Campaign Action
The floodgates have opened on Sen. Al Franken. Anyway, the floodgates of Democratic women in the Senate. Wednesday morning, Sen. Mazie Hirono released (and tweeted) a statement saying that “Today, I am calling on my colleague Al Franken to step aside. I’ve struggled with this decision because he’s been a good Senator and I consider him a friend. But that cannot excuse his behavior and his mistreatment of women.” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand posted on Facebook:
I have been shocked and disappointed to learn over the last few weeks that a colleague I am fond of personally has engaged in behavior towards women that is unacceptable. I consider Senator Franken to be a friend and have enjoyed working with him in the Senate in our shared fight to help American families.
But this moment of reckoning about our friends and colleagues who have been accused of sexual misconduct is necessary, and it is painful. We must not lose sight that this watershed moment is bigger than any one industry, any one party, or any one person. [...]
While Senator Franken is entitled to have the Ethics Committee conclude its review, I believe it would be better for our country if he sent a clear message that any kind of mistreatment of women in our society isn’t acceptable by stepping aside to let someone else serve.
Both Hirono and Gillibrand honored the women who’ve come forward to report abuse from not just Franken but from so many other powerful men.
They were quickly joined by Sens. Claire McCaskill, Maggie Hassan, Kamala Harris, and Patty Murray. One suspects this is not the end of it.