Donald Trump and Al Franken

Donald Trump tweets about Al Franken sexual harassment: 'Where do his hands go?'

President criticises Democratic senator’s actions but remains silent on Roy Moore, prompting fresh scrutiny of his own behaviour towards women

Ben Jacobs in Washington

Friday 17 November 2017 04.01 GMT Last modified on Friday 17 November 2017 07.29 GMT

 

Donald Trump attacked Al Franken for sexual misconduct on Thursday night on Twitter, reigniting 
the controversy around allegations made against the president himself by numerous women.

A timeline of Donald Trump's alleged sexual misconduct: who, when and what

Franken, a two-term Democratic senator, has apologized to Leeann Tweeden for behaving in an inappropriate manner during a tour of the Middle East to entertain US troops in 2006.
The statements mark Trump’s first significant foray into allegations of sexual misconduct arising in US politics in recent weeks in the aftermath of the Harvey Weinstein scandal.
Trump, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by 16 different women, said on Twitter of a picture of Franken appearing to grope a sleeping Tweeden: “The Al Frankenstien [sic] picture is really bad, speaks a thousand words. Where do his hands go in pictures 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 while she sleeps?”

Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)

The Al Frankenstien picture is really bad, speaks a thousand words. Where do his hands go in pictures 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 while she sleeps? .....

November 17, 2017

The president then followed up by referencing a joke about rape by Franken when he was writing for Saturday Night Live in 1995. Franken suggested a skit in which he would give the CBS News reporter Lesley Stahl pills, and “take her to the closet and rape her”.
Trump tweeted: “And to think that just last week he was lecturing anyone who would listen about sexual harassment and respect for women. Lesley Stahl tape?”
The president was himself captured on tape in 2005 in a conversation with the Access Hollywood host Billy Bush boasting about sexual assault, saying he would see women and “grab them by the pussy”. Trump also said: “When you’re a star they let you do it. You can do anything.”
Franken has asked to be investigated by the Senate ethics committee and said in a statement: “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. And the fact that my own actions have given people a good reason to doubt that makes me feel ashamed.”

As a comic, Al Franken joked about rape, sex robots and Afghan women