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LIVESTREAM: Al Franken Announces His Resignation Amid Sexual Misconduct Allegations

Senator Al Franken (D-MN) announced he would step down from the Senate just a day after a seventh woman accused him of making improper advances toward her.

LIVESTREAM: Al Franken Announces His Resignation Amid Sexual Misconduct Allegations
Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., attends a news conference in the Capitol on the Child Care for Working Families Act, which focuses on affordable early learning and care on September 14, 2017. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

The live stream has ended. To view a full video playback of Al Franken's resignation speech, click here. Original story below.

Senator Al Franken (D-MN) will announce he will step down from the Senate just a day after a seventh woman accused him of making improper advances toward her.


“He was between me and the door, and he was coming at me to kiss me. It was very quick, and I think my brain had to work really hard to be like ‘Wait, what is happening?’ But I knew whatever was happening was not right, and I ducked,” the woman, a former staffer, told Politico. “I was really startled by it, and I just sort of booked it towards the door, and he said, ‘It’s my right as an entertainer.’”

You can watch the live stream playback here.

Earlier, media outlet MPR tweeted a report that Franken had decided to resign––even though the senator had not yet made an official announcement.

A tweet from Franken’s official account said the report was “not accurate,” however, and that at the time, Franken was still having discussions with his family.

Franken's latest accuser spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity.

“He was between me and the door, and he was coming at me to kiss me. It was very quick, and I think my brain had to work really hard to be like ‘Wait, what is happening?’ But I knew whatever was happening was not right, and I ducked,” the woman, a former staffer, told Politico. “I was really startled by it, and I just sort of booked it towards the door, and he said, ‘It’s my right as an entertainer.’”

Franken came under fire after media personality Leeann Tweeden alleged Franken forcibly kissed her without her consent as part of a rehearsal for a skit during a USO tour.

He continued to insist, and I was beginning to get uncomfortable,” Tweeden wrote. “He repeated that actors really need to rehearse everything and that we must practice the kiss. I said ‘OK’ so he would stop badgering me. We did the line leading up to the kiss and then he came at me, put his hand on the back of my head, mashed his lips against mine and aggressively stuck his tongue in my mouth.”

Things grew steadily worse after a photograph surfaced in which Franken appeared to grope Tweeden's breasts while she was seated and sleeping. Tweeden said the photo was taken without her knowledge on the plane ride back to Los Angeles.

“I couldn’t believe it. He groped me, without my consent, while I was asleep,” she said. “I felt violated all over again. Embarrassed. Belittled. Humiliated. How dare anyone grab my breasts like this and think it’s funny?”