Alex Brandon/AP.
If things go his way, former Sen. Al Franken might return to Capitol Hill.
“I’m keeping my options open,” Franken said in anew interview withThe Republicanwhen asked about running for office again.
“It was a very weird, tough situation at that moment,” Franken said this week of his resignation,The Hill reports. “I love the Senate. I love the work that I did.”
When heannounced his resignationon the Senate floor three years ago, Franken said, “Some of the allegations against me are simply not true. Others I remember very differently.”
Seven women accused Franken of inappropriate behavior. One of them, Leeann Tweeden,accused him of kissing and groping her without her consent. Tweeden, a sports broadcaster, wrote about traveling with Franken on a USO Tour in December of 2006 when the alleged incidents occurred and included a photo that appeared to show Franken touching her breasts as she slept on a plane.
After coming forward with her story in 2017, Tweeden toldGood Morning Americashe was never interested in taking down the senator. “I didn’t do this to have him step down. I think Al Franken does a lot of good things in the Senate,” Tweedensaid onGMAwhen asked if he should resign. “That’s for the people of Minnesota to decide. I’m not calling for him to step down. That was never my intention.”
Sen. Al Franken.Mark Wilson/Getty
In July of 2019, Franken toldThe New Yorkerhe “absolutely” regretted his decision to resign. He also said he wished he had appeared before a Senate ethics committee as he requested to present his side of the story, the magazine reported.
In the new interview withThe Republican, Franken said, “I wanted due process” but, he argued, the Democratic majority “wouldn’t give it to me, so it was impossible.” At the time, Chuck Schumer, the majority leader,reportedly urgedFranken to step down amid the increasing allegations.
Franken said this week that he still has “some regrets.”
The Hill reports that he has his own political action committee, which means he can use donations to fund a campaign for or against a candidate or other ballot initiatives.
source: people.com
