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Woman Says Al Franken Groped Her During 2010 Photo Op

This is the second assault allegation made against the senator.

Another woman has come forward with an assault allegation against Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.).

Lindsay Menz, 33, told CNN in a report published on Monday that Franken “inappropriately touched her in 2010” while posing for a photograph at the Minnesota State Fair.

Menz said she was driven to speak out on what happened to her after local radio news anchor Leeann Tweeden revealed last week that Franken “kissed and groped her without her consent during a USO tour in December 2006.

“I don’t want to paint my story in the same light as hers,” Menz said of Tweeden’s account, adding, “If someone sees that I said something, maybe it would give them the courage to say something too.” 

Of her interaction with Franken, Menz said she was left feeling “gross” after the incident at the Minnesota State Fair, which she attended with her husband and father.

Menz told CNN that she was at the fair because her father’s business was sponsoring a booth, and she spent the day taking photos with local elected officials, political candidates and celebrities, one of which happened to be Franken.

As Menz’s husband went to take a photo of her and Franken, Menz said the senator pulled her “in really close, like awkward close, and as my husband took the picture, he put his hand full-fledged on my rear. It was wrapped tightly around my butt cheek.”

“It wasn’t around my waist. It wasn’t around my hip or side. It was definitely on my butt. I was like, oh my God, what’s happening,” she added.

Menz’s husband corroborated the account, noting that Franken, who was a first-term senator at the time, pulled Menz in and “pushed his head against her head” and that she had told him immediately after the exchange: “He totally grabbed my butt.”  

Then-Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.) was also nearby when the alleged incident took place, but could not corroborate Menz’s account. Menz told CNN that her interaction and subsequent photo with Kline was much more cordial. She said Kline asked her if they should “mutually put our arms around each other.” Kline told CNN that “as a matter of practice” he always asked individuals, particularly women, whether he should put his arm on their back or shoulder during photo opportunities.

Franken told CNN that he “did not remember taking the photo with Menz and that he felt ‘badly’ that she felt disrespected.”

“I take thousands of photos at the state fair surrounded by hundreds of people, and I certainly don’t remember taking this picture,” Franken said. “I feel badly that Ms. Menz came away from our interaction feeling disrespected.”

Franken’s office did not immediately return a request for further comment.

Desperation met stupidity on the corner of bad luck and despair, and the democratic party was born.

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Well now looks as if his former SNL cast members have written a letter on his behalf explaining what a nice family man he is/was.  What a perplexing situation many liberals find themselves in these days.  On one hand they want to convict, crucify, and lock up Roy Moore for accused things that happened when he was in his early 30's (things he still denies happened)  yet find it difficult when they are calling for absolution for their liberal heroes for essentially the same.  

Frankly I'm not trying to defend Moore as I honestly feel that with respect to the 14 year old he most likely did what she accused him of doing but Moore is denying it and there is that presumption of innocence.  As for what should happen to Moore that is a little more complicated.  IF he is guilty of doing what is alleged then I certainly couldn't vote for him but not because he did it as much as because of his current denials of doing it.  

Don't get me wrong what he did is disqualifying, for him, for any office including the one he held at the time he did the acts he did.  He surely knew the age of the girl and that she was a minor (under the age of consent)  and he should have been prosecuted then, only if it had been reported or known.  As a, very public, Christian that has put his Christianity on his sleeve and touted it almost as a running point. So his outright denials, if known to him to be false denials, is also just as bad as the original sins.  I'm as much concerned about that as anything else but then I would expect that from any other person as well for it's just human not to want to get caught.   

Reasons to believe Roy Moore

  • Timing of the accusations
  • Source of the accusations (highly biased Washington Post) along with the fact that none of them have ever arose before even during all of Roy Moore's runs for Judge and the Alabama Supreme Court or other Alabama offices.
  • Failure to file Police report or accusation (could be negated though by the fact that the deed happened so long ago it couldn't be prosecuted).  With a police report if found to be false though puts the accuser at jeopardy due to filing a known false report. 
  • Presumption of Innocence until proven Guilty
  • The accuser with the lawyer, almost seems as if someone with an ax to grind or seeking a dollar to be made.
  • The suspicion that the yearbook was actually faked seems warranted and the fact that they won't give up the yearbook is suspicious.

 

Reasons to not believe Roy Moore

  • The first accuser seems honest and legitimate with no reason to have an ax to grind against Moore specifically.  Her credibility is perfect as well.
  • The number of accusers tend to make the claims credible in themselves (but a deliberate attempt to bring down a candidate could be arranged these days by a dedicated political enemy with enough cash and desire)
  • Moore's has not been overly aggressive in his denials or taken any measures to eliminate or lessen the suspicions surrounding him.
  • He WAS a Democrat during the times these things were reported to have happened ...   (OKAY .. I really didn't mean that as a legitimate reason but just poking at our democratic friends in the forum)
  • There has been no offer or desire, on Moore's part, to take a polygraph or make statements under oath with regards to the accusations, which would go far to help dispel them or sow doubt in some or all of them.  As a professing Christian it would be interesting to see if he would make a statement under oath, so help him God , as to the things not happening.
  • There was enough evidence to suspect that the young Roy Moore, Assistant District Attorney, was a hound of a person that sought out younger girls at the mall and around where he was.  There was a time that this wasn't so uncommon but I don't believe Roy Moore lived during those times so he should or would have known better especially with a 14 year old.  

I, personally, don't know if Roy Moore is guilty or innocent of the charges against him.  I wish Mo Brooks had been the one running but that didn't happen and isn't going to happen.  I, personally, also believe that Roy Moore will lose the race solely on the accusations alone.  If he's guilty he should lose if innocent though it will be effectively the political rape of Roy Moore. Either way something horrible has happened and it's horrible that politics has descended to such a level as it has gotten to.  

 

 

every situation is different, so we shouldn't say punish same.   How long back should we go? is it fair to drag out 10, 20, or even 30 years back?  Are you the same person you were 10, 20, 30 years ago?  Are the charges political motivate or exaggerated?  Then there is did the accuser speak up and say no?  or did they giggle and go along?  I have seen many a times where it was consensual until she got mad at him for something and then he is evil.  Next we have person sending out  sexual messages, just the wrong person received them. How many  20 year olds dress to attract a 20 year and get upset because an old man noticed? Or the creepy ugly guy (me haha) noticed?  How many of us heard the giggles of the movie star said something? or the displeasure of the ugly guy said the same thing?  I for one don't buy long ago accusations or any if she didn't say no or didn't say she doesn't like the comment/action.  We can't correct without feedback.    

You have a good point.    Here is the thing about the supposed 14 year old that Moore picked up.  She was going through a wild time where she admitted she wanted to hang with the older people and see older men and be in that crowd.  It's very possible that she (then) lied about her age or led Moore on to think she was a bit older.  (I'm sure though that never happens or have happened before).  So we are left with did Roy Moore know she was underage?  If he did then that's wrong and reprehensible no matter how long it's been.

Here is the other thing that confuses me.  If Roy Moore is this sexual animal and offender then how is it that the 14 year old girl and Moore removed their clothes and there was only touching that happened?  Not that this is okay at all for a girl that age for it isn't but what I'm getting at is if you get that far with a sexual predator and animal I would think it highly unlikely it would end with only touching and this after the second time that he picked her up?  Then I might be getting one accuser confused with another.    

With Respect to Moore it seems that this girl who was 14 is the one that is the big problem because frankly the one who said she was 16 has a great many obstacles and problems to get past and over to make her accusation credible.  She seems to be having some issues coming up that seems to negate her story and make it appear far more politically motivated or seeking money than say the 14 year old.  I hope all this can possibly be resolved before December 12th but I doubt it can or will.  It may just be what causes Roy Moore to lose or he may just maintain enough core support to win.  Either way though he will be tainted forever by this.  IF guilty though he deserves to be and if innocent it's like he is the one being offended and abused.

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