Republican Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy said ethics investigations should be launched into sexual harassment allegations against Democratic Minnesota Sen. Al Franken and Alabama GOP Senate hopeful Roy Moore if he wins his election.
Kennedy said he encourages anyone who has been harassed to come forward, but argued those who have been accused have the right to due process. The Lousiana Republican said he feels he needs the facts before he can call anyone to step down, but is “shocked there are so many pigs in the world.”
Moore has been accused of sexually harassing females as young as 14 while four women have accused Franken of groping them without consent.
“If Mr. Moore undressed the 14-year-old, touched her genitals, if he undressed and talked her into touching his genitals when he was 32 and she was 14 then he ought to quit this race. Now Mr. Moore denies that — the people of Alabama do get a say in this and they’re going to vote,” he told reporters Monday. “He will be seated under the law if he wins — at that point, I fully expect somebody to file an ethics charge and we’ll get the facts and then we’ll make a decision on the basis of facts. I would say the same thing about Sen. Franken.”
Kennedy said those who are guilty of sexual harassment, regardless of what industry, need to face consequences for their actions.
“This started with the entertainment industry, I think, at least in terms of people coming forward,” he continued. “I don’t know when they have time to make movies in Hollywood because it looks like they’re all busy molesting each other — but now we know it’s on Capitol Hill, we know it’s in the business community, we know it’s elsewhere.”