Eviction from the U.S. Senate
Sen. Al Franken’s forced departure from the Senate comes with whirlwind speed and tough political calculation. But an unswerving message of zero tolerance for harassment should be the new standard in political life in Washington, Sacramento and elsewhere.
Franken’s exit ended a slow drip of misconduct complaints. He was hanging by a thread for weeks after a provocative photo and claims by other women of unwanted touching.
Then a new charge about his conduct surfaced days ago, shredding any chance he could survive the situation.
Over half of his fellow Senate Democrats — including Californians Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris — urged him to quit. Now he’s effectively gone, though he’ll remain in office for several more weeks to cast possible votes on taxes and immigration.
In announcing his resignation, Franken offered apologies with misgivings over the claims against him. But he also took a swipe at the most notable survivor of similar claims: President Trump. “I am leaving while a man who has bragged on tape about his history of sexual assaults sits in the Oval Office.” Franken also went after Alabama GOP Senate candidate Roy Moore, who faces allegations of preying on teenage girls and continues to draw party support.
Franken isn’t the best person to push such charges. But his targets in the White House and possibly the Senate should Moore win can’t be overlooked or dismissed. The pressured departure of Rep. John Conyers in the House along with Franken shows the Democrats cleaning house while Republicans appear tone-deaf and indifferent.
“It’s become clear that I can’t ... remain an effective senator.” Sen. Al Franken
That scorecard isn’t the full story. Pushing out insiders remains especially difficult, thanks to insulated rules that favor incumbents. Congress must overhaul a forbidding process on whistle-blower complaints brought by women. Once a charge is brought, the matter is kept quiet while the employee continues working in abusive surroundings. The drawn-out procedures are tilted against prompt investigations and penalize vulnerable employees. Likewise Sacramento should move quickly to do the same by opening its rules to accept and protect people bringing harassment issues.
Franken’s quitting is an important milestone in the newfound determination to call out and punish perpetrators of sexual harassment.