Yet another woman has come forward accusing Senator Al Franken of sexual misconduct. She says he tried to give her a “wet, open-mouthed kiss” at an event in 2006.
The woman, who spoke anonymously to Jezebel, said that Franken attempted to kiss her on-stage at an event in 2006 shortly before he ran for Senate.
The woman said she was working as the chair of her town’s Selectboard when she was invited to be a guest on Franken’s radio show on Air America. The appearance involved a live taping and an interview in front of a large audience.
“I reached out my hand to shake his” after the interview, she said. “He took it and leaned toward me with his mouth open. I turned my head away from him and he landed a wet, open-mouthed kiss awkwardly on my cheek.”
“I was stunned and incredulous. I felt demeaned. I felt put in my place,” she explained. “It was onstage in front of a full theater… It was insidious. It was in plain sight and yet nobody saw it.”
Jezebel was able to confirm that the woman appeared on Franken’s show and talked to two people, including the woman’s sister, who said they were told about the incident almost immediately.
The friend describes herself as a liberal and asserted, “We don’t have an agenda to bring this guy down and we didn’t at the time.”
The woman said she came forward anonymously because she did not want her name linked to Franken, but she wants Franken to take responsibility for his actions.
“My intent in coming forward is not to negate the good work he’s done or smear his name,” she told Jezebel. “I want him to take personal responsibility for his actions, learn from this, not repeat the behavior, and go forward with respect in all his interactions with women.”
This is the second accuser to come out against Franken today. On Thursday morning, Stephanie Kemplin alleged that Franken grabbed her breast during a USO tour photo op.