface from victims who were either bought off or were afraid they would not be believed, or afraid what happened wouldn't matter.

[Hindsight was 2020]

An president Douche has tweeted on it like the hypocrite he is https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/931357870024687616

[emailking]

Trump's tweets:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Beet]

Trump's tweets:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Tartarus Sauce]

Trump's tweets:

You must be logged in to read this quote.