Democratic Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota referred to himself 61 times during his resignation speech on the floor of the Senate Thursday, discussing his political accomplishments and advocacy for women.
“I was upset. But in responding to their claims, I also wanted to be respectful of that broader conversation because all women deserve to be heard and their experiences taken seriously. I think that was the right thing to do,” Franken said. “I also think it gave some people the false impression that I was admitting to doing things that, in fact, I haven’t done. Some of the allegations against me are simply not true, others I remember very differently.”
The Minnesota lawmaker went on to insist that he has done “nothing” to bring “dishonor” on the Senate and insisted that he’s been a “champion for women” throughout his career. He then quickly pivoted to the sexual harassment allegations brought against President Donald Trump and Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore, calling his resignation ironic in light of those claims. (RELATED: Franken Calls Out Trump As He Resigns For Sexual Harassment [VIDEO])
Franken was considered a rising star within the Democratic party and had been floated as a potential 2020 presidential nominee until radio host Leann Tweeden publicly accused him in mid November of forcibly kissing and groping her while on a United Service Organization (USO) tour in the Middle East. Tweeden’s accusation, which was accompanied by a damning photo of Franken groping her breasts while she is sleeping, were followed by a range of harassment allegations from six additional women.
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