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Today's Poll: Should Al Franken resign his Senate seat?

By Howard B. Owens
Rich Richmond

I'm not surprised at all the poll is one showing partisan loyalty. My guy is OK, however, your guy is a pervert, blah, blah, blah. We have the right to know the name of every Congressman who paid off sexual harassment claims with taxpayer money -15 Million.

I don’t care about party affiliation and the heck with the ethics committee. Congress set the rules for harassers of both parties to remain protected, and the Congress set the rules governing the Ethics Committee.

Diapers and politician should be changed frequently and all for the same reason. -Mark Twain.

Nov 27, 2017, 1:09pm Permalink
Dave Meyer

Rich....I agree with your point that we deserve to know which members of congress have caused staff to be compensated. All the details!!

I also agree with your point about "changing politicians". Term limits would make that happen.
Good luck with that one.

Nov 27, 2017, 1:12pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

Rich, that's the surprise ... 45 percent saying he shouldn't resign and only 53 percent saying he should is strongly against the typical partisan tide in these parts. I was expecting more of a 65/35 percent split in favor of resigning.

Nov 27, 2017, 1:25pm Permalink
John Roach

What will the Ethics investigation do? There is a photo he had taken showing his hand on a sleeping woman, and him laughing about it. And he admits being a pervert, so what's to investigate? Is the purpose just to stall for time and hope people forget about it.

A whole group don't even want a probable pervert elected, but are willing to let their pervert stay.

Nov 27, 2017, 2:24pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

Actually, there is no photographic evidence he ever even touched her.

At worst, all we know is he partook in some juvenile humor at another person's expense, as far as that picture goes.

More troubling, if true, are a couple of reports that he grabbed ass during photo ops.

Neither rises to the level of sexual assault (the ass grabbing, if classified as a crime, at least in New York, is forcible touching).

It's ironic that conservatives who decry "political correctness" want to label some rude and juvenile actions "perversion."

I think Franken should resign if for no other reason than the optics of it. It's kind of hard to hold the president and a Senate candidate accountable for their sexual assaults when others get a pass on even minor transgressions. Besides, Franken's actions, however minimus compared to assaulting teenage girls and grabbing women by their ---, shouldn't be acceptable. It's rude, crude and childish and below the dignity, at least in an ideal world, of a Senator.

Nov 27, 2017, 5:34pm Permalink
John Roach

Howard, that's my point. People get fired now for just saying something wrong. Franken passed that mark, and if the women coming forward are to be believed, Congressman Conyers should go.

And if they lift the wall of secrecy in Congress on who paid off who to hide this sexual harassment stuff, they should go also, Republican or Democrat.

Nov 27, 2017, 5:51pm Permalink
Dave Meyer

Jeezus John, you’re entitled to your own opinions but not your own facts.
Please post a link to any documented evidence where Al Franken “admits to being a pervert”. You can’t just make $hit up!!

And, the incident with Leann Tweeden occurred BEFORE Franken was elected to the Senate. The other ‘grabass’ allegations should be dealt with by the Ethics committee

Nov 27, 2017, 6:00pm Permalink
John Roach

Dave, so if you are guilty of sexual harassment before you get elected to office, then you get a pass and get to stay. But if you commit sexual harassment before you run for an election, then you should drop out of the election.

We now have at least one woman who states Franken grabbed her butt after he was in office. But if Franken is entitled to an investigation, then so should Moore.

Nov 27, 2017, 6:22pm Permalink
Tim Miller

I will call for Franken's resignation when the pussy-grabber in chief resigns in disgrace due to his "grab(bing) them by the pussy", walking into teen dressing rooms with no notice, etc.

Until then, I hope the people of Alabama are wise enough to not elect a pedophile, and that the Senate and House investigations into sexual harassment, assault, and forcible touching are thorough and transparent.

Nov 28, 2017, 11:31am Permalink

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