To resign today are ‘inaccurate’
call for Franken’s resignation, but a torrent of Democrats quickly followed.
Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York also added his voice.
“I consider Senator Franken a dear friend and greatly respect his accomplishments, but he has a higher obligation to his constituents and the Senate, and he should step down immediately,” Schumer said.
Schumer called Franken immediately after the latest allegation — and before the torrent of demands for Franken’s resignation from Democrats — and told him he needed to resign, said a Democrat familiar with the events.
Schumer met later in his apartment with Franken and Franken’s wife, Franni, and repeated that message and did the same in additional talks with the senator throughout the day, said the Democrat, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to describe private conversations
The resignation demands came in rapid succession even though Franken vehemently denied the new accusation that came from a former Democratic congressional aide, who said he tried to forcibly kiss her after a taping of his radio show in 2006.
The woman, who was not identified, told Politico that Franken pursued her. She said that she ducked to avoid his lips and that Franken told her: “It’s my right as an entertainer.”
Franken, in a statement, said the idea he would claim such conduct as a right was “preposterous.”
But it was soon clear that his position had become untenable, and his office later issued a statement saying, “Senator Franken will be making an announcement tomorrow. More details to come.”