Schumer seems to be the real force behind Frankens ouster

[ProfessorPlum]

While Gillibrand led the charge like a good lieutenant for the senior senator from her state, Mayer's article implies that Schumer wanted him gone and didn't lift a finger to save him. And in fact actively worked against him.

It makes sense that Gillibrand couldn't have gotten rid of Al if Schumer had his back.

Not impressed with either of them for removing one of our best fighters against lies and the GOP.

[Autumn]

1. She has taken all the flack as being the one who led the charge and he was the force behind it?

Link, please?

[ProfessorPlum]

4. Mayer's article

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/07/29/the-case-of-al-franken?currentPage=all

[dalton99a]

2. Summary execution without trial

[Polly Hennessey]

3. She most likely convinced

him to go forward. In order to push her agenda she needed the ok of the Democratic Senate leader. I doubt he came up with the idea on his own. Most satisfying to me is she has diminished her power with her colleagues.

[ProfessorPlum]

5. no, that doesn't read right

Most likely he convinced her to take the heat for his decision. Which she did and continues to do. It doesn't excuse it on her part, but I think he is equally to blame.

[Demonaut]

6. link?

[SouthernProgressive]

7. Franken was an extremely poor fighter for himself.

It would have been nice if his team would have fought for him. In politics, one must be willing to show that they are willing to fight for themselves. Franken didn't do that.

There is plenty of blame to go around. It's over.

People seem really desperate these days to find that one person to be angry at. That one person to blame. There is a lot of blame to go around on this one.

[LakeArenal]

11. It's not over. You may wish it over.

It’s not over.

[SouthernProgressive]

12. I don't have any wishes on the topic. Not sure why that would be a measure of anything anyway.

Maybe that's the difference. I'm not operating on wishes.

[LakeArenal]

13. Yes. We dreamers have wishes.

Proud of it.

[SouthernProgressive]

14. I agree with you. Lots of dreaming and wishes.

Not sure what it or pride has to do with any of it. But good on you.

Here is another completely different take on dreamers and wishers. Didn't think we would out it as projections so quickly.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=12306252

[hlthe2b]

8. She brought an incited lynch mob to Schumer. He acted upon their demands.

I don't' know how that absolves Gillibrand in any way nor implicates Schumer as being anything other than a weak leader and an all-too-happy hatchet man. More to the point she has NEVER denied this.

Neither comes out of this looking good, but here are the facts previously reported and once again in the Mayer article on Gillibrand's role:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/07/29/the-case-of-al-franken

Minutes after Politico posted the story, Senator Gillibrand’s chief of staff called Franken’s to say that Gillibrand was going to demand his resignation. Franken was stung by Gillibrand’s failure to call him personally. They had been friends and squash partners. In a later call, Gillibrand’s chief of staff offered to have Gillibrand speak with Franken, but by that time Franken was frantically conferring with his staff and his family. Franken’s office proposed that Franken’s daughter speak with Gillibrand instead, but Gillibrand declined.

Gillibrand then went on Facebook and posted her demand that Franken resign: “Enough is enough. The women who have come forward are brave and I believe them. While it’s true that his behavior is not the same as the criminal conduct alleged against Roy Moore, or Harvey Weinstein, or President Trump, it is still unquestionably wrong, and should not be tolerated.”

Minutes later, at a previously scheduled press conference, Gillibrand added insult to injury: she reiterated her call for Franken to resign while also trumpeting her sponsorship of a new bill that banned mandatory arbitration of sexual-harassment claims. She didn’t mention that Franken had originated the legislation—and had given it to Gillibrand to sponsor, out of concern that it might be imperilled by his scandal.

And, from the NYDAILY news article yesterday:

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) was the first Democratic senator to call for Franken’s head after the #MeToo allegations first surfaced against him. The allegations quickly snowballed and several female senators told Schumer they wanted action against Franken.

[fishwax]

15. +1

[leftstreet]

9. So...Gillibrand was actually the target?

The debacle ended her POTUS hopes

[LakeArenal]

10. Oh come on.... it doesn't matter who started it....

It matters who signed on. So, are we saying Harris, Warren , Booker and Sanders
were duped by both Schumer and Stone?
Or they followed the leader like sheep to ruin a man.

Or was it an act of political sabotage for political rival that they have sanctimoniously double down on anyt time they are questioned about it.

If the others hadn’t jumped on the train, Al would be still a major factor in the Party.

[TheCowsCameHome]

16. It certainly does matter who started it.

No spark, no fire.

I'm ashamed of both of them, if this latest news is true.

[LakeArenal]

17. I don't get it. She may be the devil but minions are just as bad.

[GeorgeGist]

18. Schumer fears competition.