Senator Al Franken resigns with a swipe at Trump

‘There is some irony that I am leaving while a man who bragged about his history of sexual assault sits in the Oval Office.’

Al Franken and his wife, Franni Bryson, at the US Capitol. Picture: AFP

Al Franken, a former comedian turned Democratic senator, is to step down amid allegations of sexual misconduct but lashed out in his resignation speech at President Donald Trump for surviving similar accusations.

Mr Franken, 66, told the Senate chamber: “Today I am announcing that in the coming weeks I will be resigning as a member of the United States Senate.” His departure comes after Mr Trump and the Republican National Committee rallied behind Roy Moore, an Alabama candidate for the Senate who is accused of molesting a 14-year-old girl.

“I, of all people, am aware that there is some irony in the fact that I am leaving while a man who has bragged on tape about his history of sexual assault sits in the Oval Office, and a man who has repeatedly preyed on young girls campaigns for the Senate with the full support of his party,” he said.

Mr Franken, who became famous on the satirical TV show Saturday Night Live, stepped aside after 35 of the 47 other Democrats in the Senate called for him to resign. He is the highest profile figure to stand down so far as Washington faces a reckoning over a culture that has long tolerated poor behaviour from men in power.

His future had been in doubt since Leeann Tweeden, a radio broadcaster and model, revealed three weeks ago that he had groped and forcibly kissed her during a tour to entertain US troops overseas in 2006.

On Wednesday two women came forward with similar allegations, including a former congressional aide who said that he had tried to forcibly kiss her after a taping of his radio show in 2006. She said that when she ducked to avoid him he told her: “It’s my right as an entertainer.”

Kirsten Gillibrand, of New York, was the first Democratic senator to call for him to quit: “Enough is enough,” she said. “We need to draw a line in the sand and say none of it is OK, none of it is acceptable, and we, as elected leaders, should absolutely be held to a higher standard.”

The Democratic Governor of Minnesota is expected to appoint Tina Smith, the lieutenant governor of the state, to replace Mr Franken until a special election in November 2018, with the winner staying until the end of Mr Franken’s term until 2021.

The November contest could be competitive: Mr Trump lost the state to Hillary Clinton, but only by about 45,000 votes.

Democrats are under pressure to practise what they preach after they attacked Mr Trump’s treatment of women last year and Roy Conyers, 88, the longest-serving member of the House of Representatives, resigned on Wednesday.

John Conyers. Picture: AP

The Michigan Democrat stepped down after more than half a century in office after he was accused of groping and harassing women who worked for him. A civil rights icon, Mr Conyers was the only congressman to be endorsed by Martin Luther King.

Republicans appeared to be standing by Blake Farenthold, a Texas congressman who agreed a $US84,000 taxpayer-funded settlement with a former staffer who alleged that he made inappropriate sexual remarks. Mr Farenthold has said that he will reimburse the US Treasury with his own money.

A former doctor to the US Olympic gymnastics team was sentenced to 60 years in prison yesterday after he pleaded guilty to possession of child sexual abuse images. Larry Nassar, 54, also faces an additional sentence of at least 25 years after he admitted molesting more than a hundred young girls and women who came to him for treatment. Three London 2012 gold medallists - Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney and Gabby Douglas - were among those who had accused him of abuse.

The Times

US politicians ousted by scandal

Al Franken and John Conyers join a long list:.

- Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Pa. Resigned in October after the anti-abortion lawmaker allegedly urged his mistress to end a pregnancy.

- Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y. Resigned in 2011 after posting lewd pictures of himself on Twitter. He initially claimed he had been hacked, then admitted to sexting with various women. He later was sent to prison after he was caught sexting with a teenage girl.

- Rep. David Wu, D-Ore., Resigned in 2011 after he was accused of sexually harassing the 18-year-old daughter of a political donor.

- Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev. Resigned in 2011 after admitting to an affair with the wife of his chief of staff. Ensign was accused of helping the husband get a job as a lobbyist to try to keep him quiet.

- Rep. Eric Massa, D-N.Y. Resigned in 2010 after he was accused of sexually harassing male staffers in his congressional office, including engaging in unwanted tickling.

- Rep. Mark Souder, R-Ind. Resigned in 2010 after admitting to an affair with a female staffer.

- Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla. Resigned in 2006 after media reports that he engaged in sexually explicit instant message conversations with teenage, male congressional pages. At least 10 people came forward to allege that Foley had sexually harassed them or made inappropriate sexual comments. - Rep. Robert Livingston, R-La. Announced his resignation in late 1998 after being chosen as the next House speaker, citing adulterous affairs. Livingston shocked his colleagues by announcing his decision to the House as it debated the impeachment of President Bill Clinton. He left Congress in March 1999. - Rep. Mel Reynolds, D-Ill. Resigned in 1995 after being convicted of sexual assault, statutory rape and other charges stemming from a sexual relationship with an underage campaign worker.

- Sen. Bob Packwood, R-Ore. Resigned in 1995 after a series of women, including former staffers and lobbyists, accused him of sexual harassment and assault. A report by the Senate Ethics Committee described Packwood’s “physical coercion” of women and “a habitual pattern of aggressive, blatantly sexual advances, mostly directed at members of his own staff.” The committee recommended his expulsion. Packwood resigned before the Senate could vote to expel him. - Rep. Donald “Buz” Lukens, R-Ohio. Resigned in 1990 after being convicted of contributing to the unruliness of a minor for having sex with a 16-year-old girl. Lukens initially refused to resign from Congress, but was defeated in a GOP primary and later resigned.

- Rep. Jon Hinson, R-Miss. Resigned in 1981 after being arrested on sodomy charges.

- Rep. Wayne Hays, D-Ohio. Resigned in 1976 after The Washington Post reported that a 33-year-old clerk with House Administration Committee said she had been placed in her job to be his mistress.

-AP