‘I Haven’t Ruled It Out’: Disgraced Al Franken Hasn’t Given Up on His Political Future – By Madison Dibble (ijr.com) / July 31 2018
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Former Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) refused to fully shut the door on his political future despite resigning after allegations of sexual harassment.
Franken stepped down from his Senate seat following multiple allegations of harassment and the surfacing of a photo that appeared to show him inappropriately grabbing a woman.
The former senator responded to the accusation of harassment from former model Leeann Tweeden, saying a photograph that appeared to show Franken touching Tweeden while she slept was “intended to be funny.”
In his first interview after his resignation, he told Esme Murphy of Minnesota CBS affiliate WCCO that he doesn’t know what his political future holds.
Watch:
FRANKEN: I miss the whole job. I loved that job. I loved the job of senator.
MURPHY: Will you run for office again?
FRANKEN: Oh, that — you see, if I say anything there, you’ll put it in a story. So I don’t know. I haven’t ruled it out, and I haven’t ruled it in.
His wife, Franni Franken, joined him in the interview, telling Murphy, “It has been a challenge. But we do get to spend more time together. And I think there are times when both of us would like to spend less time together.”
The former senator made his first public appearance in Minnesota since his resignation to help with the opening of a tribal school he helped to secure funding for.
“That was very meaningful for me and bittersweet,” he said. “I’d like to be … I’d still like to be there.”
Although some were happy to see Franken resign, not everyone was as thrilled. Even former President Bill Clinton defended him. Many are asking the former senator to get back in the political arena.
Al Franken: I haven't ruled out running for office again https://t.co/OnGX3aQroN pic.twitter.com/JROxtEY0WN
— The Hill (@thehill) July 31, 2018
Former Senator Al Franken hints he may run for office again https://t.co/jOHOU7jDs2
— Raw Story (@RawStory) July 31, 2018
When Franken resigned, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton appointed Lt. Gov. Tina Smith to the Senate seat. Smith is running to maintain the seat and faces a Democratic primary race from former ethics attorney for President George W. Bush, Richard Painter.
https://ijr.com/ijr-red/2018/07/1112926-al-franken-political-future/
