Al Franken Doesn’t Need Enemies When He Has Friends Like These

Read Time:8 Minute, 30 Second

by Mark Bear

What Roy Moore is accused of doing is something CRIMINAL. Al Franken’s actions – even if true and despicable are not. To not recognize this difference is in my opinion, grossly negligent.

Yes, as a politician, the voters should be able to decide. Dealing with this by the body of the Senate WITHOUT knowing all of the facts, deprives his constituents of making their decision known, in light of the facts.  However, as a Senator he IS arguably accountable to the Ethics Committee and HE HAS WELCOMED an investigation.

Here is a question I do not hear anyone asking: If Franken is as guilty as all of the accusers have said, why in the world would he not only agree to, but promote having a full ethics investigation. Lest the man is a sociopath like the one occupying the Oval Office, he wouldn’t! No reasonable man would want to go through that process and yet, he DOES!

By requiring him to resign, the Senate deprives him of due process, plain and simple. Roy Moore does not enjoy the same privilege since he is a candidate. That is, the Senate does not decide his fate, but the people from his state decide. Should they still decide to advance Moore to the Senate, do you really think the GOP will require him to leave? I don’t! Not for a bloody second.

The counter-argument I hear consistently is that Moore is entitled to due process. I agree. That process comes in the form of an election. Should he win, and the body of the Senate require him to step down, no biggie, right? But I do not believe that is what is happening here.

All of us most likely can agree that the Republicans will be more than happy to seat Moore, and the entire matter is gone for them. Mitch McConnell can say whatever he wants to about the matter because after his stunt with the tax plan and observing his behavior in the Senate for the past eight years, none of us should put any stock in his words.

Those who think “Oh, the Democrats will now have the better argument when it comes to midterms,” especially with Independents, ask yourselves: Did it matter that Trump was accused of sexually assaulting so many women, and had a rape case in the court system? If IT mattered as many people contend this morning, here is the cold hard truth: Donald Trump would in no way have been elected to the office of President.

Furthermore, has anyone taken the time to look up how “grope” is defined? Here is the definition and I give you the most popular one first: A noun, “Feel about or search blindly or uncertainly with the hands.” The second interpretation is as follows: “feel or fondle someone for sexual pleasure, especially against their will.”  According to Tweeden’s own words, she consented to that kiss. I don’t care what reason she cites for kissing him as in I “just did it to get the matter done and over with,” her rationale makes not a lick of sense.

If she did not wish to kiss Franken, she could have been perfectly clear that she did not wish to have been kissed. But that is not what she said to Al. She told him this isn’t SNL. The picture, which was taken is arguably insensitive, but it is not criminal. Taken in the context of Franken being a comedian, and understanding this to be his schtick, does not absolve him from the behavior, which he admits to and apologizes.

To clarify: He admitted to one thing: his insensitivity over that photo, and maintained that he “recalled things quite differently than she did regarding the kiss.” She accepts. That matter should be done and concluded, but notice, it wasn’t. Because Republicans smelled blood in the water, and oh dear Lord, we were ready to put the slaughter sacrifice on the altar for them. We had Franken out there daily engaging in self-flagellation on a near daily basis, giving one the appearance that his conscience was so bad, he would apologize to a freaking tree if he had the chance.

What about the others one is tempted to ask. What about them? I read an account from a supposed “liberal” saying this in her headline: “Al Franken Groped Me Too.” Here is the million dollar question though. HOW does she KNOW that Franken is touching her with the intent of getting sexual pleasure? The second most common manner of defining the word grope is as follows; “an act of fondling someone for sexual pleasure.” He “squeezed my waist; twice.” Twice. That must have shoved the act well over the legal hurdle to allow mob rule reign while depriving him of due process.

Again, how do ANY of these women conclude (save for the one who said he kissed her) that his goal is to be sexual? How to account for the large amount of workers in his office, females no less, who say “Franken has never demonstrated the kind of behavior he has been accused of with them.” Are we to conclude that his uncontrollable urges to engage in sexual activity with those who accuse him, was controllable around others? It is quite possible, isn’t it? Probable? No. Which is precisely WHY the ethics investigation should run its course.

Furthermore, how is it that Roger Stone, Trump’s henchman knew hours before the first story broke that “It’s now Franken’s turn in the barrel. Let’s see how he likes it?”

To add fuel to the proverbial fire here, I cited an article from a talented well-known writer on Medium – a female nonetheless who happens to be a digital strategist – in one of my latest pieces. In that article, the writer is clear, and points very persuasively to how the very organization instituted to ensure no more Russian bots continued doing what they did during the 2016 election cycle, occurs again.

Former Intel agent and expert on Russian propaganda and the weaponization of social media – Clint Watts heads that organization up, and he noticed a disturbing trend regarding the Franken story. I will place the link at the end of my response because you really do owe it to yourselves to see how it appears the Russians are still at work in our electoral politics. But that is not all folks! In that same piece, the writer provides a highly detailed timeline of the release of the Tweeden story and the players including Breitbart and of course Alex Jones.

Is it not odd that Tweeden never gave her story to her ABC News affiliate, but to someone completely outside the sphere of her employment? Lest you are persuaded that this is the norm, consider Fox News consulting and collaborating with CNN, or vice versa. They don’t. Why? They are considered competitors, but in Tweeden’s case she goes directly to a competitor, one who publishes and runs with the story.

I am sure by now you notice the great amount of emphasis I am placing on Tweeden’s allegation. Why? This is ground zero for all of the allegations. While each allegation IS mutually exclusive, (or are they given Stone’s leaked Tweet through another user) and then we see only these pics from other accusers where one cannot tell with utter certainty that the man did in fact do what he is accused of doing, I just do not believe that it should lead to a resignation.

LET ME BE CLEAR: I am NOT saying Franken is NOT guilty of what he is accused of. I DO NOT have a double-standard when it comes to how one party handles their issues versus the other. I am NOT giving Franken an excuse. I AM also NOT into blaming Franken’s victims. I am not into shaming them. What I want are the damned facts. What I AM arguing for is an Ethics Committee hearing to get to the bottom of the matter.

I do not know what the Democratic party plans on accomplishing by being the party who immediately separates itself from anyone simply accused. If they want to go down THAT road, they had better plan on a very long road of redemption. Why? The GOP will throw this back in the faces of every voter, going so far as to remind voters that “Franken was so guilty, and so embarrassed about those details coming out that he resigned.”

Make no mistake: they will never mention their indiscretions. Oh no! Far from it. They will ignore the Moore issue, or the Farenthold issue, or the Trump issue, or the Barton issue, and the list goes on. Hell Barton plans on running again, and not one single member from his party has asked he or Farenthold to resign.

Oh, wait: If we do this then we will show Americans we are the party which really has values, right? No. What we show each and every American is that we do not demand the GOP hold their members to account, but excoriate ours at the slightest allegation.

Again: It very well could be that Franken is this mass philanderer, and he is out of control, OR it could be that the man is coming to terms with the changing times and the inappropriateness of some actions considered appropriate in times past. Either one IS a distinct possibility, but with his resignation we will never know which of the two they were.

With Moore? Yes, we have his denials. He has called those who have accused him of being “Liars,” and “that he never met these women,” despite his damned name being on a minimum of two cards saying “Love Roy,” and those people were freaking underage at the time it occurred. Moore’s own handwriting convicts him, and yet nothing.

With Franken’s Democratic colleagues in the Senate, who in the hell needs Republican opponents? And we wonder why it is that we lose elections.

You can follow Dr Bear on Facebook and Twitter.  Don’t miss his thought provoking articles.  

Editor’s Note: Al Franken resigned from the US Senate today at 12 Noon.

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Admin
6 years ago

It worries me, Mark, that anyone can say anything about anyone and, if it concerns sexual misbehavior, it will be believed. Believed, and evidence has no value. Mission accomplished, to the sounds of laughter behind the closed doors of Mitch McConnell’s office. Democrats are such naive fools.

Dr. Mark Bear
Reply to  Professor Mike
6 years ago

It worries me as well, Michael. What I find mysterious is just how Franken’s last accuser KNEW he had sexual intent on his mind. Again: Inappropriate? I would have to know the entire details of what took place that night, but for the woman to argue that what Franken did was groping, I just cannot understand. Two times she said. He squeezed my waist, “two times.” If THAT got him sexual pleasure, I really need to know how much damned Viagra he is taking.

Glenn R. Geist
6 years ago

Fear thy neighbor sayeth the lawyer.

Many of us scoffed about Mike Pence never allowing himself to be alone with a woman. Maybe he has more sense than we credit him with. This is America. Puritanism, prudishness and witch hunts are our oldest tradition.

Frankly I’m not comfortable with all the hugging going on. It seems peculiar to me as someone who grew up when a handshake was as close as you’d get with another male unless he was a close relative. It’s not something I do and I wonder when someone will decide it’s assault and call a lawyer. Can’t be too careful these days.

Noli me tangere, or Μή μου ἅπτου more correctly

John 20:17

Barbara Pison
6 years ago

As always, Mark puts intelligent words to my jumbled thoughts. Why is nothing being written about the possibility of Russian bots still being hard at work pushing forth the Administration’s agenda? Why was Al Franken suddenly accused of sexual predation when he was asking the hard questions about obstruction of justice by the White House and Russia’s complicity? It would seem a lot of Senators live in glass houses yet elect to throw stones at Al Franken. I wonder how many could honestly state they never ‘groped’ or had sexual relations outside of their marriage! As for Roy Moore, just another lower than a snake’s belly child molester that deserves corporal punishment but will be rewarded instead. Hypocrisy and the Russians are sadly winning again!

Reply to  Barbara Pison
6 years ago

Barbara you are so right. These republican snakes will do anything to neutralize their enemies, while democrats, it seems, will do anything to neutralize their friends. Franken was a good senator for the gems. Guess they couldn’t stand that.

Dr. Mark Bear
Reply to  Professor Mike
6 years ago

Michael,

Of course they could not stand it. Franken was their greatest threat to their attaining the presidency. I just heard that Washington Post and CNN are doing a story on 40 Congressional members or Senators who have “sexual harassment backgrounds.”

Now, I do not know about anyone else commenting here, but is it just me that has this real sinking feeling in my stomach that the majority of these lawmakers will have a D beside their names?

If so, I tell you what: Then our theory was correct all along, and Franken should go back to the floor to rescind his resignation.

I have had a slew of people – liberals – telling me that “Yes, they can sleep better now, knowing Franken is out.” Do these people care about Moore? I was told, “I am sick and tired of the comparison.”

One went so far as to argue that “had Franken not put himself in a position as a target, he would not have had anything to worry about, now would he?”

To be clear: There is a kernel of truth to that argument if Al Franken was a Pastor because I cannot tell you how proactive I used to be as one to ensure nobody every got the wrong impression if I was interacting with a person of the opposite sex.

But what this person states basically is evidence to my entire argument: Franken IS guilty and they do not need to hear any of the evidence now. On that score, the individual is correct because they will not hear any evidence on the Franken scheme because the House Ethics Committee, or Senate Ethics Committee doesn’t investigate former members, or if they do I have never heard of it taking place.

But there will be a deeper problem now: Let’s say Franken DID in fact squeeze that woman’s waist, which she now classifies as a grope. I sure as hell hope every single female in the legislature will understand when men stand no less than six feet away from females, never touch a female’s hand (shaking it) or even discuss a female in her absence, for fear that the action will be misconstrued as sexual harassment. Over-reaction? You tell me. If you were a man serving in the United States Congress or the Senate, just how motivated would you personally be to find yourself remotely close to a female knowing something you do, (even IF benign with absolutely NO sexual intent) may be interpreted as sexual harassment?

Again: I am not arguing one way or the other over Franken’s innocence or guilt because we will most likely never know now, will we? What I am discussing are the very real implications of how men might respond should they find out that Franken, was, in fact, railroaded and denied his due process. Mob rule won the day yesterday and a blueprint has now been formed.

Remember though: We have a liberal media, right?

6 years ago

It’s all too crazy for me! FUCK THESE DEMOCRATS!

Dr. Mark Bear
Reply to  Caroline Taylor
6 years ago

Hi Caroline,

And sadly, this is what those conservatives have been saying since he won the White House. NO, I AM NOT SAYING YOU ARE A CONSERVATIVE but making a point.

Worse? It appears the Democrats are more than willing to oblige those conservatives, doesn’t it?

For whatever motivation they have, it appears whether it is Franken who is yelling with fervency “Beat me, beat me, tie me to a post. Hurt me, hurt me, where it hurts most (Scott, 2017).

It is beyond sad. What does it say when good folks like you, me and every other hard-working Democratic supporter ends up working harder for the cause than the damned legislators in the party?

Susan MacVicar
6 years ago

I am sickened by this. I was hoping that Mr. Franken would hold off until after the 12th for obvious reasons.

Reply to  Susan MacVicar
6 years ago

I was also hopeful Susan, however, that hope was crushed at noon today. I’m dumbfounded and flabbergasted by all this nonsense. These damn democrats have no clue as to how to govern.

Dr. Mark Bear
Reply to  Rachael
6 years ago

Hi Rachael,

Which only reinforces some disillusioned Democratic supporter in the notion that “since they do not know how to govern,” and “we do not like the way the conservatives govern,” that “I may as well go ahead and pull the lever for Trump because after all, he will shake things up for the nation now, won’t he?”

As I pen these words, I have looked at my Twitter feed only to find out that scores, scores I tell ya, of Democratic members have left the party for good today. Despite my most feeble attempt at telling people this was the “very thing the Republicans want,” and “that we need to stay in the party to fight,” I am being told “they aren’t worth my effort.”

Consolidation of power for a President begins by stifling dissent, then advances to taking revenge on political opponents (both real from electoral politics to those that President believes to be hindering him from doing his agenda) then goes on to literal undercover operations against any and all members of any opposing political party to portray them as either criminal, or deviant, then advances to controlling means of communication (think internet here and net neutrality) leading citizens down the primrose path of “we need to have one network at least, who will tell the truth (think Fox News and Sinclair media conglomerates controlling local news while injecting in “Dear Leader’s” talking points,” courses on to defunding any and all programs which assist in educating the populace (think of the tax reform bill which now taxes graduate students for receiving their respective stipends meaning they get taxed on 18,000 real dollars as though they were earning 100,000 which leads to discouragement and then dropping out of graduate school), then heads on over to taking away programs from younger children who do not even have a say in the matter (think CHIPS) advancing on towards requiring all citizens pay fealty to an anthem whose third verse praises the very institution which wrought death upon over 600,000 people) and you know what you have? An autocratic dictator, one where the very citizens sit there and said, “I didn’t even see it coming.”

Dr. Mark Bear
Reply to  Susan MacVicar
6 years ago

Hey Susan,

I honestly do believe this was Franken’s initial strategy, that is, until a well-concerted effort to force him out prior to hearing all of the facts entered the picture, hence the title of my piece.

Admin
6 years ago

I couldn’t agree more! Democrats are always ready to fall on their swords. Minnesota may be a blue state, but, like Hillary Clinton’s “fire wall” states, that could change, and quickly. I loathe self-righteousness. The great irony: the awful Trump publicly brags about his sexual misadventures and yet sits in the Oval Office. Roy Moore, a child molester, is about to be elected to the US Senate. What the fuck America?

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