# Can Al Franken change his mind and stay? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [December 17, 2017, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-al-franken-change-his-mind-and-stay/804738 "2017-12-17T22:56:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-al-franken-change-his-mind-and-stay/804738/21 "2017-12-18T01:37:08Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I expected Al to get a sanction of some kind. > > I never expected them to force him to resign. That’s pretty extreme punishment for what he did. It was politically expedient for him to be forced to resign. But now they’ve set a precedent for his behavior getting someone to resign. I agree that the punishment in no way fit “the crime.” ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-al-franken-change-his-mind-and-stay/804738/22 "2017-12-18T01:39:20Z")
Check out the people censored. There aren’t many. No Senators have been expelled from the Senate since the Civil War. Congress has set a very dangerous precedent. Forcing a a Senator to resign is pretty serious. You’re completely ignoring the people that elected him. They should have a say in whether the person they voted for can serve. > **[List of United States senators expelled or censured](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Senators_expelled_or_censured)** > > The United States Constitution gives the Senate the power to expel any member by a two-thirds vote. This is distinct from the power over impeachment trials and convictions that the Senate has over executive and judicial federal officials: the Senate ruled in 1798 that senators could not be impeached, but only expelled, while debating the impeachment trial of William Blount, who had already been expelled. > Expulsion has not occurred since the Civil War. Censure, a lesser punishment which repre... ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-al-franken-change-his-mind-and-stay/804738/23 "2017-12-18T01:48:56Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Check out the people censored. There aren’t many. No Senators have been expelled from the Senate since the Civil War. > > Congress has set a very dangerous precedent. Forcing a a Senator to resign is pretty serious. You’re completely ignoring the people that elected him. They should have a say in whether the person they voted for can serve. > > [List of United States senators expelled or censured - Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Senators_expelled_or_censured) Tons of Senators have resigned due to scandal. That’s like an every-few-years phenomenon. In American history it’s probably happened dozens of times. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-al-franken-change-his-mind-and-stay/804738/24 "2017-12-18T01:57:30Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The Op Ed I linked makes a very valid point. > > Al is the Dem’s sacrifice. So they can claim the moral high ground. I disagree. It sounds more like Republicans covering for their lack of action when this stuff comes up among their own. That and a conservative taking random potshots at Democratic ideology in general. ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-al-franken-change-his-mind-and-stay/804738/25 "2017-12-18T02:22:53Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Tons of Senators have resigned due to scandal. That’s like an every-few-years phenomenon. In American history it’s probably happened dozens of times. Tons as a technical term isn’t one that I’m familiar with. I don’t think that dozens of Senators have resigned for the level of issues that Franken was guilty of. I won’t ask for a site, but my quick review of the list didn’t show a ton of minor issues like we had with Franken. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-al-franken-change-his-mind-and-stay/804738/26 "2017-12-18T02:26:48Z")
> [@spifflog](#): > > Tons as a technical term isn’t one that I’m familiar with. I don’t think that dozens of Senators have resigned for the level of issues that Franken was guilty of. I won’t ask for a site, but my quick review of the list didn’t show a ton of minor issues like we had with Franken. “Minor” is in the eye of the beholder. What Franken did is far less bad than rape, but groping and violating consent, even in the ways he did that many are calling minor, are still really bad, and IMO more than bad enough to be past an appropriate line for high office. In other words, the Democratic party doesn’t need to allow gropers at its highest and most prestigious positions. We can do better, and we should do better. There are plenty of non-gropers out there who would be fine Senators; we don’t need to lower standards so far that groping is tolerable. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-al-franken-change-his-mind-and-stay/804738/27 "2017-12-18T02:46:17Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Check out the people censored. There aren’t many. No Senators have been expelled from the Senate since the Civil War. Franken wasn’t expelled from the Senate. ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-al-franken-change-his-mind-and-stay/804738/28 "2017-12-18T03:13:33Z")
What if Al Franken did resign, and ran again? If he’s re-elected, would that be enough to appease the Democrats in Congress? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-al-franken-change-his-mind-and-stay/804738/29 "2017-12-18T04:37:03Z")
It’s disgusting how much people will make excuse a sexual harasser. You’re right: the punishment doesn’t fit the crime. It should be worse for him. This is precisely why I say not to focus on the photo, when it’s the least bad thing he did. This is exactly the sentiment that happens when the other accusations are minimized. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-al-franken-change-his-mind-and-stay/804738/30 "2017-12-18T05:16:08Z")
I’ve always said that if you’re going to harass a woman, best to do it while she’s sleeping. And be sure to take a picture, so you can show it around. Saves her the trouble of bothering her pretty little head about whether she wants the entire world to know about it or not. It’s a trifle anyway. And it’s always good to give the other political party tangible evidence that they can use in their campaign ads. It’s the charitable thing to do. It’s just a picture, not words. Like the old saying goes: Words are worth a thousand pictures. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-al-franken-change-his-mind-and-stay/804738/31 "2017-12-18T05:33:36Z")
I offered my opinion in another thread. To the degree that it’s a political move, Franken’s resignation wasn’t aimed at Moore. It’s aimed at Trump. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-al-franken-change-his-mind-and-stay/804738/32 "2017-12-18T15:37:47Z")
ROFLMA I predicted this yesterday. 😃 Smiling Al will grovel a bit and publicly apologize, yet again. I predict he won’t resign after all. All will be forgiven and the Dems most liberal Senator will run for reelection. Watch the news. We’ll see more comments, from various Senators about keeping Al in the Senate. He won’t squeeze any more asses, except his wife’s. He’s a horndog but he ain’t completely stupid. > **[Dems now want accused groper Al Franken back](https://nypost.com/2017/12/18/democrats-now-regret-pushing-accused-groper-al-franken-to-resign/amp/)** > > Some Democratic senators now regret pushing accused groper Sen. Al Franken to resign, and are urging him to stay on, according to a new report. “I think we acted prematurely, before we had all the … > [@](#): > > Some Democratic senators now regret pushing accused groper Sen. Al Franken to resign, and are urging him to stay on, according to a new report. > > “I think we acted prematurely, before we had all the facts,” one anonymous senator told Politico. “In retrospect, I think we acted too fast.” ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-al-franken-change-his-mind-and-stay/804738/33 "2017-12-18T15:42:07Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > ROFLMA > > I predicted this yesterday. 😃 > > Smiling Al will grovel a bit and publicly apologize, yet again. I predict he won’t resign after all. All will be forgiven and the Dems most liberal Senator will run for reelection. > > He won’t squeeze any more asses, except his wife’s. He’s a horndog but he ain’t completely stupid. > > [Dems now want accused groper Al Franken back](https://nypost.com/2017/12/18/democrats-now-regret-pushing-accused-groper-al-franken-to-resign/amp/) From your same article: “But “people familiar with Franken’s plans” tell Politico he isn’t budging, and will officially resign in January.” ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-al-franken-change-his-mind-and-stay/804738/34 "2017-12-18T15:46:23Z")
Let’s wait and see. Everything changed after Roy Moore lost the election. It’s an entirely different political stage now. Politics aside, Al is a hard-working Senator that deserves another chance. He’s not going to make this mistake again. He’s going to respect Women. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-al-franken-change-his-mind-and-stay/804738/35 "2017-12-18T15:56:18Z")
You can’t make that photo go away. The Democrats don’t want him. Period. He’s not going to run because he would get no endorsement and no money. The Democrats are riding high the polls right now, and the last thing they’d want is the all the negative press and negative reaction of Franken reneging on his agreement to step down. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-al-franken-change-his-mind-and-stay/804738/36 "2017-12-18T16:10:00Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > The problem comes, though, if it’s only the perpetrators from one party who get forced out. That’s an even worse situation than all of them staying in. No it is not. Every pervert we get rid of is a win no matter what letter they have next to their name. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-al-franken-change-his-mind-and-stay/804738/37 "2017-12-18T16:18:48Z")
I’m curious. Do you genuinely consider a guy that posed for a crude, sexist picture in the same category as a pedo like Roy Moore or a sexual predator like Weinstein? It’s a night and day difference to me. It’s not even remotely close to the same thing. Al’s actions stem from stupid sexism. He’s not a sexual predator. Al screwed up. He needed to be publicly reprimanded for his sexist actions. I don’t think it should end his political career. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-al-franken-change-his-mind-and-stay/804738/38 "2017-12-18T16:26:48Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’m curious. Do you genuinely consider a guy that posed for a crude, sexist picture in the same category as a pedo like Roy Moore or a sexual predator like Weinstein? A) There was more than one incident. B) “It was not as bad” is not an excuse. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-al-franken-change-his-mind-and-stay/804738/39 "2017-12-18T16:30:06Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’m curious. Do you genuinely consider a guy that posed for a crude, sexist picture in the same category as a pedo like Roy Moore or a sexual predator like Weinstein? > > It’s a night and day difference to me. It’s not even remotely close to the same thing. Al’s actions stem from stupid sexism. He’s not a sexual predator. > > Al screwed up. He needed to be publicly reprimanded for his sexist actions. I don’t think it should end his political career. You’ll have to take that up with Al, because he disagrees with you. No one forced him out. He could have stayed if he really wanted to. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-al-franken-change-his-mind-and-stay/804738/40 "2017-12-18T16:34:11Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Congress has set a very dangerous precedent. Forcing a a Senator to resign is pretty serious. You’re completely ignoring the people that elected him. They should have a say in whether the person they voted for can serve. (post shortened) Congress didn’t force Al “Honk Honk” Franken to resign. They didn’t even make an official attempt to force Franken out. Congressional Democrats were demanding that Franken resign. At least they were during the Jones/Moore campaign. Possibly for the good of the country? Possibly for the good of womenkind? Possibly for the good of their party? Or was this just another political expedient con job in an effort to gain one more seat in Congress? Franken said he would resign, but he hasn’t. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-al-franken-change-his-mind-and-stay/804738.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-al-franken-change-his-mind-and-stay/804738.md?page=3)