Democratic U.S. Senator Al Franken apologized Thursday to a model-turned-radio host whom he groped and kissed without consent during a 2006 USO tour.
Franken is the latest in a long line of high-profile men to face a sexual assault accusation, after TalkRadio 790 KABC morning host Leeann Tweeden wrote of her experiences and published a photo that shows Franken grabbing her breasts while she was asleep on a military aircraft.
She says Franken forced his tongue into her mouth when she expected to be rehearsing a scene where they would fake a ‘kiss’ for the military audience.
After hearing of his apology, Tweeden said during a press conference that ‘people make mistakes. I’m not calling for him to step down. That’s not my place to say that.’
But the mother of a young son and daughter, both toddlers, hinted that if other women were to come forward with similar stories, that may change.
‘I’ve gotten a phone call from a woman that has – I’ve only gotten a message – that says something similar has happened to her. And I haven’t returned it yet. So that’s to be determined. I don’t know,’ Tweeden said.
Accusations from the radio host, who was a 23-year-old model at the time of her allegations, could send Franken into the same reputational basket with Republican Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore, movie producer Harvey Weinstein, comedian Louis C.K. and actor Kevin Spacey.
‘It happened so fast. He mashed his lips against my face and stuck his tongue in my mouth so fast,’ Tweeden said Thursday.
‘All I can remember is that his lips were really wet and slimy and in my mind I called him “fish lips” the rest of the trip. That’s what it reminded me of.’
‘He stuck his tongue down my mouth and I remember I pushed him off with my hands and I remember I almost punched him – because every time I see him now my hands clinch into fists.’
‘And I said, “If you ever do that to me again, I won’t be so nice about it the second time.” I walked out away from him and I wanted to find a bathroom and rinse my mouth out. I was disgusted.’
Franken’s apology was forceful and calculated – and called ‘heartfelt’ by Tweeden on CNN.
She said she is speaking publicly in part in order to set an example that will one day give her children, ages four and two, a better social climate as they grow up.
‘I don’t want to be a cliche, but you know, you talk about trying to leave the world a better place for your kids, you know,’ she said, shedding a tear.
‘You do. You want to leave – you try to set examples for your children.’
‘The first thing I want to do is apologize: to Leeann, to everyone else who was part of that tour, to everyone who has worked for me, to everyone I represent, and to everyone who counts on me to be an ally and supporter and champion of women,’ Franken wrote in a statement hours after Tweeden went public.
‘There’s more I want to say, but the first and most important thing – and if it’s the only thing you care to hear, that’s fine – is: I’m sorry.’
‘I respect women. I don’t respect men who don’t,’ the accused government groper added. ‘And the fact that my own actions have given people a good reason to doubt that makes me feel ashamed.’
He specifically addressed the photo, shot as the USO performance troupe headed home the day before Christmas in 2006.
‘For instance, that picture. I don’t know what was in my head when I took that picture, and it doesn’t matter. There’s no excuse. I look at it now and I feel disgusted with myself. It isn’t funny. It’s completely inappropriate. It’s obvious how Leeann would feel violated by that picture,’ Franken added.
‘And, what’s more, I can see how millions of other women would feel violated by it – women who have had similar experiences in their own lives, women who fear having those experiences, women who look up to me, women who have counted on me.’
Tweeden said Thursday that Franken approached her at a USO event just a few years ago and tried to make small talk, without any offer of an ‘I’m sorry.’
‘He had a chance to apologize to me then, because he knew exactly what he did to me then, and that picture was out there,’ she said.