When I spoke out about how Al Franken forcibly kissed me backstage during a USO tour and groped me while I was asleep on the plane ride home, I never called for his resignation.
He later apologized, multiple times, and I accepted his apology, but as I said in my initial statement “I’m telling my story because there may be others.”
And there were. Yesterday a seventh and an eighth woman spoke out, and even more have reached out to me, but are unwilling to talk to the press. After experiencing many vile and partisan personal attacks on my credibility since I went public, I don’t blame these women one bit.
All our nearly identical experiences show that this was not a onetime failure of judgment on Senator Franken’s part, it was a clear pattern of behavior.
I want to thank the women of the United States Senate who stood up yesterday and said this cannot continue.
I want to thank their male colleagues who have joined them.
This has never been about politics. This is about telling the truth, and not letting fear silence us.
As Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said yesterday, “…what message do we send to our sons and daughters when we accept gradations of crossing the line? None of it is ok and none of it should be tolerated.”
While I do not celebrate Senator Franken’s resignation, we cannot tolerate hypocrisy. We must be able to trust and respect our leaders.
I came forward because I thought it was time to tell my story. It is unfortunate that people, including my friend Tom Arnold, are misrepresenting and mischaracterizing my story to further their own agenda. I came forward, told my story, Franken apologized and I accepted it and now I am moving on.
-Leeann Tweeden