Should Al Franken Resign?

[rogue06]

There's also the picture of him with Joy Behar.

http://www.breitbart.com/big-hollywo...st-rob-reiner/

So that's his MO, he's a serial groper who tries to pass it off as a joke. I'd like to see him try that "joke" on my wife. He'd get a mouthful of her fist in return.

A couple of the wimmenfolk I know would knock a couple teeth outta that creepy, leering grin of his before anyone else would have a chance to react.

[Adrift]

Actually, I agree that it provides context but it's irrelevant UNLESS she did in fact consent. Since neither Franken nor Tweeden have made any such assertion it doesn't matter if they were horsing around earlier or even if she'd permitted groping in the past (which is NOT alleged anywhere) - it only matters that he touched her inappropriately without her consent.

It also doesn't matter if he'd groped half of New York - or never touched a woman before in his life. All that matters is what he did at that time and whether or not she gave consent or any reason to believe that she would have consented. Since that is not alleged by either party, we're on to the part in contention.

Just to be clear here, it was my understanding that Franken didn't actually touch her in that photo; That he was making hand gestures near her breasts not on her breasts, is that correct?

[rogue06]

We got another prominent politician accused of sexual misconduct and apparently allowed to use taxpayer's money to pay off a settlement.

Source: She Said A Powerful Congressman Harassed Her. Here’s Why You Didn’t Hear Her Story.

“When you make private settlements, it doesn’t warn the next woman or the next person going into that situation.”

Michigan Rep. John Conyers, a Democrat and the longest-serving member of the House of Representatives, settled a wrongful dismissal complaint in 2015 with a former employee who alleged she was fired because she would not “succumb to [his] sexual advances.”

Documents from the complaint obtained by BuzzFeed News include four signed affidavits, three of which are notarized, from former staff members who allege that Conyers, the ranking Democrat on the powerful House Judiciary Committee, repeatedly made sexual advances to female staff that included requests for sex acts, contacting and transporting other women with whom they believed Conyers was having affairs, caressing their hands sexually, and rubbing their legs and backs in public. Four people involved with the case verified the documents are authentic.

Conyers confirmed he made the settlement in a statement Tuesday afternoon, hours after this story was published, but said that he "vehemently denied" the claims of sexual harassment at the time and continues to do so.

And the documents also reveal the secret mechanism by which Congress has kept an unknown number of sexual harassment allegations secret: a grinding, closely held process that left the alleged victim feeling, she told BuzzFeed News, that she had no option other than to stay quiet and accept a settlement offered to her.

“I was basically blackballed. There was nowhere I could go,” she said in a phone interview. BuzzFeed News is withholding the woman’s name at her request because she said she fears retribution.

Last week the Washington Post reported that Congress’s Office of Compliance paid out $17 million for 264 settlements with federal employees over 20 years for various violations, including sexual harassment. The Conyers documents, however, give a glimpse into the inner workings of the office, which has for decades concealed episodes of sexual abuse by powerful political figures.

The woman who settled with Conyers launched the complaint with the Office of Compliance in 2014, alleging she was fired for refusing his sexual advances, and ended up facing a daunting process that ended with a confidentiality agreement in exchange for a settlement of more than $27,000. Her settlement, however, came from Conyers’ office budget rather than the designated fund for settlements.

Congress has no human resources department. Instead, congressional employees have 180 days to report a sexual harassment incident to the Office of Compliance, which then leads to a lengthy process that involves counseling and mediation, and requires the signing of a confidentiality agreement before a complaint can go forward.

After this an employee can choose to take the matter to federal district court, but another avenue is available: an administrative hearing, after which a negotiation and settlement may follow.




Source

© Copyright Original Source

The story continues at the link above.

[Teallaura]

Just to be clear here, it was my understanding that Franken didn't actually touch her in that photo; That he was making hand gestures near her breasts not on her breasts, is that correct?

My understanding is that he touched her - and I can't tell positively otherwise from the photo. it appears to me that he is touching her.

[Mountain Man]

It was Stephen Colbert that had the perfect take down for the defense that Franken is a comedian and trying to be funny (an excuse Franken himself has offered for the picture)

Source: Meyers, Colbert Skewer Al Franken’s Sexual Harassment Apology

Colbert devoted time to Franken’s initial succinct apology — the senator said the photo “was intended to be funny, but wasn’t” — in the Late Show’s opening monologue Thursday night. “Okay, intended to be funny but wasn’t? Your movie Stuart Saves His Family was ‘intended to be funny, but wasn’t.’ That photo was intended to embarrass her. That’s why he did it while she was asleep.”

Source

© Copyright Original Source

I pay basically zero attention to Colbert... but I have to admit, that was pretty darn good.

[Mountain Man]

A couple of the wimmenfolk I know would knock a couple teeth outta that creepy, leering grin of his before anyone else would have a chance to react.

Whenever someone says, "If someone tried that with my wife, I'd beat him to pulp," I always say, "I wouldn't have to. But I might have to pull my wife off him before she commits murder."

[Cow Poke]

Just to be clear here, it was my understanding that Franken didn't actually touch her in that photo; That he was making hand gestures near her breasts not on her breasts, is that correct?

Technically, of course, he didn't touch her breasts, but probably touched the flak vest. A C-17 is not the smoothest flight, so even if his hands were "almost touching", it's hard to imagine he didn't touch the flak vest at some point.

[Cow Poke]

Whenever someone says, "If someone tried that with my wife, I'd beat him to pulp," I always say, "I wouldn't have to. But I might have to pull my wife off him before she commits murder."

Quick story....

I was a police officer when I was dating my wife, and one afternoon decided to take her to the police range. I wanted to let her shoot my Ruger .357 magnum.

I showed her basic stance, grip, etc, and told her "just go ahead and fire a couple rounds, and I'll let you know what to do next".

She fired 3 rounds in fairly quick succession, two of which were bullseyes, and one 'almost'.

I told her "OK, that's enough for today, we'll do this again another time".

[rogue06]

Quick story....

I was a police officer when I was dating my wife, and one afternoon decided to take her to the police range. I wanted to let her shoot my Ruger .357 magnum.

I showed her basic stance, grip, etc, and told her "just go ahead and fire a couple rounds, and I'll let you know what to do next".

She fired 3 rounds in fairly quick succession, two of which were bullseyes, and one 'almost'.

I told her "OK, that's enough for today, we'll do this again another time".

Reminds me of the time on the old Andy Griffith Show when the woman Andy was dating beats him at a skeet shooting contest

[Cow Poke]

Reminds me of the time on the old Andy Griffith Show when the woman Andy was dating beats him at a skeet shooting contest

Yup - I remember that one. And was being so kind and gentlemanly while she cleaned his clock.

[Mountain Man]

She fired 3 rounds in fairly quick succession, two of which were bullseyes, and one 'almost'.

That's what I call gun control!

[Cow Poke]

That's what I call gun control!

What can I say, she grew up in West Virginia.

[Adrift]

My understanding is that he touched her - and I can't tell positively otherwise from the photo. it appears to me that he is touching her.

Technically, of course, he didn't touch her breasts, but probably touched the flak vest. A C-17 is not the smoothest flight, so even if his hands were "almost touching", it's hard to imagine he didn't touch the flak vest at some point.

Ok, it doesn't look that way to me at all. It looks to me like his hands are hovering a bit away from her vest, and it's only forced perspective that might make it look like he's touching her. And that's a big deal, because while pretending to touch someone in a sexual manner without their awareness is creepy and disturbing, it's not nearly as disturbing as actually touching someone in a sexual manner without their awareness. Touch is powerful. I had assumed that everyone here was in agreement that she wasn't actually physically touched in the photo.

Oh, and by the way, assuming no turbulence, C-17s are actually pretty smooth. Or at least they were when I was taking them.

[Cow Poke]

Ok, it doesn't look that way to me at all. It looks to me like his hands are hovering a bit away from her vest, and it's only forced perspective that might make it look like he's touching her. And that's a big deal, because while pretending to touch someone in a sexual manner without their awareness is creepy and disturbing, it's not nearly as disturbing as actually touching someone in a sexual manner without their awareness. Touch is powerful. I had assumed that every here was in agreement that she wasn't actually physically touched in the photo.

But, TBH, it's a kevlar vest - a flak vest - she wouldn't even feel it unless he pressed hard. The point is that he felt the 'freedom' to do this at all - he's a creep.

[Adrift]

But, TBH, it's a kevlar vest - a flak vest - she wouldn't even feel it unless he pressed hard. The point is that he felt the 'freedom' to do this at all - he's a creep.

Eh, whether she could feel it or not, touch is still a major matter of importance to me.