Comedian-turned-U.S. Senator Al Franken has resigned amid allegations of sexual misconduct.
The former Saturday Night Live star was recently accused of groping and kissing TV personality Leeann Tweeden during a USO (United Service Organized) Tour in Afghanistan in 2006, and touching fan Lindsay Menz’s butt at the Minnesota State Fair in 2010.
He apologized for the incidents, but more women have since come forward with similar allegations, and on Thursday (07Dec17) he announced his resignation. Franken has been a senator since 2008.
“Today I am announcing that, in the coming weeks, I will be resigning as a member of the United States Senate,” he said during a speech on the U.S. Senate floor.
Many celebrities threw their support behind Franken ahead of his official announcement, and actor and fellow comedian Tom Arnold took aim at broadcaster Leeann Tweeden for becoming part of a “smear campaign” created by the politician’s Republican Party rivals.
Tweeden also posted an image of Franken pretending to cup her covered breasts on a plane ride as she slept.
“I’m disappointed with my friend Leeann Tweedon (sic),” Arnold wrote on Twitter, alleging her partner at radio station KABC, John Phillips, and political lobbyist Roger Stone “coached her for weeks to bring Al Franken down…”
I’m disappointed with my friend Leeann Tweedon. Her partner at KABC John Phillips is a Roger Stone pal & they coached her for weeks to bring Al Franken down. I’d hoped she’d use her voice to speak out for all women again predators like Roy Moore & Donald Trump but she’s a birther
— Tom Arnold (@TomArnold) December 7, 2017
“To put a button on this the only truth about my old pal Leeann Tweeden’s Al Franken story was the picture (of his hands over her breasts),” Tom added. “The rest was created by KABC colleague… John Phillips & his bud Roger Stone who coached Leeann for weeks to take Al down. Mission accomplished.”
