Senator Al Franken (D-Minnesota) announced an end to an eight-year tenure in Congress on Thursday, resigning in the wake of allegations of sexual misconduct and pressures from colleagues to step down.
Franken announced, in a speech from the Senate, that he would step aside in the coming weeks.
He said he was “shocked and upset” as the allegations mounted in recent weeks, but that “all women deserve to be heard.” He also said he did not want to give the “false impression” that he was admitting to the allegations, as he has a different recollection of the events and some of the claims are “simply not true.”
“It’s become clear that I can’t pursue the ethics committee process and at the same time remain an effective senator for Minnesota,” Franken said. “I may be resigning my seat, but I am not giving up my voice.”
