Listen To The Women
The revelation that Al Franken sexually harassed LeeAnn Tweeden has created a firestorm at least within the rank and file of the Democratic party about whether Franken should actually resign. The Congressional Democrats seem content to condemn Franken’s behavior as unacceptable and abhorrent, which it is, and then pass the issue off to the secretive Ethics Committee.
The fact that Congressional Republicans are also content to move this issue to the Ethics Committee and are not demanding Franken’s resignation shows that they probably expect a wave of sexual harassment claims against current and former Senators and Representatives on both sides of the aisle as the culture dramatically shifts into believing those harassed and assaulted, especially when there are multiple accusers.
There is also a strained attempt to create a false equivalence by some on the right to both Trump’s and Moore’s actions. Franken’s actions are obviously totally inappropriate but LeeAnn Tweeden was of age and was able and strong enough to tell Franken to never do it again. Moore has been accused of molesting children and Trump has been accused of walking in on naked teens multiple times at his beauty pageant. When you are talking about underage girls, there is no equivalence. In addition, Franken has at least admitted his behavior, (he could hardly not due to the photographic evidence), while Moore and Trump essentially accuse their accusers of lying and, in Trump’s case, debase his victims further by openly saying they were not worth harassing. There is no equivalence.
There is also a push among Democrats to re-think our attitudes about Bill Clinton. And that is especially true when you look at the rape accusation by Juanita Broaddrick. But the reason that Clinton survived his impeachment was largely because there was little indication that Monica Lewinsky felt particularly threatened by her affair with the President and that she at least felt it was consensual. Yesterday, LeeAnn Tweeden accepted Franken’s apology and said, “The apology, sure, I accept it. People make mistakes, of course he knew he made a mistake.” Yes, she wishes he had apologized eleven years ago but she accepts his apology today and says it’s not up to her to decide whether Franken should step down.
My sense is that Franken may survive this, if only because of Tweeden’s acceptance of his apology and unwillingness to demand his resignation. Of course, as Tweeden pointed out, if there are other credible claims of sexual harassment against Franken, and not just a heated argument over politics that also came out yesterday, then that will be a different story and Franken must go.
I guess my point is that if we are going to listen and believe the women when sexual harassment claims are made, then we should also listen to what they have to say afterward. If, like Tweeden, the woman wants to publicly make her point that the conduct is unacceptable but she accepts the apology and is ready to move on without pressing charges, regardless of the statute of limitations, or demanding resignation, we should believe her as well. And, having been warned of his behavior, perhaps we should move on as well. But that also doesn’t mean that Franken’s behavior should just be forgotten or not change our attitude toward Franken moving forward.
