Bill Maher couldn’t contain himself, or his hands, and decided to mock Al Franken’s infamous mid-air groping photo. LOL? Maher was flying private with Bob Saget when he snapped the shot reaching out for Saget’s man boobs. No doubt he nailed the…
Showing posts with label Franken. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Franken. Show all posts
Thursday, January 4, 2018
Bill Maher and Bob Saget Mock Al Franken Groping Photo
Bill Maher couldn’t contain himself, or his hands, and decided to mock Al Franken’s infamous mid-air groping photo. LOL? Maher was flying private with Bob Saget when he snapped the shot reaching out for Saget’s man boobs. No doubt he nailed the…
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
Senator Joe Manchin Wants to Give Al Franken a Chance to Stay
Senator Joe Manchin is breaking with his own party over Al Franken, saying they jumped the gun in forcing him to resign … and suggesting he be given a chance to stay. We got the West Virginia Democratic Senator in D.C. Tuesday where we asked if…
Sunday, December 10, 2017
SNL Mocks Lauer, Franken, Trump in Hilarious Santa Skit
SNL hit a home run with an hilarious skit featuring some highly evolved kids who are more interested in sexual harassment, Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem, the tax plan, and the opioid crisis than an Xbox. Kenan Thompson nailed it as Santa and…
Thursday, December 7, 2017
Al Franken Resigns from the US Senate
Nearly a month ago, Senator Al Franken apologized for kissing, groping a woman without her consent. Since then, other accusers have come forward with similar allegations.
There have been calls for Franken to resign from the Senate. Countless calls from Democratic voters, as well as calls from the majority of Democrats in the Senate.
On Thursday, December 7th, Senator Franken announced that he will resign.
After weeks of pressure from voters and his colleagues in the Senate, Al Franken took to the Senate floor to announce his resignation.
He will step down in the coming weeks.
Al Franken was quick to highlight that he is not the only politician accused of sexual misconduct.
“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 could not be more clearly referring to Donald Trump’s infamous “grab ‘em by the p–sy” tape.
And, just as clearly, Al Franken condemns alleged child-molester Roy Moore, who is currently campaigning to become one of Alabama’s senators.
Roy Moore is somehow receiving Republican support despite having used his position in the prosecutor’s office as a cover to find and prey upon underage teens.
Senator Franken, who is accused of having used social circumstances to force unwanted kisses upon women, also addressed the allegations against him:
“Some of the allegations against me are simply not true.”
While it’s possible that a political opportunist decided to try their hand at condemning him after others told their true stories, that doesn’t mean that any of these women are necessarily lying.
And if one were, that would in no way mitigate the allegations that others have made.
“Others,” Franken continues. “I remember very differently.”
A lot of famous, powerful men who have been accused of terrible things in recent weeks have stated that they remember things differently.
Pro-tip? Some sexual predators, from harassers to rapists, don’t even realize that they are what they are. Not realizing what they’ve been doing to women for years is not an excuse.
Franken says that he is stepping down for the sake of the people of Minnesota, whom he represents.
“I know in my heart, nothing that I have done as a Senator, nothing, has brought dishonor on this institution, and I am confident that the Ethics Committee would agree.”
Remember that is possible to admire someone’s politics and still dislike them as a person. You might even like someone as a person but loathe some of their political views.
That’s the way that the world works.
“Even on the worst day of my political life, I feel like it has all been worth it.”
That’s good to hear.
“Politics, Paul Wellstone told us, is about the improvement of people’s lives. I know that the work I have been able to do has improved people’s lives. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.”
He’ll get no argument from us. His political positions and battles on behalf of the Americna people were admirable, and may have helped to make the United States a better place.
But there is no way to cancel out personal wrongdoings. Speaking well on the Senate floor and voting well does not negate sexual harassment or assault.
Franken is expected to resign by the end of 2017.
This should give Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton enough time to appoint a replacement to fill Franken’s seat until a special election takes place.
Dayton is a Democrat (and a number of states have traditions and even laws of appointing a member of the outgoing senator’s party), so an upset within the Senate when it comes to voting is not expected.
Some point to this resignation as an example of party hypocrisy, that the GOP is actively supporting and endorsing sexual predators within their own party while the Democratic Party is condemning and removing them from their own.
Added to the situation is that the GOP sometimes likes to brand itself the “party of family values,” a vague line that sometimes takes on sinister meaning and seems totally at odds with an endorsement for Roy Moore or Donald Trump.
But we should all remember that sexual predators exist within all walks of life, and either side of the political aisle.
What defines us is how we, as groups and as a society, deal with them when they are exposed.
Senator Al Franken Expected to Resign In Wake of Sexual Misconduct Allegations (LIVE STREAM)
Senator Al Franken is about to announce his future in the Senate, and all signs point to a resignation. A new accuser came forward Wednesday — taking the count to at least 7 — claiming Franken tried forcibly kissing her in 2006, adding he…
Saturday, December 2, 2017
Weird Al, Hey Fox News, Stop Calling Franken by My Name!!!
Weird Al is pissed off that people are associating his name with a pervert. We got Al Friday leaving Bristol Farms in WeHo and he seems miffed Fox News Channel has been referring to Franken as Weird Al. He says he does not want to be confused…
Weird Al, Hey Fox News, Stop Calling Franken by My Name!!!
Weird Al is pissed off that people are associating his name with a pervert. We got Al Friday leaving Bristol Farms in WeHo and he seems miffed Fox News Channel has been referring to Franken as Weird Al. He says he does not want to be confused…
Thursday, November 30, 2017
Al Franken "Groping" Photo Gets Slapped On Zendaya Movie Billboard
Al Franken’s infamous groping photo briefly co-starred with Zendaya on a movie billboard … in the name of art. Street art. The cropped image of Franken reaching his hands out — over Leeann Tweeden breasts in the original image — showed…
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Al Franken Smiles and Poses for Photo with Students Amid Harassment Allegations
Al Franken’s still Mr. Popular in D.C. … at least to a group of students eager to take a picture with the Senator. We got Sen. Franken on Capitol Hill Tuesday looking to be in good spirits as he posed for a photo with some happy students from…
Senator Marco Rubio Offers Lesson and Al Franken Should Listen
Marco Rubio’s dishing advice on how politicians should properly pose for pictures … that’s how bad it’s also gotten in D.C. We got the Senator at Reagan National Airport where we bring up allegations from 3 different women claiming Senator Al…
Friday, November 24, 2017
Senator Al Franken Tells His Victims He"s Just a Big Hugger
Senator Al Franken is clearly trying to save his job, but his answer to the various women who have accused him of sexual assault/harassment is sketchy … he says he just likes to hug a lot. Franken issued a statement on Thanksgiving Day,…
Monday, November 20, 2017
Candidate for Ohio Governor Defends Al Franken, Brags About Banging 50 Women
Bill O’Neill is an Ohio Supreme Court Justice. He’s also a candidate for Governor.
And, to hear him tell it, he has had sex with 50 “very attractive females” during his life. Which would be fine, if he hadn’t boasted about this on social media using information that might lead to some of those women being identified.
It’s a terrible political move. And yes, his campaign manager has quit. Wouldn’t you?
Senator Al Franken apologized for groping and kissing a woman without her consent. But apologies don’t make things magically go away, and many are calling for him to resign.
Apparently, that didn’t sit right with Ohio gubernatorial candidate Bill O’Neill, as he posted this very cringe-worthy rant to Facebook.
“Now that the dogs of war are calling for the head of Senator Al Franken,” his post begins.
It’s already off to a rough start, because that does not describe the state of things.
(Some have called for his resignation, but a graceful retirement after a scandal is hardly the end of the world)
His post gets immediately worse:
“I believe it is time to speak up on behalf of all heterosexual males.”
Generally, people speak up on behalf of underdogs instead of on behalf of the demographic group that dominates every nation on Earth. But please, continue.
“As a candidate for Governor, let me save my opponents some research time.”
(Never a good idea; make them work for that dirt)
“In the past 50 years, I was sexually intimate with approximately 50 very attractive females.”
One, that’s bragging and oversharing.
Two, don’t refer to women or girls as “females.” It tends to rub people the wrong way.
Anyway, his boastful post gets worse:
“It ranged from a gorgeous personal secretary to Senator Bob Taft (Senior) who was my first true love and we made passionate love in the hayloft of her parents barn in Gallipolis.”
That is way too much information.
Oh, O’Neill can tank his career by oversharing about his genital adventures all that he wants. But he should not have told so much about these women.
“… And ended with a drop dead gorgeous red head who was a senior adviser to Peter Lewis at Progressive Insurance in Cleveland.”
Then he talks about some pretty good policies:
“Now can we get back to discussing legalizing marijuana and opening the state hospital network to combat the opioid crisis.”
And then he promptly makes things worse again.
“I am sooooo disappointed by this national feeding frenzy about sexual indiscretions decades ago.”
So, in other words, he’s completely missed the point. Nobody’s talking about “indiscretions.” Sleep around all that you like.
The national conversation is about consent. it’s about sexual harassment and sexual assault. And Bill O’Neill should be ashamed of his post.
At first, however, he defended making the post, saying that he opposes a “new standard” that, in his mind, means that:
“If you’re not absolutely pure you’re not eligible to run for office in America. That’s wrong.”
Apparently he failed to actually listen to the national conversation even once. Unless any of those 50 alleged hotties were underage or not consenting, then he didn’t have anything to worry about.
By the way, in the process of defending himself, Bill O’Neill also lamented that Roy Moore’s accusations of molestation are condemning him “without due process.”
That is literally not how due process works. Roy Moore can’t be imprisoned without evidence and a conviction. The presumption of innocence expands to the courtroom, not to hearts and minds. Or votes.
As we mentioned, Bill O’Neill’s campaign manager quit. Chris Clevenger announced his departure on Twitter:
“The comments made today by @BillForOhio were both disturbing and misguided. As a victim of sexual assault, I cannot in good faith remain a part of #TeamONeill.”
He followed that up with a tweet:
“Sexual harassment and assault is no laughing matter. The next Governor of Ohio must take it seriously to receive my vote.”
That’s a good policy to have.
Finally, someone got through to Bill O’Neill, because he posted an apology on Sunday morning:
“There comes a time in everyone’s life when you have to admit you were wrong. It is Sunday morning and i am preparing to go to church and get right with God. But first I have to get right with my family, my friends, and the thousands of strangers who have been hurt by my insensitive remarks.”
Not to mention the two women whom he described a little too well.
“I am sorry. I have damaged the national debate on the very real subject of sexual harassment, abuse and unfortunately rape. It is not a laughing matter. It wasn’t when I prosecuted sexual misconduct for the State of Ohio, and it is not now.”
It’s good that he’s owning it fully.
“To my daughters, Katie Corrin O’Neill, Tiffany O’Neill Scullen, and my sisters Patricia O’Neill Sacha and Mary Kaye O’Neill, accomplished women all, please accept my public apology for dragging you into this matter.”
When a male politician screws up, everybody wants to know what the women in his family think.
“You deserved better treatment than this. I love you, respect you, and yes. I was wrong. Thank you for loving me enough to stand up to my departure from a loving life.“
It’s still stunning that O’Neill was able to hear about all of these allegations of assault and harassment and see it as an opportunity to brag about his conquests. Gross.
Friday, November 17, 2017
Elliott Gould Defends Al Franken Amid Groping, Harassment Allegation
Elliott Gould doesn’t think Sen. Al Franken’s career deserves to be sunk by Leeann Tweeden revealing he groped her in 2006 … because that mistake doesn’t define his friend. The actor’s been tight with Franken long before his…
Thursday, November 16, 2017
Al Franken Apologizes for Groping, Kissing Woman Without Her Consent
In the aftermath of the Weinstein rape accusations and further accusations about numerous powerful men coming to light, not a lot of revelations have really shocked us.
But today, a radio newscaster named Leeann Tweeden publicly accused Al Franken of having groped her and kissed her without her consent in 2006.
Al Franken has issued an apology, but that doesn’t in any way negate his past actions.
Describing her upsetting experiences with Al Franken, Leeann Tweeden writes:
“In December of 2006, I embarked on my ninth USO Tour to entertain our troops, my eighth to the Middle East since the 9/11 attacks. My father served in Vietnam and my then-boyfriend (and now husband, Chris) is a pilot in the Air Force, so bringing a ‘little piece of home’ to servicemembers stationed far away from their families was both my passion and my privilege.”
Tweeden shares that she was going to be in a skit that Franken had written, and he kept pressuring her to “practice” the scene’s kiss.
(Before getting into politics, Franken was on SNL. So a skit makes sense. A kiss, though, should not be necessary. Rehearsals less so)
“He repeated that actors really need to rehearse everything and that we must practice the kiss. I said ‘OK’ so he would stop badgering me.”
There are sadly a lot of harassment stories that we’ve heard, especially lately, involving women giving in not out of a desire to consent, but because they’ve been worn down or fear the consequences of saying no.
“We did the line leading up to the kiss and then he came at me, put his hand on the back of my head, mashed his lips against mine and aggressively stuck his tongue in my mouth.”
That is gross and unacceptable. You do not kiss people without consent. Kisses should be fun for both parties or they should not happen at all.
“I immediately pushed him away with both of my hands against his chest and told him if he ever did that to me again I wouldn’t be so nice about it the next time.”
That is a more than fair response.
“I walked away. All I could think about was getting to a bathroom as fast as possible to rinse the taste of him out of my mouth.”
A horrifying feeling.
“I felt disgusted and violated.”
And remember that she still had to go on stage with him.
“Not long after, I performed the skit as written, carefully turning my head so he couldn’t kiss me on the lips.”
After that, she avoided interacting with him. But eventually, his harassment continued … while she slept:
“The tour wrapped and on Christmas Eve we began the 36-hour trip home to L.A. After 2 weeks of grueling travel and performing I was exhausted. When our C-17 cargo plane took off from Afghanistan I immediately fell asleep, even though I was still wearing my flak vest and Kevlar helmet.”
She did not learn that he had posed with his hands over her breasts until looking through the CD of photos that the photographer had given her, back at home.
She felt violated all over, and you can see why:
Kevlar or no, there is no excuse for that.
Senator Al Franken has publicly apologized:
“The first thing I want to do is apologize: to Leeann, to everyone else who was part of that tour, to everyone who has worked for me, to everyone I represent, and to everyone who counts on me to be an ally and supporter and champion of women.”
Starting with an apology is absolutely appropriate. This is a clear apology, unlike Louis C.K.’s open admission. There’s a difference, and it matters.
Al Franken continues:
“I respect women. I don’t respect men who don’t.”
We feel the same way.
“And the fact that my own actions have given people a good reason to doubt that makes me feel ashamed.”
Shame is very appropriate.
Mitch McConnell has called for an ethics investigation into Al Franken, and Al Franken has agreed.
Leeann Tweeden has publicly accepted Al Franken’s apology, and says that she is not calling for an ethics investigation into him.
(We’re not sure what there is to investigate, as Al Franken’s apology sounds like an admission, but even Franken isn’t opposing it)
Many people on both sides of the political aisle feel that it would be appropriate for Al Franken to resign.
Overall, Democratics haven’t shown any signs of chill in condemning Al Franken’s shameful, inexcusable actions.
The controversy surrounding Alabama candidate Roy Moore’s alleged penchant for underage girls, one that got him banned from a local mall in his thirties, comes to mind.
We all need to remember that, though some political parties may respond different to different accusations, sexual harassment and sexual predation don’t know political boundaries.
Calls for Sen. Al Franken Probe After Leeann Tweeden Makes Sexual Harassment Claim
Sen. Al Franken may face an Ethics Committee review in the wake of claims he groped and sexually harassed radio host and former model Leeann Tweeden. Tweeden released a 2006 photo of Franken — who was not then elected — groping, or at least…
Monday, June 5, 2017
Senator Al Franken Cancels Bill Maher Appearance After N-Word Remark
Bill Maher is out one big guest for his next live show on HBO this Friday – Senator Al Franken just canceled his appearance. Franken announced Monday he won’t be appearing alongside Maher for Friday’s episode. A spokesperson for Franken said…
Sunday, February 12, 2017
Senator Al Franken Says SNL"s Trump Skits Are Comedy Gold (VIDEO)
Senator Al Franken says Saturday Night Live is as good as it’s ever been with their Donald Trump skits — and he should know … as an original writer for the show. We got the performer-turned-politician in D.C. Sunday, where he gave kudos for…
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