Over the weekend, Sen. Al Franken (D-Minnesota) spoke with several local media outlets in Minnesota before returning to Washington D.C. on Monday. Among other things, he told the Minneapolis Star Tribune he was “embarrassed and ashamed” and that he hoped to “gradually regain” his constituents’ — and all of America’s — trust and confidence. The former Saturday Night Live writer and cast member also expressed shock at the allegations against him, and insisted he had no recollection of any other damning photographs or situations aside from what was previously reported.
On that note, per the Washington Post, Minnesota Public Radio’s Cathy Wurzer asked Franken if any more women would be coming forward “to accuse you of groping, patting, whatever, or is this it?” The embattled senatorresponded, “I don’t know”:
“If you had said to me two weeks ago that a woman was going to say that I had made her uncomfortable and disrespected her in one of these ways I would have said ‘no,'” Franken responded. He added, “So, you know, I don’t know. I can’t say.”
Ever since KABC TV and radio host Leeann Tweeden initially accused Franken of kissing and groping her during a USO Tour in 2006, more women have come forward with similar allegations against the senator.
(Via Washington Post and Minnesota Public Radio)