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| Al Franken: fifth woman accuses senator of sexual misconduct | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A fifth woman has come forward to accuse Senator Al Franken of sexual impropriety, according to CNN. | A fifth woman has come forward to accuse Senator Al Franken of sexual impropriety, according to CNN. |
| The woman, identified as army veteran Stephanie Kemplin, told the network that Franken – then a comedian and entertainer – groped her breast while they posed for a photo during a tour of the Middle East to entertain US troops in 2003. | The woman, identified as army veteran Stephanie Kemplin, told the network that Franken – then a comedian and entertainer – groped her breast while they posed for a photo during a tour of the Middle East to entertain US troops in 2003. |
| “When he put his arm around me, he groped my right breast. He kept his hand all the way over on my breast,” Kemplin told CNN. “I’ve never had a man put their arm around me and then cup my breast. So he was holding my breast on the side.” | “When he put his arm around me, he groped my right breast. He kept his hand all the way over on my breast,” Kemplin told CNN. “I’ve never had a man put their arm around me and then cup my breast. So he was holding my breast on the side.” |
| A spokesman for Franken’s office said in a statement: “As Sen Franken made clear this week, he takes thousands of photos and has met tens of thousands of people and he has never intentionally engaged in this kind of conduct. He remains fully committed to cooperating with the ethics investigation.” | A spokesman for Franken’s office said in a statement: “As Sen Franken made clear this week, he takes thousands of photos and has met tens of thousands of people and he has never intentionally engaged in this kind of conduct. He remains fully committed to cooperating with the ethics investigation.” |
| Kemplin is the second person to allege that the inappropriate behavior took place while Franken was in Kuwait to entertain the troops stationed there. | Kemplin is the second person to allege that the inappropriate behavior took place while Franken was in Kuwait to entertain the troops stationed there. |
| Leeann Tweeden, a Los Angeles-based news anchor, came forward with the allegations in an op-ed published by KABC radio on Thursday that detailed an encounter with Franken during a tour of the Middle East to entertain US troops in 2006. | Leeann Tweeden, a Los Angeles-based news anchor, came forward with the allegations in an op-ed published by KABC radio on Thursday that detailed an encounter with Franken during a tour of the Middle East to entertain US troops in 2006. |
| Tweeden alleges that Franken, then a comedian and formerly of Saturday Night Live, forcibly kissed her while rehearsing for a skit and later groped her while she was asleep. She also shared a photo that appears to show Franken placing his hands over her breasts while posing for the camera. | Tweeden alleges that Franken, then a comedian and formerly of Saturday Night Live, forcibly kissed her while rehearsing for a skit and later groped her while she was asleep. She also shared a photo that appears to show Franken placing his hands over her breasts while posing for the camera. |
| Earlier this week Franken said he was “tremendously sorry” for his behavior and vowed to never repeat the actions that led multiple women to accuse him of sexual misconduct. | Earlier this week Franken said he was “tremendously sorry” for his behavior and vowed to never repeat the actions that led multiple women to accuse him of sexual misconduct. |
| “I know there are no magic words I can say to regain your trust and I know that is going to take time,” Franken told reporters on Capitol Hill on Monday. | “I know there are no magic words I can say to regain your trust and I know that is going to take time,” Franken told reporters on Capitol Hill on Monday. |
| “I know I’m going to have to be much more conscious in these circumstances, much more careful, much more sensitive, and that this will not happen again going forward,” he added. | “I know I’m going to have to be much more conscious in these circumstances, much more careful, much more sensitive, and that this will not happen again going forward,” he added. |
| Franken, who was elected to the Senate in 2008, has said that he recalled some of the events differently. Franken also disputed Tweeden’s account that he kissed Tweeden without consent, but apologized on Monday, saying: “I feel you have to respect the women’s experience.” | Franken, who was elected to the Senate in 2008, has said that he recalled some of the events differently. Franken also disputed Tweeden’s account that he kissed Tweeden without consent, but apologized on Monday, saying: “I feel you have to respect the women’s experience.” |
| Franken has said he could not rule out the possibility that more women might come forward, insisting that he has posed for thousands of photos over his career. | Franken has said he could not rule out the possibility that more women might come forward, insisting that he has posed for thousands of photos over his career. |
| Asked during the press conference what the bar for resignation should be for a sitting member of Congress, Franken declined to say. | Asked during the press conference what the bar for resignation should be for a sitting member of Congress, Franken declined to say. |
| “I am not going to get into that or speculate,” he said. “I am trying to take responsibility by apologizing.” | “I am not going to get into that or speculate,” he said. “I am trying to take responsibility by apologizing.” |