The Great Smoky Mountain Journal

Staff, Wire Reports

Posted: Sunday, January 21, 2018 07:23 PM

Report: Sen. Al Franken Not Resigning Amid Growing Sexual Misconduct Scandal

Democratic Sen. Al Franken reportedly won’t resign amid a sexual misconduct scandal, but his future in Congress remains unsettled amid more calls Sunday for congressional investigations into his and potential Senator Roy Moore’s conduct with women.

A spokesman for Franken, who represents Minnesota, told his hometown paper The Star Tribune on Saturday that the senator would not resign.

“No,” the spokesman said. “He is spending time with his family in Washington, D.C., and will be through the Thanksgiving holiday. And he’s doing a lot of reflecting.”

Los Angeles radio anchor Leeann Tweeden last week accused Franken of forcibly kissing her during a 2006 USO tour.

She said Franken, over her protests, kissed her while rehearsing a sketch. And later on the tour, Franken was photographed with his hands over Tweeden’s breasts, grinning at the camera, as she slept wearing a flak vest onboard a military aircraft.

Franken immediately apologized, saying he felt "disgusted with myself" for the photo, though he disputed Tweeden's recollection of the skit rehearsal. And he has since apologized directly to Tweeden.

South Carolina GOP Sen. Tim Scott told “Fox News Sunday” that the Senate, as chamber Majority Leader Mitch McConnell suggested last week, should open an ethics investigation.

“We certainly should start the process,” Scott said. “This is absolutely the right starting point. All sexual harassment is inexcusable. And everyone should be punished at the same level.”

Scott sounded even more emphatic about Moore, the GOP nominee for an open Senate seat in Alabama accused by at least eight women of sexual misconduct roughly 40 years ago.