Al Franken was accused of sexual harassment by an anonymous woman on Monday, the latest in a string of misconduct allegations that forced the former Democratic Minnesota senator’s resignation last year.
In a piece published by New York magazine’s The Cut, the woman, a current “senior staffer at a major progressive organization” came forward on condition of anonymity to accuse Franken groping her at an fundraising event in 2006 for U.S. Senator Patty Murray.
“At the time of the incident, I think, I’m going to go to law school. All I want to do is run for office in my home state. This created a moment of reflection,” she told The Cut. “ … It rocked my confidence. As I look back on my career, I am always in deputy roles and support roles.”
Franken resigned in July 2018 at the behest of Democratic leadership after a conservative talk radio host accused him of forcibly kissing her during a skit performed as part of a 2006 U.S.O tour.
The latest allegation comes in the midst of a bit of public comeback for Franken, who on Saturday launched a weekly program on SiriusXM titled “The Al Franken Show.”
Franken also appeared on Conan last Thursday, during which he claimed “there were no good choices” during his ousting from the Senate in 2017 in the face of multiple sexual misconduct allegations, and said that “people who know me, know I’m not that guy.”
A July profile in The New Yorker revealed he regretted his decision to resign without due process, and that seven Democratic lawmakers now had qualms in the initial decision to force Franken out.
One of the biggest proponents for Franken’s resignation was New York Senator Kristen Gillibrand, who dropped out of the Democratic presidential primary last month after struggling to raise poll numbers and donations. A New York Times article noted Gillibrand was “shunned” by many powerful party donors for her stance on Franken.
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