Mitch McConnell Calls for Ethics Review of Franken Allegations, No Call Yet for His Removal

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) called for the Senate Ethics Committee to investigate sexual assault allegations against Senator Al Franken (D-MN) on Thursday. Unlike the recent allegations targeted towards Alabama Judge Roy Moore, McConnell did not call for Franken to “step aside.”

In a statement, McConnell called the allegations against Franken “credible”, yet did not name Franken by name or call for the senator to resign: “As with all credible allegations of sexual harassment or assault, I believe the Ethics Committee should review the matter. I hope the Democratic Leader will join me on this. Regardless of party, harassment and assault are completely unacceptable—in the workplace or anywhere else.”

Leeann Tweeden, a journalist who anchors the morning news at TalkRadio 790 KABC in Los Angeles, California, accused Senator Al Franken (D-MN) of fondling her while asleep and shoving his tongue down her throat without her consent.

Tweeden wrote in her article:

He repeated that actors really need to rehearse everything and that we must practice the kiss. I said ‘OK’ so he would stop badgering me. We did the line leading up to the kiss and then he came at me, put his hand on the back of my head, mashed his lips against mine and aggressively stuck his tongue in my mouth.

I immediately pushed him away with both of my hands against his chest and told him if he ever did that to me again I wouldn’t be so nice about it the next time.

I walked away. All I could think about was getting to a bathroom as fast as possible to rinse the taste of him out of my mouth.

I felt disgusted and violated.

McConnell previously called for Judge Roy Moore to drop out of the Alabama Senate race against his Democrat opponent Doug Jones. McConnell suggested that even if Moore were to win the Senate race, he will face a Senate Ethics Committee investigation.

McConnell argued, “I think it’s safe to say that if [Moore] were to be sworn in, he would immediately be in a process before the Senate Ethics Committee. [Moore] would be sworn in and be asked to testify under oath as well, and it would be a rather unusual beginning.”