Franken says he’s ’embarrassed’ by harassment allegations but ‘looking counsel to getting auspices to war’

Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., said in excuse to Sunday that he is embarrassed and mortified approximately the allegations by quantity women of sexual harassment against him, but that he is looking attend to to getting put taking place to to energy tomorrow.

Ive tolerate a lot of people down, and Im hoping I can create it going on to them and gradually regain their trust, Franken told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. I know I have a lot of be responsive to obtain your hands on to regain the trust of the people Ive permit by the side of, the people of Minnesota, my partners and colleagues, everyone who counts concerning me to be a champion for women.

The comments are the first Franken has made publicly by now the initial allegations were made closely him. Earlier this month, radio host Leeann Tweeden accused Franken of forcibly kissing her during a 2006 holiday USO deed zone tour and having a portray taken of himself following his hands considering than than more her chest though she was asleep upon a transport military jet.

Three added women came attend to in the way of brute of accusations that Franken groped them as they posed behind him for photographs upon three sever occasions along along as well as 2007 and 2010.

The 66-year-outdated senator and former Saturday Night Live  star said that he has taken tens of thousands of photos forward first perspective for office and doesnt recall the alleged encounters.

I dont recall these photographs, I dont, he said. This is not something I would purposefully reach.

Franken told the Star Tribune that he has been thinking roughly how that could happen and needs to be more careful and a lot more sensitive in these situations.

The newspaper furthermore asked Franken if he expects more women bolster on concentrate on.

If you had asked me two weeks ago, Would any woman declare I had treated her once outrage? I would have said no. So this has just caught me by admiration, Franken said. I extremely endeavor not.

In a Nov. 16 blog p.s., Tweeden said that Franken mashed his lips closely mine and aggressively stranded his tongue in my mouth during a rehearsal for a skit the pair were the theater for U.S. troops in Afghanistan in 2006. Tweeden told Franken she didnt aspiration to rehearse the kiss, but he insisted.

I felt disgusted and violated, Tweeden wrote.

Tweeden moreover posted the photo of Franken apparently pretending to grab her breasts as she slept aboard a military transport aircraft.

Franken apologized in a publication the thesame day.

I extremely dont recall the rehearsal for the skit in the thesame mannerism, but I send my sincerest apologies to Leeann, Franken said. As to the photo, it was conveniently expected to be entertaining, but wasnt. I shouldnt have finished it.

Shortly after Frankens apology, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called for the Senate Ethics Committee to see into the allegations. Franken highly, and said he would cooperate.

While I dont remember the rehearsal for the skit as Leeann does, I concur why we compulsion to listen to and manage to pay for a appreciative allergic hypersensitivity on womens experiences, the senator said.