Gillibrand: I believe Franken's accuser
Source: The Hill
A Democratic senator says she believes the woman accusing fellow Democratic Sen. Al Franken (Minn.) of groping and kissing her without consent during a USO tour in 2006.
Asked if she believes the woman accusing Franken, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) said, "I do."
Gillibrand's remarks came after Leeann Tweeden, a morning radio anchor in Los Angeles, wrote a post on the radio station's website Thursday in which she said Franken grabbed her breasts while she was sleeping during a USO tour to entertain troops in the Middle East in December 2006.
Tweeden included a photograph of the incident as proof.
Read more: http://thehill.com/policy/defense/360689-gillibrand-i-do-believe-frankens-accuser
Matthew28
(1,796 posts)So there's no question that it occurred.
4139
(1,893 posts)doc03
(35,151 posts)at the most, with that flack jacket on she couldn't even had felt it. The photo was obviously Franken just joking around for the camera.
He was a comedian at the time you know. Besides that the women is not 14 years old either. He didn't grab her by the ---- like trump brags on doing.
oasis
(49,152 posts)Old Vet
(2,001 posts)That statement is from the person who was there and took the picture. If true it definitely changes things.
4139
(1,893 posts)maxsolomon
(32,992 posts)Can you explain how "she accepted his apology" is an assertion that either was not Sexual Assualt?
Kingofalldems
(38,361 posts)Not really a good try.
bagelsforbreakfast
(1,427 posts)I think there's a difference between Roy Moore putting his hands down a 14 year-olds pants and Franken kissing an adult woman and making a goofy photo he apparently sent her. But some on here feel otherwise. Your mileage may differ.
christx30
(6,241 posts)Both were not consensual. Both of them need to be punished.
Don't give Frankin a break just because he's our guy.
bagelsforbreakfast
(1,427 posts)still_one
(91,966 posts)incident. In fact, I might be inclined to believe they have ulterior motives, and might not even be who they want us to believe they are
notdarkyet
(2,226 posts)christx30
(6,241 posts)on an non-consenting woman is the same. "Well... she's not a kid. That makes it better, somehow."
The way I look at it, what he did was just as bad as what Moore did. Doing things like that is NEVER ok. It can never be explained away, it can never be forgiven. Making excuses is what the other side does "Well, ya see... the Bible tells us.." You either treat women with respect, or you don't. You don't pantomime sexual stuff at a sleeping woman. The only thing you do is assure she doesn't fall over.
Anyone that does anything else is absolute garbage, as far as I am concerned.
bagelsforbreakfast
(1,427 posts)a 14 year old? I think you're swimming against the tide on this one.
ClarendonDem
(720 posts)but actual assault
bagelsforbreakfast
(1,427 posts)maxsolomon
(32,992 posts)not this part.
bathroommonkey76
(3,827 posts)One was a child and the other was an adult woman.
Stop pushing Roger Stone's narrative for this story. Anything associated with that swine is toxic.
docgee
(870 posts)JNelson6563
(28,151 posts)Let's string that fucker up!11!!
mountain grammy
(26,573 posts)And she accepted Frankens apology, so thats it..hes no pervert.
ancianita
(35,816 posts)BobTheSubgenius
(11,535 posts)...to lump it in with the Roy Moore debacle is over the top, IMO.
democratisphere
(17,235 posts)We, the jury, are still hearing testimony. Time will.tell.
sandensea
(21,530 posts)I'm sure Senator Gillibrand doesn't actually believe a word of it.
And btw, who got Tweeden her glasses? Rick Perry?
BootinUp
(46,928 posts)U suspect this statement in the OP is about political expediency, political ambition or whatever?
sandensea
(21,530 posts)I'd say the chances of this being precisely that are better than average.
NanceGreggs
(27,813 posts)I don't believe this woman for a second.
Tweedon included a photograph as "proof"? No, she included a photograph that was obviously a "hamming it up for the camera" shot - and whether some people find it offensive or not is irrelevant. The fact remains that Franken was assuredly NOT posing for a photo of himself sexually assaulting a woman.
Should there be an investigation into a SNL member yukking it up for the camera? Oh, yes, by all means. Our very democracy depends on it! Let's spend millions of taxpayers' dollars "investigating" accusations of sexual misconduct against a former comedian-turned-senator.
Forget about Trump and his systematic destruction of the country. I can't think of a more pressing challenge facing us as a nation than getting to the bottom of what Al Franken was thinking when he hammed-it-up for the camera.
BootinUp
(46,928 posts)Single issue purists and other purity tests, now we have to believe any woman making an accusation. The RW saw that and turned it into a bad joke.
LisaL
(44,962 posts)Whiskeytide
(4,459 posts)... it sets up the both sides do it argument.
Dawson Leery
(19,348 posts)It is a cesspool of right wing d-grade celebs.
Same goes for Country.
JI7
(89,182 posts)CatMor
(6,212 posts)I think it has been embellished with some help from others. I'm disappointed in Gillebrand for her statement. He apologized for the photo that shows he didn't actually touch her. As far as the other accusation he doesn't remember it happening that way.
I'm more interested in the tax reform the republicans are trying to get passed. That is something that affects us all.
LongTomH
(8,636 posts)I'm really disappointed, I thought better of Al.
adigal
(7,581 posts)Dems always eat their own. The Republicans has a sex offender as their leader, and want to send their pedophile to the Senate, but yes, let's force Franken to resign right this very second. Doesn't matter that he called for an investigation. Doesn't matter that the charges are far less serious than those against Trump and Moore. Let's get rid of this guy right NOW, this guy that is a strong voice against Republicans who, if they had their way, would:
- take away our healthcare
- take our $$$ and give it to billionaires
- take away kids' healthcare
- put Muslims in camps
- kill every elephant on the damn planet
- throw every immigrant, legal or illegal, out of the country
- put Hillary in jail
- throw reporters in jail
You know what this is like???
"But her emails!!!!!"
SammyWinstonJack
(44,129 posts)LisaL
(44,962 posts)YessirAtsaFact
(2,064 posts)My inclination is to give the accuser the benefit of the doubt when it comes to sexual assault.
But this looks like a prank photo that the wing nuts are using to attack Franken and create a distraction.
This came from a right wing talk radio station host with no evidence other than a goofy photo.
Frankens escort officer didnt see any creepy behavior on Frankens part.
Second hand accounts of what the photographer said state that the woman was actually awake and a willing party to the joke.
This smells like bullshit to me.
MaryMagdaline
(6,849 posts)Roy Moore is 12 in the Richter scale on Andreas fault. Roy is a menace to society. Al wronged a single person and has been forgiven. He was forgiven because the offense COULD Be forgiven. Ongoing stalking of children cannot be forgiven especially when there had been no acknowledgement that the behavior is wrong.
humbled_opinion
(4,423 posts)of the false equivalence, for the GOP it is distract, distract, distract, some idiot actually told me today that he will never believe the Moore accusers because "Where were they when the GOP establishment and Luther Strange were doing opposition research on Moore ? If the evidence is so compelling why did it take the WAPO until the race became between a Democrat and a Republican to report it, he said it stinks of the Chicago Way and then rolled eyes and said it's not like any of them have a photo....
videohead5
(2,151 posts)You can clearly see he is not touching her in the photo and here is what the person that took the photo said...Photographer: [S]he was playing dead and SHE wanted him to revive her. I took the picture it was a funny moment everyone was smiling having a good time.
busterbrown
(8,515 posts)Jesus..You think someone who was sexually helpless trying to get off someone.. taking an incredible career ending risk..would take a photo op of the situation? Give me a break
The Wizard
(12,482 posts)who have taken Roger Stone's bait have been put on full ignore as I suspect they could be trolls or just reactionaries.
lark
(23,006 posts)She is such a total hypocrite and ass. Where is her outrage on Moore and drumpf who assaulted women and children regularly? She is part of what's wrong with Dems, always ready to turn on each other but forgive the rw anything. Bah, I'm done with her.