Al's punishment should fit the crime.

But due process is really, really a right. A RIGHT.

Due Process is an essential right....

And the foundation of our democracy.

We should honor that fact.

Franken himself asked for an ethics investigation. Here's what he said: “I am asking that an ethics investigation be undertaken, and I will gladly cooperate.”

But more than 30 Democrat senators said no. There must not be any investigation! Franken must resign, and he must resign now.

I can understand why a Republican senator would say that. That's politics. But 30+ Democrat senators said it. No to due process. No to an investigation.

and they can chose either "yes" or "no" Either way he win

He is being bullied by those people. Bullying doesn't have an age limit

I really can't blame Franken for folding. The pressure on him must have been enormous. I can only imagine the phone calls he must have gotten.

But I sure do blame the Democratic senators who abandoned him. The ones who thought due process shouldn't apply here. The ones who thought this small "scandal" was enough to destroy a man's career and reputation.

If I could offer only one piece of advice to Franken, it would be this: Don't resign! But if you feel you must resign, run for your own vacated seat. Don't let those feckless Democratic senators decide. Let the voters decide.

They already did. I'm sure Minnesotans agree.

The 33 Democrats aren't concerned with destroying a man's career or reputation. They're concerned about their own headline font size.

comments on her Twitter page.

I bet it never occurred to her that, "We The People" would fight back. And to such a great degree.

If anyone wants to comment just go to Titter and Facebook and click on something she wrote. That is where people are complaining.

Due process doesn't apply. The government isn't prosecuting him. He's resigning from his job. I had a coworker once be forced to do the same after being arrested masturbating on the train. The company certainly didn't wait until he was convicted.

The police didn't arrest him for no reason, and your company didn't force him out based on hearsay.

You really nailed that comparison, lol.

Which Franken asked for and instead was railroaded.

https://www.bizjournals.com/bizwomen/news/latest-news/2017/12/what-resignation-will-cost-al-franken.html

... faster than a speeding bullet, are in my opinion, a major reason we can't have nice things.................... like a majority.

"The unidentified accuser, who is a former Democratic congressional aide, spoke to Politico and shared how she says she ducked to avoid Franken kissing her as she tried to leave the radio studio.

She said that as she left the room, he allegedly said "It's my right as an entertainer," according to Politico."

Al Franken categorically denies he ever said that statement.

I have read all of them and I smell a bunch of fishes.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/sen-al-frankens-accusers-accusations-made/story?id=51406862

And anonymous, so of course we don't know anything about the accuser, yet she is counted as a victim.

It's not exactly uncommon to try to leverage relative power.

That was an odd emphasis. It struck me because 1) it seemed out of place for a victim to editorialize about her own experience and 2) the stories were NOT all similar.

That's what *I* do, as soon as I find out that I offended someone.

And I think that Al Franken is a decent person, although I don't have any problem believing that, especially in his "comedian" days, he behaved differently than he does today.

And I think that the "decent person" response is endemic to Democrats and not Republicans. Therefore, we suffer.

I'd love to see a full investigation. I'd love to hear Leann Tweeden's response to her friend Tom Arnold's accusations. Other than her, I'm willing to believe most of the accusers. Let's have an investigation!

I think that if we don't investigate these things, then Democrats are going to resign and Republicans (except for people who encouraged their mistresses to have abortions, which seems to be the GOP hard line) will stay.

That doesn't help *anyone.*

Agreed

...There should be a formal Ethics Investigation, where all parties are put under oath. I guarantee Leeann Tweeden IS. A. LIAR. This is a setup and a rat-fucking, courtesy of Roger Stone* and the rethuglican dirty tricks gang.

and that it was all republican rat fucking. And the fascists are stealing another senate seat, where they will fling down all kinds of shit on people who don't deserve it.

But I get what you're saying. There are laws, some crimes are worse than others, and the punishments for breaking different kinds are laws are different because who would throw someone in jail for years for jay walking? Unless they are out to get slave labor, and I wouldn't put that past some of the republicans and billionaires.

'But fuck it. Al didn't do anything wrong.

And give him the 2020 President or VP nomination.

When Al first ran for office, there were all kinds of negative ads, including a picture of him rolling around on a bed in a diaper. I never found that type of humor funny, but oh well ... it was the type of humor found on SNL at the time. As far as I know, he hasn't rolled around in a diaper during his senate term, has he?

The picture of him ALMOST cupping Tweeden's breasts is the same sort of thing - and was obviously supposed to be a joke as he was mugging for the camera, and it was not while he was in office.

As for Tina Dupuy, she is washed up and is looking for attention, IMHO. I am furious that Al Franken has been forced out over this shit.

We shoulda known that this is the kind of politics that the Republicans play now are political long knives. They want to eviscerate our party and they will stop at nothing. We have now had to sacrifice one of our best Democrats in politics over what is obviously a plot to ruin our Party.

We'd better stop being defensive and go on the offense.

as a possible Presidential candidate and after he single handedly took the Keebler Elf to the woodshed.

Couldn't resist.

he hasn't rolled around in a diaper during his senate term, has he?

That diaper photo was faked.

https://www.mediamatters.org/research/2009/05/04/drudge-smears-joker-franken-with-doctored-photo/149789

But the so-called groping photo was real. And as CTyankee said, that was a big problem for Al. I thought he addressed it honestly, and sincerely. Even the woman involved accepted his apology.

http://time.com/5028172/leeann-tweeden-al-franken-apology/

A crime has been committed TO Al Franken!

Which is the thing that I find the most maddening.

“He kissed me on the cheek, but I could tell that he secretly WANTED to tongue kiss me while the New England Women’s Society watched.” That’s not an accusation, that’s crazy talk.

Her corroboration was a person at the same event that said “I was there and it’s true. I know because Al Franken looked at my boobs.” That’s like an SNL skit. Certainly nothing a reasonable person should take seriously.

“Once, when we were total strangers and met for the first time, I could tell that Al Franken WANTED to kiss me. Then he quoted Donald Trump’s ‘when you’re a star’ line.” That’s not an accusation of wrong doing. It’s a claim of psychic powers.

“While posing for pictures he put his hand around my waist and gave me what might have been a playful squeeze, but I had body weight/self-esteem issues” isn’t an allegation of wrongdoing. There is no allegation there. Even if he did exactly what she said, there is no allegation of wrongdoing, legal, moral, any possible way. “That’s how I know he sexually assaulted those other anonymous accusers” is just kind of insulting after the that.

I feel like I’m taking crazy pills.

and offers as proof a photo that shows no such thing.

You made many good points there. This situation is maddening indeed.

There is only one legitimate incident in this whole mess, the so-called groping incident. Franken offered a sincere apology for that, and the woman involved accepted his apology.

That should have been the end of it. And it would have been, if Franken's colleagues in the Senate hadn't stabbed him in the back.

for near unto 2 years now.