Jump to content

Al Franken

This is a good article. Click here for more information.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The printable version is no longer supported and may have rendering errors. Please update your browser bookmarks and please use the default browser print function instead.

Al Franken
Official portrait, 2015
United States Senator
from Minnesota
In office
July 7, 2009[a] – January 2, 2018
Preceded byNorm Coleman
Succeeded byTina Smith
Personal details
Born
Alan Stuart Franken

(1951-05-21) May 21, 1951 (age 73)
New York City, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic (DFL)
Spouse
Franni Bryson
​
(m. 1975)​
Children2
EducationHarvard University (BA)
Signature
Franken's voice
Reading "Operation Chickenhawk", a chapter from his book Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations (1996)

Alan Stuart Franken (born May 21, 1951) is an American politician, comedian, actor, and writer who served as a United States senator from Minnesota from 2009 to 2018. He first gained fame as a writer and performer on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live, where he worked for three stints. He first served as a writer for the show from 1975 to 1980, and returned from 1985 to 1995 as a writer and, briefly, a cast member. After decades as an entertainer, he became a liberal political activist, hosting The Al Franken Show on Air America Radio.

Franken was elected to the United States Senate in 2008 as the nominee of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL, an affiliate of the Democratic Party), defeating incumbent Republican Senator Norm Coleman by 312 votes out of nearly three million cast (a margin of just over 0.01%) in one of the closest elections in the history of the Senate. Though initially dismissed as a novelty candidate due to his comedic background,[1] Franken demonstrated political acumen and was reelected in 2014 with 53.2% of the vote over Republican challenger Mike McFadden. Franken resigned on January 2, 2018, after allegations of sexual misconduct were made against him.

In September 2019, Franken announced he would be hosting The Al Franken Show on Saturday mornings on SiriusXM radio. It covers global affairs, politics, and entertainment.[2]

Early life and education

Franken was born in New York City to Joseph Philip Franken (1908–1993), a printing salesman, and Phoebe Geraldine Franken (née Kunst) (1918–2003), a real estate agent. His paternal grandparents emigrated from Germany; his maternal grandfather came from Grodno, Russian Empire; and his maternal grandmother's parents were also from the Russian Empire. Phoebe was from Allentown, Pennsylvania.[3][4] Both of his parents were Jews, and Franken was raised in a Reform Jewish home and attended Temple Israel in Minneapolis.[5][6] He has an older brother, Owen (b. circa 1946), who is a photojournalist,[7] and his cousin Bob is a journalist for MSNBC.[8]

The Frankens moved to Albert Lea, Minnesota, when Al was four years old.[9] His father opened a quilting factory, but it failed after two years. The family then moved to St. Louis Park, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis.[10] Franken graduated from The Blake School in 1969, where he was a member of the wrestling team.[11] Franken says that he scored 800 (out of 800) on the math section of his SATs and 662 on the verbal section.[6] He attended Harvard College, where he majored in political science, graduating cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in 1973.[12] As a student, Franken wrote comedy and idolized comedians Dick Gregory and Lenny Bruce because they did acts about hypocrisy and corruption while making the audience laugh.[13]

Franken began performing in high school, where he and his longtime friend and writing partner Tom Davis were known for their comedy.[14] The duo first performed on stage at Minneapolis's Brave New Workshop theater specializing in political satire.[15] They soon found themselves in what was described as "a life of near-total failure on the fringes of show business in Los Angeles".[16]

Saturday Night Live

Franken and Tom Davis were recruited as two of the original writers and occasional performers on Saturday Night Live (SNL) (1975–1980, 1985–1995). In SNL's first season, the two apprentice writers shared a salary of $350 per week.[14] Franken received 15 Emmy nominations and five Emmy awards for his television writing and producing,[17] while creating such characters as self-help guru Stuart Smalley. Another routine proclaimed the 1980s the Al Franken Decade.[18] Franken and Davis wrote the script of the 1986 comedy film One More Saturday Night, appearing in it as rock singers in a band called Bad Mouth. They also had minor roles in All You Need Is Cash and the film Trading Places, starring Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd .

On Weekend Update near the end of Season 5, Franken delivered a commentary called "A Limo for a Lame-O". He mocked controversial NBC president Fred Silverman as "a total unequivocal failure" and displayed a chart showing the poor ratings of NBC programs. As a result of this sketch, Silverman declined Lorne Michaels's recommendation for Franken to succeed him as the producer, and Franken left the show when Michaels did, at the end of the 1979–1980 season.[19] Franken returned to the show in 1985 as a writer and occasional performer. He has acknowledged using cocaine and other illegal drugs while working in television and stated that he stopped after John Belushi died of an overdose.[20][21] In 1995, Franken left the show in protest over losing the role of Weekend Update anchor to Norm Macdonald.[22]

Post-SNL activities

Main articles: Fox v. Franken and The Al Franken Show
Franken entertaining troops at Ramstein Air Base in December 2000

In 1995, Franken wrote and starred in the film Stuart Saves His Family which was based on his SNL character Stuart Smalley. The film was a critical and commercial failure and Franken later became depressed as a result.[23][24] Despite its aggregate rating of 30% on Rotten Tomatoes,[25] the film received favorable reviews from The Washington Post[26] and Gene Siskel.[27]

Franken is the author of four books that made The New York Times Best Seller list.[28] His 1996 book Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations topped the New York Times list; the audiobook, which was read by Franken, won a Grammy Award. Another Grammy was awarded for Franken's 2003 Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right, a satirical book on American politics and conservatism.[29] The book's title incorporated the Fox News slogan "Fair and Balanced", and had a cover photo of Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly; that August, Fox News sued claiming infringement of its registered trademark phrase.[30][31] A federal judge found the lawsuit "wholly without merit". The incident focused media attention on Franken's book and, according to him, greatly increased its sales.[32][33] The publicity resulting from the lawsuit propelled Franken's yet-to-be-released book to number 1 on Amazon.com.[34]

Franken signed a one-year contract in early 2004 to host a talk show for Air America Radio's flagship program with co-host Katherine Lanpher, who remained with the show until October 2005. The network was launched on March 31, 2004. Originally named The O'Franken Factor as a pun on right-wing talk show The O'Reilly Factor, but later renamed The Al Franken Show on July 12, 2004, the show aired three hours a day, five days a week for three years. Its stated goal was to put more progressive views on the public airwaves to counter what Franken perceived as the dominance of conservative syndicated commentary on the radio: "I'm doing this because I want to use my energies to get Bush unelected," he told a New York Times reporter in 2004.[35] Franken's last radio show on Air America Radio was on February 14, 2007, at the end of which he announced his candidacy for the United States Senate.[36]

Franken also co-wrote the film When a Man Loves a Woman, co-created and starred in the NBC sitcom LateLine, and appeared in the 2004 remake of The Manchurian Candidate.[citation needed]

In 2003, Franken served as a Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School's Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy.[18] Since 2005 he has been a contributor to The Huffington Post.[37]

Franken toured Iraq several times with the United Service Organizations (USO).[38] On March 25, 2009, he was presented with the USO Metro Merit Award for his ten years of involvement with the organization.[39][40]

Political activism

Franken with Senator Paul Simon in 1991

According to an article by Richard Corliss published in Time magazine, "In a way, Franken has been running for office since the late '70s." Corliss also hinted at Franken's "possibly ironic role as a relentless self-promoter" in proclaiming the 1980s "The Al Franken Decade" and saying, "Vote for me, Al Franken. You'll be glad you did!"[41] In 1999 Franken released a parody book, Why Not Me?, detailing his hypothetical campaign for president in 2000. He had been a strong supporter of Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone and was deeply affected by Wellstone's death in a plane crash shortly before the 2002 election.[6] Wellstone was a mentor[42][43] and political and personal role model for Franken, who stated his hopes of following in Wellstone's footsteps.[44][45] Senator Norm Coleman's comment that he was a "99 percent improvement" over Wellstone was an impetus for Franken's run for the Senate.[6][46]

Franken said he learned that 21% of Americans received most of their news from talk radio, an almost exclusively conservative medium.[41] "I didn't want to sit on the sidelines, and I believed Air America could make a difference", he said.[41] In November 2003 Franken talked about moving back to his home state of Minnesota to run for the Senate. At the time the seat once held by Wellstone was occupied by Republican Norm Coleman. At a 2004 Democratic presidential campaign event, Franken tackled a man who was allegedly threatening other attendees and heckling Governor Howard Dean.[47][48] In 2005 Franken announced his move to Minnesota: "I can tell you honestly, I don't know if I'm going to run, but I'm doing the stuff I need to do in order to do it."[49] In late 2005 he started his own political action committee, Midwest Values PAC. By early 2007 the PAC had raised more than $1 million.[50][51]

Franken was the subject of the 2006 documentary film Al Franken: God Spoke, which The New York Times called "an investigation of the phenomenon of ideological celebrity".[52]

Franken playing Saddam Hussein while entertaining service members in Iraq (2005)

Franken initially supported the Iraq War, but opposed the 2007 troop surge. In an interview with MSNBC's Joe Scarborough,[53] he said that he "believed Colin Powell", whose presentation at the United Nations convinced him that the war was necessary, but had since come to believe that "we were misled into the war" and urged the Democratic-controlled Congress to refuse to pass appropriations bills to fund the war if they did not include timetables for leaving Iraq. In an interview with Josh Marshall, Franken said of the Democrats, "I think we've gotta make President George W. Bush say, 'OK, I'm cutting off funding because I won't agree to a timetable.'"[54]

In 2004, Franken favored transitioning to a universal health care system,[55] with the provision that every child in America would receive health care coverage immediately. In 2014, he objected to efforts to privatize Social Security or cut benefits, favoring raising the cap on wages to which Social Security taxes apply.[56] On his 2008 campaign website, he voiced support for cutting subsidies for oil companies, increasing money available for college students, and cutting interest rates on student loans.[57][58]

During the 2008 election, New York state officials asserted that Al Franken Inc. had failed to carry required workers' compensation insurance for employees who assisted him with his comedy and public speaking from 2002 to 2005. Franken paid a $25,000 fine to the state of New York upon being advised his corporation was out of compliance with the state's workers' compensation laws.[59] At the same time, the California Franchise Tax Board reported that the same corporation owed more than $4,743 in taxes, fines, and associated penalties in the state of California for 2003 through 2007, because the corporation did not file tax returns in the state for those years.[60] A Franken representative said that it followed the advice of an accountant who believed when the corporation stopped doing business in California that no further filing was required.[61] Franken subsequently paid $70,000 in back income taxes in 17 states dating back to 2003, mostly from his speeches and other paid appearances. Franken said he paid the income tax in his state of residence, and he would seek retroactive credit for paying the taxes in the wrong state.[62]

U.S. Senate

2008 elections

Main article: 2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota
Franken campaigning for the U.S. Senate in 2008

On January 29, 2007, Franken announced his departure from Air America Radio,[36] and on the day of his final show, February 14, he formally announced his candidacy for the United States Senate from Minnesota in 2008.[63] Challenging him for the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party endorsement was Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, a professor, author, and activist; trial lawyer Mike Ciresi; and attorney and human rights activist Jim Cohen, who dropped out of the race early.[64] Franken won the nomination with 65% of the vote.

On July 8, 2007, Franken's campaign stated that it expected to announce that he had raised more money than his Republican opponent, Norm Coleman, during the second quarter of the year, taking in $1.9 million to Coleman's $1.6 million,[65][66] although in early July 2007, Coleman's $3.8 million cash on hand exceeded Franken's $2 million.[66]

In May 2008, the Minnesota Republican Party released a letter about an article Franken had written for Playboy magazine in 2000 titled "Porn-O-Rama!" The letter, signed by six prominent GOP women, including a state senator and state representative, called on Franken to apologize for what they called a "demeaning and degrading" article.[67] His campaign spokesman responded, "Al had a long career as a satirist. But he understands the difference between what you say as a satirist and what you do as a senator. And as a Senator, Norm Coleman has disrespected the people of Minnesota by putting the Exxons and Halliburtons ahead of working families. And there's nothing funny about that."[67]

On June 7, 2008, Franken was endorsed by the DFL.[68] In a July 2008 interview with CNN, he was endorsed by Ben Stein, an entertainer, speechwriter, lawyer and author known for his conservative views, who generally supported Republican candidates.[69] Stein said of Franken, "He is my pal, and he is a really, really capable smart guy. I don't agree with all of his positions, but he is a very impressive guy, and I think he should be in the Senate."

During his campaign, Franken was criticized for advising SNL creator Lorne Michaels on a political sketch ridiculing Senator John McCain's ads attacking Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election.[70] Coleman's campaign reacted, saying, "Once again, he proves he's more interested in entertainment than service, and ridiculing those with whom he disagrees."[71]

Preliminary reports on election night, November 4, were that Coleman was leading by over 700 votes, but the official results, certified on November 18, 2008, had Coleman leading by only 215 votes. As the two candidates were separated by less than 0.5 percent of the votes cast, the Minnesota Secretary of State, Mark Ritchie authorized the automatic recount provided for in Minnesota election law. In the recount, ballots and certifying materials were examined by hand, and candidates could file challenges to the legality of ballots or materials for inclusion or exclusion. On January 5, 2009, the Minnesota State Canvassing Board certified the recounted vote totals, with Franken ahead by 225 votes.[72]

Franken at an election rally with Hillary Clinton in October 2008

On January 6, 2009, Coleman's campaign filed an election contest which led to a trial before a three-judge panel.[73] The trial ended on April 7, when the panel ruled that 351 of 387 disputed absentee ballots were incorrectly rejected and ordered them counted. Counting those ballots raised Franken's lead to 312 votes. Coleman appealed to the Minnesota Supreme Court on April 20.[74][75][76] On April 24 the Minnesota Supreme Court agreed to hear the case.[77][78] Oral arguments were conducted on June 1.[77][79]

On June 30, 2009, the Minnesota Supreme Court unanimously rejected Coleman's appeal and said that Franken was entitled to be certified as the winner. Shortly after the court's decision, Coleman conceded.[80] Governor Tim Pawlenty signed Franken's election certificate that evening.[81]

2014 elections

Main article: 2014 United States Senate election in Minnesota

Franken was reelected to a second term in 2014. He won the August 12 primary election, in which he was challenged by Sandra Henningsgard, with 94.5% of the vote.[82] He won the general election against the Republican nominee, Mike McFadden with 53.2% of the vote.[83][84]

Tenure

Franken meeting with Vice President Joe Biden in May 2009

Franken was sworn into the Senate on July 7, 2009, 246 days after the election.[85][86] He took the oath of office with the Bible of late Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone, whose old seat Senate leaders set aside for Franken.[87][88]

On August 6, 2009, Franken presided over the confirmation vote of Sonia Sotomayor to be an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.[89] On August 5, 2010, Franken presided over the confirmation vote of Elena Kagan. His first piece of legislation, the Service Dogs for Veterans Act, which he wrote jointly with Republican Senator Johnny Isakson, passed the Senate by unanimous consent. It established a program with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to pair disabled veterans with service dogs.[90]

Franken during the 111th Congress

A video of Franken at the Minnesota State Fair on September 2, 2009, engaging in a discussion with a group of Tea Party protesters on health care reform, began circulating on the Internet and soon went viral.[91][92] The discussion was noted for its civility, in contrast to the explosive character of several other discussions between members of the 111th Congress and their constituents that had occurred over the summer.[91][93][94]

During the debate on health care reform, Franken was one of the strongest supporters of a single-payer system.[95] He authored an amendment to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act called the Medical Loss Ratio, which required that insurance companies spend at least 80% of premiums on actual health care costs, and 85% for large group plans.[96] On September 30, 2013, Franken voted to remove a provision that would repeal Obamacare's medical device tax from a government funding bill,[97][98] saying that though he supported the provision, he disagreed with its being used as a condition for preventing the 2013 federal government shutdown.[99]

Citing the case of Jamie Leigh Jones, Franken introduced a limit to the arbitration policy of the 2010 Defense Appropriations bill that withheld defense contracts from companies that restrict their employees from taking workplace sexual assault, battery, and discrimination cases to court. It passed the Senate in November 2010, 68 to 30, in a roll-call vote.[100] [101]

Franken in 2017

In May 2010 Franken proposed a financial-reform amendment that created a board to select which credit rating agency would evaluate a given security. At the time, any company issuing a security could select the company that evaluated the security.[102] The amendment passed, but the financial industry lobbied to have it removed from the final bill.[103] Negotiations between the Senate and House, whose version of financial reform did not include such a provision, resulted in the amendment's being watered down to require only a series of studies being done on the issue for two years.[104] After the studies, if the Securities and Exchange Commission had not implemented another solution to the conflict-of-interest problem, Franken's solution would go into effect.[105][106][needs update]

In August 2010, Franken made faces and hand gestures and rolled his eyes while Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell delivered a speech in opposition to the confirmation of Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court.[107][108][109] McConnell responded, "This isn't Saturday Night Live, Al."[109] After Kagan's confirmation, Franken delivered a handwritten apology to McConnell and issued a public statement saying that McConnell had a right "to give his speech with the presiding officer just listening respectfully".[107]

The National Journal reported in 2013 that Franken supported the National Security Agency's data mining programs, believing they had saved lives, and that "I can assure you, this is not about spying on the American people."[110]

In 2013, Franken received the Stewart B. McKinney Award for his work fighting homelessness.[111]

When Franken declared his intention to seek reelection in 2014,[112] his seat was thought to be a top target for the Republicans because of his very slim margin of victory in 2008. But Politico reported that his high approval rating, his large campaign fund, and the Republicans' struggle to find a top-tier candidate meant he was a "heavy favorite" to win reelection,[113] and Franken won the race comfortably.

In 2015, during Loretta Lynch's confirmation hearings, Franken asked her about the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, reiterating concern for the aggressive prosecution of Aaron Swartz in United States v. Swartz.[114]

The Associated Press noted in 2013 that, contrary to expectations, Franken did not seek out the media spotlight: "He rarely talks to the Washington press corps, has shed his comedic persona and focused on policy, working to be taken seriously."[115] In interviews he expressed his desire to be known for a focus on constituency work, keeping his head down, and working hard.[95][116]

Franken in July 2017 (second from the left)

Franken was an effective fundraiser for the Democrats.[117][118][119] By late 2015, his political action committee had raised more than $5 million in donations.[119] In 2016, his PAC raised $3.3 million.[118][120] According to The Star Tribune, Franken was able to "draw crowds and donations across the country".[117]

Franken condemned the genocide of the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar and called for a stronger response to the crisis.[121]

In September 2016, in advance of UN Security Council resolution 2334 condemning Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, Franken signed an AIPAC-sponsored letter urging Obama to veto "one-sided" resolutions against Israel.[122] Franken supported an Anti-Boycott Act, which would make it legal for U.S. states to refuse to do business with contractors that engage in boycotts against Israel.[123]

In July 2017 Franken voted in favor of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act that placed sanctions on Iran, Russia, and North Korea.[124]

Sexual misconduct allegations

See also: 2017–18 United States political sexual scandals

On November 16, 2017, radio broadcaster and model Leeann Tweeden alleged in a blog post and an interview with her radio station, 790 KABC, that Franken kissed her on a 2006 USO tour during a rehearsal for a skit. She wrote, "I said 'OK' so he would stop badgering me. We did the line leading up to the kiss and then he came at me, put his hand on the back of my head, mashed his lips against mine and aggressively stuck his tongue in my mouth."[125] She said she pushed him away, feeling "disgusted and violated".[125] Roger Stone circulated news of the allegations to right-wing media.[126]

Franken holding his hands above Leeann Tweeden's breasts in 2006

During the 2006 tour, Franken was photographed holding his hands above Tweeden's breasts while she was asleep wearing body armor and a helmet.[127][128] In Franken's defense, CNBC's John Harwood said, "That pic was obviously a joke, not groping, just like LeeAnn Tweeden wrapping her leg around Robin Williams and smacking his butt; entertainment for soldiers deployed overseas is raunchy like that."[129][130] Harwood was referring to video taken of Tweeden "humping" the married Williams on a similar 2004 USO tour.[131]

In response, Franken said, "I certainly don't remember the rehearsal for the skit in the same way, but I send my sincerest apologies to Leeann ... As to the photo, it was clearly intended to be funny but wasn't. I shouldn't have done it."[132] A few hours later, Franken issued a longer apology,[133] which Tweeden accepted.[134]

In the days that followed, seven additional women came forward with allegations of inappropriate behavior during photo ops. Lindsay Menz accused Franken of touching her clothed "upper" buttocks while they posed for a photo at the Minnesota State Fair in 2010.[135][136] Two anonymous women made similar complaints related to events during political events.[137] Franken apologized, saying, "I've met tens of thousands of people and taken thousands of photographs, often in crowded and chaotic situations. I'm a warm person; I hug people. I've learned from recent stories that in some of those encounters, I crossed a line for some women—and I know that any number is too many."[138] Another anonymous woman said that after she was a guest on Franken's radio show in 2006, Franken leaned in toward her face during a handshake and gave her "a wet, open-mouthed kiss" on the cheek when she turned her face aside.[139][140] The same day, Stephanie Kemplin, an army veteran, told CNN that Franken held the side of her breast for 5 to 10 seconds "and never moved his hand" while posing for a photograph[141] with her during a 2003 USO tour in Iraq.[142]

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer sent Tweeden's accusations to the Senate Ethics Committee for review, a decision supported by members of both parties, including Franken.[130] On November 30 the committee announced that it was investigating allegations against him.[143][144] Some liberal groups and commentators, including the Indivisible movement and Sally Kohn, called on Franken to resign.[145] On December 6, two more accusations surfaced, one by an anonymous congressional aide about an attempted kiss at his radio show studio,[146] and one by congressional aide Tina Dupuy that Franken squeezed her waist at a party before he took office.[147] More than two dozen Democratic senators, led by New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, called on Franken to resign before the ethics committee could review the allegations.[148]

Resignation

Although Franken had asked to be allowed to appear before the Senate Ethics Committee to give his side of the story, on December 6 Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told him he had to announce his resignation by five o’clock or he could be censured and stripped of committee assignments. On December 7, Franken announced his intention to resign his Senate seat.[149] He called some of the accusations "simply not true" and said he remembered others "very differently".[150] In his resignation speech he made comparisons to Republican politicians, saying he was "aware of the irony" that President Trump remained in office despite the comments Trump made in the Access Hollywood tape released a month before his election, and that the Republican Party supported Roy Moore's Senate campaign despite the many allegations of harassment and molestation against Moore.[151] Franken resigned on January 2, 2018, and Minnesota governor Mark Dayton appointed the lieutenant governor, Tina Smith, to Franken's seat until a November 2018 special election, which Smith won.[152]

Aftermath

After resigning from the Senate, Franken canceled appointments with close friends and ignored phone calls from others. "It got pretty dark, I became clinically depressed. I wasn't a hundred percent cognitively. I needed medication", he said.[153]

Reporting in 2019 by New Yorker journalist Jane Mayer documented substantial inaccuracies in Tweeden's allegations.[153] Seven former or current senators who called for Franken's resignation in 2017 told Mayer they regretted doing so. Patrick Leahy said calling for Franken's resignation without having all the facts was "one of the biggest mistakes I've made" as a senator. New Mexico senator Tom Udall said, "I made a mistake. I started having second thoughts shortly after he stepped down. He had the right to be heard by an independent investigative body. I've heard from people around my state, and around the country, saying that they think he got railroaded. It doesn't seem fair. I'm a lawyer. I really believe in due process." Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said, "It's terrible what happened to him. It was unfair. It took the legs out from under him. He was a very fine senator."[153]

Accusations that the forced resignation was unfair were described as a liability to Gillibrand's presidential campaign in mid-2019.[154] In a 2018 Politico article, Franken supporters accused Gillibrand of doing damage that Republicans could not have done, given Franken's effectiveness in the Senate. Prominent Democratic fundraiser Susie Tompkins Buell said that the episode "stained [Gillibrand's] reputation as a fair player. I do hear people refer to Kirsten Gillibrand as 'opportunistic' and shrewd at the expense of others to advance herself, and it seems to have been demonstrated in her rapid treatment of her colleague Al Franken. I heard her referred to as 'She would eat her own,' and she seems to have demonstrated that. I know [Gillibrand] thought she was doing the right thing, but I think she will be remembered by this rush to judgment. I have heard [that] some of her women colleagues regret joining her."[155]

In 2019, Franken said that he was sorry that he made some women feel uncomfortable, and that while he was still trying to understand what he did wrong, he felt that differentiating dissimilar kinds of behavior is important. "The idea that anybody who accuses someone of something is always right—that's not the case. That isn't reality," he said.[153]

In September 2019, a ninth accuser told New York magazine that in 2006 Franken touched her buttock in a photo line at an event for Patty Murray. The unnamed woman, described as a "former staffer who served on Democratic campaigns and works at a large progressive organization", said she had not come forward because she feared it would be held against her in her career.[156] In response, Franken told New York, "Two years ago, I would have sworn that I'd never done anything to make anyone feel uncomfortable, but it's clear that I must have been doing something. As I've said before, I feel terrible that anyone came away from an interaction with me feeling bad."[157]

In a February 9, 2022, interview with Washington Post Live, Franken said he regretted resigning from the Senate and might run for public office again.[158]

Committee assignments

In the Senate, Franken served on the following committees:

Post-Senate career

After his resignation, Franken went into a period of self-imposed isolation and, in May 2019, started The Al Franken Podcast. Around the same time, Franken went on tour with a non-comedic show that he did from a podium and with notes. The COVID-19 pandemic put the show on hold, but when clubs reopened, he made unannounced shows at the Comedy Cellar in Manhattan.[6] In the fall of 2021, his first post-quarantine theater show took place in Northampton, Massachusetts, in front of a friendly audience. The solo show, called The Only Former US Senator Currently on Tour Tour, continued into 2022.[13] In March 2023, Franken guest-hosted The Daily Show after Trevor Noah's departure.

Personal life

Franken met his wife, Franni Bryson, during his first year at Harvard. In 2005 they moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota.[159] They have a daughter, a son, and four grandchildren.[153] Their daughter, Thomasin,[10] has degrees from Harvard and the French Culinary Institute; as of 2011 she is the director of extended learning at DC Prep, an organization in Washington, D.C., that manages charter schools.[160] Their son, Joseph, works in the finance industry.[10] Franken is a second cousin of the actor Steve Franken, known for his appearances in the television series The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.[161]

Franken has said that he "very strongly" identifies "as a Jew—as a pretty secular Jew". He has also said he believes in God.[6]

In the summer of 2021, Franken moved back to New York City, settling on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.[158]

Bibliography

  • I'm Good Enough, I'm Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like Me!: Daily Affirmations By Stuart Smalley (Random House Publishing Group, 1992) ISBN 9780440504702
  • Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations (Delacorte Press, 1996) ISBN 0-385-31474-4
  • Why Not Me?: The Inside Story of the Making and Unmaking of the Franken Presidency (Delacorte Press, 1999) ISBN 0-385-31809-X
  • Oh, the Things I Know!: A Guide to Success, or Failing That, Happiness (Plume Books, 2003) ISBN 0-452-28450-3
  • Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right (Dutton Books, 2003) ISBN 0-525-94764-7
  • The Truth (With Jokes) (Dutton Books, 2005) ISBN 0-525-94906-2
  • Al Franken, Giant of the Senate (Grand Central Publishing, 2017) ISBN 1455540412

Filmography

Year Work Writer Actor Cameo Notes
1976 Tunnel Vision Yes Role: Al
1977–1980 Saturday Night Live Yes Yes Yes
1977 The Paul Simon Special Yes
1978 All You Need is Cash Yes Role: Extra
1981 Grateful Dead: Dead Ahead Yes Yes Concert video
Role: Host
1981 Steve Martin's Best Show Ever Yes
1981 Bob and Ray, Jane, Laraine and Gilda Yes
1981 The Coneheads Yes
1983 Trading Places Yes Role: Baggage handler
1984 Franken and Davis at Stockton State Yes
1984 The New Show Yes
1986 Saturday Night Live Yes Yes Yes
1986 One More Saturday Night Yes Yes Role: Paul Flum
1988–1995 Saturday Night Live Yes Yes Yes
1993 Coneheads Yes
1994 When a Man Loves a Woman Yes
1995 Stuart Saves His Family Yes Yes Role: Stuart Smalley
1997 3rd Rock from the Sun Yes Episode: "Dick the Vote"
1997 The Larry Sanders Show Yes Episode: "The Roast"
1998–1999 LateLine Yes Yes Yes
1998 From the Earth to the Moon Yes TV miniseries
Role: Jerome Wiesner
2001 Harvard Man Yes
2004 Outfoxed Yes Role: Air America host
2004 The Manchurian Candidate Yes
2004–2007 The Al Franken Show Yes Yes Host of radio talk show
2004 Tanner on Tanner Yes
2006 Al Franken: God Spoke Yes Documentary
2011 Hot Coffee Yes Documentary
2017 Long Strange Trip Yes Documentary, as himself
2020 The Al Franken Podcast Yes Yes Podcast, as himself
2022 Jimmy Kimmel Live! Guest host
2023 The Daily Show[162] Guest host

Electoral history

2008

2008 Minnesota U.S. Senate election[163][164][165]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Al Franken 164,136 65.34
Democratic (DFL) Priscilla Lord 74,655 29.72
Democratic (DFL) Dick Franson 3,923 1.56
Democratic (DFL) Bob Larson 3,152 1.25
Democratic (DFL) Rob Fitzgerald 3,095 1.23
Democratic (DFL) Ole Savior 1,227 0.49
Democratic (DFL) Alve Erickson 1,017 0.40
Total votes 251,205 100%
General election
Democratic (DFL) Al Franken 1,212,629 41.994
Republican Norm Coleman (incumbent) 1,212,317 41.983
Independence Dean Barkley 437,505 15.151
Libertarian Charles Aldrich 13,923 0.482
Constitution James Niemackl 8,907 0.308
Write-in 2,365 0.082
Margin of victory 312 0.011
Total votes 2,887,646 100%
Democratic (DFL) gain from Republican

2014

2014 Minnesota U.S. Senate election[166][167]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Al Franken 182,720 94.50
Democratic (DFL) Sandra Henningsgard 10,627 5.50
Total votes 193,347 100%
General election
Democratic (DFL) Al Franken (incumbent) 1,053,205 53.15
Republican Mike McFadden 850,227 42.91
Independence Steve Carlson 47,530 2.40
Libertarian Heather Johnson 29,685 1.50
Write-in 881 0.04
Margin of victory 202,978 10.24
Total votes 1,981,528 100%
Democratic (DFL) hold

See also

Explanatory notes

  1. ^ Franken was elected to the term beginning January 3, 2009, but did not take his seat until July 7, 2009, because of a recount and a subsequent election challenge.

References

  1. ^ "BPP Newscast". NPR. July 14, 2008.
  2. ^ Van Berkel, Jessie (September 25, 2019). "Al Franken launches SiriusXM radio show, marking a return to the public sphere". Star Tribune. Minneapolis. Archived from the original on September 25, 2019. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
  3. ^ "Phoebe Kunst". Geni. February 25, 1918. Archived from the original on August 9, 2018. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  4. ^ "Ancestry of Al Franken". William Addams Reitwiesner. Archived from the original on March 8, 2015. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  5. ^ "Al Franken". Jewish Virtual Library. Archived from the original on February 10, 2017. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  6. ^ a b c d e f "Interview with Al Franken". Interviews with Max Raskin. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  7. ^ Mayer, Jane (July 20, 2019). "The Case of Al Franken". The New Yorker. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
  8. ^ "CNN Newsnight Aaron Brown Aired April 29, 2002 - 22:00 ET". CNN. April 29, 2002. Archived from the original on April 20, 2008. Retrieved November 5, 2008.
  9. ^ "Meet Al". Archived from the original on July 12, 2013. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
  10. ^ a b c Colapinto, John (July 20, 2009). "Enter Laughing". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  11. ^ Liebovich, Mark (December 13, 2016). "Al Franken Faces Donald Trump and the Next Four Years". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 13, 2016. Retrieved December 13, 2016. At 65, Franken retains the thick build of the high-school wrestler he once was.
  12. ^ White, Deborah. "Profile of Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota". About.com. Archived from the original on December 7, 2008. Retrieved January 30, 2009.
  13. ^ a b Sullivan, James (May 11, 2022). "Al Franken is taking comedy seriously again". The Boston Globe. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  14. ^ a b Martin, Douglas (July 19, 2012). "Tom Davis, Comedian and 'SNL' Sketch Writer, Dies at 59". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 12, 2012. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
  15. ^ Davis, Tom (2010). Thirty-Nine Years of Short-Term Memory Loss: The Early Days of SNL from Someone Who Was There. Grove Press; Reprint edition. pp. 29. ISBN 978-0-8021-4456-0.
  16. ^ Hill, Doug; Weingrad, Jeff (1987). Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live. p. 57. Vintage Books. ISBN 0-394-75053-5.
  17. ^ "Al Franken". Television Academy. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  18. ^ a b Kornbluth, Jesse (March–April 2012). "Al Franken: You Can Call Me Senator". Harvard Magazine. Archived from the original on September 26, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  19. ^ Shales, Tom (2003). Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live, as Told by Its Stars, Writers and Guests. p. 191. Back Bay Books. ISBN 0-316-73565-5.
  20. ^ Cox, Ana Marie (April 5, 2007). "Don't Laugh at Al Franken". Time. Archived from the original on September 19, 2007. Retrieved August 19, 2007.
  21. ^ Westfall, Sandra Sobieraj (May 26, 2017). "Al Franken Says John Belushi's Fatal Overdose Inspired Him to Give Up Drugs". People. Archived from the original on July 20, 2017.
  22. ^ Spano, Wy (2010). A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Senate: Franken vs. Coleman and the Decline and Fall of Civilized Politics. p. 51. Zenith Press. ISBN 0-7603-3902-3.
  23. ^ Leopold, Todd (May 7, 2002). "Al Franken's Guide to Life". CNN. Archived from the original on September 3, 2014. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
  24. ^ "Stuart Saves His Family". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 5, 2014. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
  25. ^ "Stuart Saves His Family (1995)". Rotten Tomatoes. April 12, 1995. Archived from the original on February 23, 2015. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
  26. ^ Howe, Desson (April 14, 1995). "'Stuart Saves His Family' (PG-13)". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 4, 2014. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
  27. ^ Siskel, Gene (April 14, 1995). "'Stuart' Funny Without Making Fun of Self-Help Movement". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on September 3, 2014. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
  28. ^ Powers, Retha (2005). This Is My Best: Great Writers Share Their Favorite Work (Paperback ed.). Chronicle Books. pp. 549. ISBN 978-0-8118-4829-9.
  29. ^ "Al Franken". GRAMMY.com. November 23, 2020. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  30. ^ Saulny, Susan (August 12, 2003). "To Fox, 'Fair and Balanced' Doesn't Describe Al Franken". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  31. ^ "Fox News Sues Humorist Al Franken over Slogan". Associated Press. August 11, 2003. Archived from the original on July 30, 2013. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  32. ^ Saulny, Susan (August 23, 2003). "In Courtroom, Laughter at Fox and a Victory for Al Franken". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 4, 2009. Retrieved October 5, 2005.
  33. ^ "Comedian and Political Commentator Al Franken". National Public Radio. September 3, 2003. Archived from the original on September 11, 2005. Retrieved October 5, 2005.
  34. ^ "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them (review)". Bookreporter.com. Archived from the original on June 8, 2011.
  35. ^ Shorto, Russell (March 21, 2004). "Al Franken, Seriously So". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 10, 2010. Retrieved July 9, 2009.
  36. ^ a b "Al Franken to Leave Air America in February". January 29, 2007. Archived from the original on September 30, 2020. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
  37. ^ "Al Franken". HuffPost. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  38. ^ Kasindorf, Martin; Komarow, Steven (December 22, 2005). "USO Cheers Troops, but Iraq Gigs Tough to Book". USA Today. Archived from the original on November 8, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
  39. ^ Carden, Michael J. (March 26, 2009). "USO Metro Salutes Exceptional Troops, Volunteers". Defense.gov. American Forces Press Service. Archived from the original on January 14, 2013. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  40. ^ Diaz, Kevin (March 23, 2009). "Franken to Receive Award for USO Service". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on September 9, 2014. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
  41. ^ a b c Corliss, Richard (February 14, 2007). "Vote for Me, Al Franken". Time. Archived from the original on December 12, 2008. Retrieved July 9, 2009.
  42. ^ Roper, Eric (July 10, 2009). "Franken Shakes Off the Hoopla, Settles into Job". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on February 14, 2017. Retrieved February 13, 2017. ...Paul Wellstone, Franken's political mentor, whose picture now sits near his desk.
  43. ^ Croman, John (July 26, 2016). "Minnesotans in Spotlight as DNC Opens". KARE-11. Retrieved February 13, 2017. [Franken] summoned the name of his friend and mentor, the late Sen. Paul Wellstone, who said that winning elections is about both passion and work.[permanent dead link‍]
  44. ^ Weiner, Jay (July 6, 2009). "Tuesday, Franken's Hand Will Be on Wellstone Bible, His Thoughts Likely on the Many Minnesotans He's Met". MinnPost. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
  45. ^ "From Satirist to Senator". CNN. July 6, 2009. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
  46. ^ "Franken: Roll Call's Coleman Interview Led Him to Politics". Roll Call. June 5, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  47. ^ Morris, Vince (January 27, 2004). "Al Franken Knocks Down Dean Heckler". New York Post. Archived from the original on February 18, 2017. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
  48. ^ "THE TRUTH about Franken's "Takedown"". Daily Kos. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  49. ^ Kuhn, David Paul (April 28, 2005). "Senator Franken?". Salon. Archived from the original on February 18, 2010. Retrieved February 15, 2007.
  50. ^ Cilizza, Chris (February 5, 2007). "Minnesota Senate: Is Franken the Dems' Dream Candidate?". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on May 23, 2011. Retrieved August 8, 2007.
  51. ^ "Doggone It, People Like Him". Mother Jones. September 1, 2007. Archived from the original on October 12, 2007. Retrieved September 1, 2007.
  52. ^ Scott, A.O. (September 13, 2006). "Comedian Turned Activist, With His Own Campaign". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 13, 2016. Retrieved August 30, 2014.
  53. ^ "Transcript, "Scarborough Country"". NBC News. December 7, 2005. Archived from the original on October 15, 2017. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  54. ^ "Coleman and Franken on Iraq: Everything You Need to Know". MinnPost. August 7, 2008. Archived from the original on December 21, 2014. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
  55. ^ Shorto, Russell (March 21, 2004). "Al Franken, Seriously". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on October 5, 2015. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  56. ^ Black, Eric (August 26, 2014). "Franken on Fixing Social Security and Medicare — and why repealing Obamacare is a terrible idea". MinnPost. Archived from the original on August 29, 2014. Retrieved August 30, 2014.
  57. ^ "Higher Education". Al Franken for Senate. 2008. Archived from the original on November 20, 2008. Retrieved December 13, 2008.
  58. ^ "Gas Prices". Al Franken for Senate. 2008. Archived from the original on November 20, 2008. Retrieved December 13, 2008.
  59. ^ Duchschere, Kevin (March 12, 2008). "Franken Faces $25,000 Workers' Comp Penalty". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on June 20, 2009. Retrieved July 9, 2009.
  60. ^ Duchschere, Kevin (April 24, 2008). "Friday: New Round of Financial Questions Dogs Franken". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on March 24, 2009. Retrieved July 9, 2009.
  61. ^ "More Furor over Franken's Taxes". April 16, 2008. Archived from the original on February 21, 2012.
  62. ^ Condon, Patrick (April 30, 2008). "Comedian Turned Candidate Franken to Pay $70K in Back Taxes". Fox News. Archived from the original on May 27, 2013. Retrieved July 9, 2009.
  63. ^ "Al Franken Decides He's Good Enough, Smart Enough to Run for Senate". New York. February 1, 2007. Archived from the original on January 1, 2008. Retrieved February 16, 2008.
  64. ^ Doyle, Pat (March 11, 2008). "Ciresi in Parting: Choose Wisely". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on January 1, 2015. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
  65. ^ "Franken Raises Over $1.9 Million in Second Quarter". Al Franken for Senate. July 8, 2007. Archived from the original on February 3, 2008. Retrieved February 16, 2008.
  66. ^ a b Mulcahy, Mike (July 9, 2007). "Franken Leads the Pack in Second Quarter Fundraising". Polinaut. Minnesota Public Radio. Archived from the original on October 14, 2007. Retrieved July 17, 2007.
  67. ^ a b "GOP Targets Al Franken's Playboy Column". ABC News. May 23, 2008. Archived from the original on October 6, 2008. Retrieved July 9, 2009.
  68. ^ "Les saya: It's Franken in One". Star Tribune. June 7, 2008. Archived from the original on May 30, 2012. Retrieved July 9, 2009.
  69. ^ Preston, Mark (July 28, 2008). "Preston on Politics: Bueller? Bueller? — McCain Needs Rove". CNN. Archived from the original on September 12, 2008. Retrieved July 29, 2008.
  70. ^ Martin, Jonathon; Kraushaar, Josh (September 20, 2008). "Franken Helps Craft McCain 'SNL' Skit". Politico. Archived from the original on October 27, 2008. Retrieved October 29, 2008.
  71. ^ Scheck, Tom (September 21, 2008). "Coleman Hits Franken for SNL Skit". Minnesota Public Radio. Archived from the original on September 26, 2008. Retrieved October 29, 2008.
  72. ^ Welch, Chris; Hornick, Ed (January 6, 2009). "Franken Declares Senate Race Win After State Ruling". CNN. Archived from the original on January 3, 2010. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
  73. ^ "Minnesota Senate Seat Election Contest". Minnesota Courts. January 6, 2009. Archived from the original on December 26, 2008. Retrieved January 6, 2009.
  74. ^ Hoppin, Jason (April 20, 2009). "Coleman Asks High Court to Look Again at Rejected Votes". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Archived from the original on May 9, 2009. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
  75. ^ "Al Franken Is the Winner of Minnesota Senate Race, Court Rules". New York Daily News. Associated Press. April 14, 2009. Archived from the original on April 17, 2009.
  76. ^ Muskal, Michael (April 7, 2007). "Franken Widens Lead in Minnesota Senate Recount". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 10, 2009.
  77. ^ a b Stawicki, Elizabeth (April 24, 2009). "Supreme Court Recount Timeline Called Reasonable". Minnesota Public Radio. Archived from the original on April 29, 2009. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  78. ^ "Order for Briefing Schedule" (PDF). Minnesota Supreme Court. April 24, 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 21, 2009. Retrieved April 26, 2009.
  79. ^ "Minnesota Senate Seat '08 Election". Minnesota Judicial Branch. Archived from the original on December 26, 2008. Retrieved July 7, 2009.
  80. ^ Kraushaar, Josh; Raju, Manu (July 1, 2009). "Norm Coleman Concedes Minnesota Senate race to Al Franken". Politico. Archived from the original on January 6, 2012. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
  81. ^ Doyle, Pat (June 30, 2009). "Pawlenty Will Sign Franken Election Certificate". Salon. Archived from the original on January 1, 2015. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
  82. ^ "Statewide Results for U.S. Senator, Primary Election". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on May 7, 2017. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
  83. ^ "The Most Detailed Maps You'll See from the Midterm Elections". The New York Times. November 5, 2014. Archived from the original on November 6, 2014. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  84. ^ "Statewide Results for U.S. Senator". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on June 12, 2017. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
  85. ^ Huls, Carl (July 7, 2009). "And Here's Senator Franken". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 10, 2009. Retrieved July 8, 2009.
  86. ^ Montanaro, Domenico (July 7, 2009). "Al Franken, the Newest U.S. Senator". First Read. MSNBC. Archived from the original on July 10, 2009. Retrieved July 8, 2009.
  87. ^ Stassen-Berger, Rachel (July 7, 2009). "Minnesota Sen. Al Franken Sworn in with Paul Wellstone Bible". Pioneer Press. Archived from the original on September 9, 2014. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
  88. ^ Brunswick, Mark (July 1, 2009). "Emotional Franken Vows to honor Wellstone". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011.
  89. ^ "Senator Franken, at Center Stage, Presides over Sotomayor Vote". Fox News. August 6, 2009. Archived from the original on February 16, 2012. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
  90. ^ Steller, Chris (July 24, 2009). "Franken's First Bill Passes as Part of Defense Bill". The Minnesota Independent. Archived from the original on December 19, 2011. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  91. ^ a b Fritze, John (September 4, 2009). "Franken works the fair on health care". USA Today. Archived from the original on September 29, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  92. ^ "TV Guide: Franken Video Gets Attention". MSNBC. Archived from the original on September 9, 2009. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
  93. ^ "Franken Finds Fans and Foes Friendly at Fair". Kare11.com. Archived from the original on June 20, 2010. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  94. ^ TV Guide: Franken Video Gets Attention. Msnbc.msn.com
  95. ^ a b Hoppin, Jason (January 17, 2010). "Al Franken on his first 6 months in the Senate: 'I kept my head down and did my job'". TwinCities.com. Archived from the original on February 23, 2014. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  96. ^ Knobbe, Lauren (July 22, 2010). "Franken Warns Against Weakening Law on Health-Care Spending". MinnPost. Archived from the original on October 10, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  97. ^ "U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 113th Congress – 1st Session: Vote 210". Legislation & Records. United States Senate. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
  98. ^ "Klobuchar, Franken Call for Repeal of Medical Device Tax". HometownSource.com. July 8, 2013. Archived from the original on October 1, 2013. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  99. ^ Diaz, Kevin (September 30, 2013). "Complicated Shutdown Votes for Key Minnesotans". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on October 4, 2013. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  100. ^ Stein, Sam (November 10, 2008). "Franken Gets His First Amendment Passed by Roll Call Vote". HuffPost. Archived from the original on October 10, 2009. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
  101. ^ "Arbitration Amendment | al Franken | Senator for Minnesota". Archived from the original on December 9, 2017. Retrieved December 9, 2017.
  102. ^ Corkery, Michael (May 13, 2010). "Al Franken's Credit Rating Amendment is No Joke". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on October 15, 2017.
  103. ^ Larnder, James (June 14, 2010). "Reckoning Day for the Raters". The Hill. Archived from the original on June 22, 2011.
  104. ^ Davidoff, Steven (July 16, 2010). "Finding a Good Financial Bill in 2,300 Pages". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 20, 2010. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
  105. ^ Hirsh, Michael (July 5, 2010). "Al Franken Gets Serious". Newsweek. Retrieved July 20, 2010.
  106. ^ Younglai, Rachelle; Rampton, Roberta; Dixon, Kim; Felsenthal, Mark (July 15, 2010). "Factbox: Long To-Do List Ahead for Financial Regulators". Reuters. Archived from the original on July 19, 2010. Retrieved July 20, 2010.
  107. ^ a b Daileda, Colin (August 6, 2010). "McConnell to Franken: 'This Isn't SNL'". CBS News. Archived from the original on August 12, 2010. Retrieved November 11, 2010.
  108. ^ Bolton, Alexander (8/5/10). McConnell Scolds Franken for Making Faces from Dais During His Speech . The Hill
  109. ^ a b Raju, Manu (August 5, 2010). "McConnell to Franken: This Isn't 'SNL'". Politico. Archived from the original on August 22, 2010.
  110. ^ Berman, Matt (June 11, 2013). "The NSA Has at Least 1 Liberal Friend Left: Sen. Al Franken". National Journal. Archived from the original on September 9, 2014. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
  111. ^ Keating, Christopher (October 30, 2013). "U.S. Sen. Al Franken Will Receive Stewart B. McKinney Award Tonight in D.C." Hartford Courant. Archived from the original on October 31, 2014. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
  112. ^ Mitchell, Corey (November 3, 2012). "Franken a Player in Democrats' Plan to Keep Senate". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
  113. ^ Hohmann, James (May 26, 2013). "Al Franken goes from top target to heavy favorite for Minnesota Senate". Politico. Archived from the original on May 27, 2013. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  114. ^ Mike Masnick (February 18, 2015). "Nominee For Attorney General Tap Dances Around Senator Franken's Question About Aaron Swartz". Techdirt. Archived from the original on September 28, 2019. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
  115. ^ Condon, Patrick (June 22, 2013). "Minn.'s Franken Hardly a GOP Target for Defeat". Associated Press. Archived from the original on June 27, 2013. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  116. ^ Toeplitz, Shira; Pierce, Emily (March 2, 2013). "Franken's Goal: I'm Serious Enough". Roll Call. Archived from the original on December 16, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  117. ^ a b Brooks, Jennifer. "Franken ashamed but says he'll return to work on Monday". Star Tribunedate=November 27, 2017. Archived from the original on November 30, 2017.
  118. ^ a b Brodey, Sam (November 17, 2017). "Resignation or not, what should Democrats do with Franken campaign money?". MinnPost. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017.
  119. ^ a b Everett, Burgess (November 3, 2017). "Franken gets serious about flipping Senate to Democrats". Politico. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017.
  120. ^ "Midwest Values PAC Summary". OpenSecrets. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017.
  121. ^ "Sen. Todd Young urges action to end Muslim genocide in Myanmar". IndyStar. October 22, 2017. Archived from the original on June 8, 2020. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  122. ^ "Senate – Aipac" (PDF). September 19, 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2016.
  123. ^ Cardin, Benjamin L. (March 23, 2017). "Cosponsors – S.720 – 115th Congress (2017–2018): Israel Anti-Boycott Act". congress.gov. Archived from the original on June 21, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  124. ^ "U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 115th Congress – 1st Session". senate.gov. July 27, 2017. Archived from the original on January 13, 2018. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  125. ^ a b Tweeden, Leann (November 16, 2017). "Senator Al Franken Kissed and Groped Me Without My Consent, And There's Nothing Funny About It". 790 KABC. Archived from the original on November 16, 2017. Retrieved December 9, 2017.
  126. ^ Mayer, Jane. "The Case of Al Franken". The New Yorker. No. July 29, 2019. Archived from the original on July 22, 2019. Retrieved December 25, 2020.
  127. ^ Wang, Amy B.; Bever, Lindsey; Lee, Michelle Ye Hee (November 16, 2017). "'Al Franken kissed and groped me without my consent,' broadcaster Leeann Tweeden says". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 16, 2017.
  128. ^ Clark, Dartunorro (November 16, 2017). "Al Franken accused of forcibly kissing, groping Leeann Tweeden". NBC News. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  129. ^ A teenaged accusation against Brett Kavanaugh is no excuse to rehabilitate adult serial sexual predator Al Franken Archived April 3, 2019, at the Wayback Machine, Washington Examiner, Becket Adams, September 17, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  130. ^ a b Fandos, Nicholas (November 16, 2017). "Senator Al Franken Apologizes for Groping a Woman in 2006". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 16, 2017. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
  131. ^ "Leeann Tweeden: Video With 10K Views Shows Her Throwing Her Leg Around Robin Williams, Slapping His Backside". Inquisitr. November 21, 2017. Archived from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  132. ^ Khatchatourian, Maane (November 16, 2017). "Al Franken Apologizes After Being Accused of Groping, Kissing Radio Host Without Consent". Variety. Archived from the original on November 17, 2017. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  133. ^ "Read Al Franken's apology following accusation of groping and kissing without consent". CNN. November 17, 2017. Archived from the original on November 16, 2017. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
  134. ^ Savransky, Rebecca (November 16, 2017). "Woman who accused Franken says she accepts his apology". The Hill. Archived from the original on November 18, 2017. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  135. ^ Lee, MJ (November 20, 2017). "Woman says Franken inappropriately touched her in 2010". CNN. Archived from the original on November 20, 2017. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  136. ^ "Al Franken hit with groping allegation from second woman". Fox News. November 20, 2017. Archived from the original on November 20, 2017. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  137. ^ Hatch, Jenavieve; Roth, Zachary (November 23, 2017). "Two More Women Accuse Sen. Al Franken Of Inappropriate Touching". HuffPost. Archived from the original on November 23, 2017. Retrieved November 23, 2017.
  138. ^ Chavez, Nicole; Lee, MJ. "Al Franken sorry he 'made some women feel badly'". CNN. Archived from the original on November 24, 2017. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  139. ^ Schladebeck, Jessica (November 30, 2017). "Army veteran says Sen. Al Franken groped her while she was stationed in Middle East in 2003". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on December 7, 2017. I reached out my hand to shake his hand", she said, recalling the end of the interview. "He took it and leaned toward me with his mouth open. I turned my head away from him and he landed a wet, open-mouthed kiss awkwardly on my cheek.
  140. ^ Gambino, Lauren (November 30, 2017). "Al Franken: two more women accuse senator of sexual misconduct". The Guardian. Archived from the original on December 7, 2017.
  141. ^ Lee, MJ (November 30, 2017). "Army veteran says Franken groped her during USO tour in 2003". CNN. Archived from the original on January 15, 2018. Retrieved January 14, 2018.
  142. ^ "Fifth woman comes forward with accusations against Al Franken". CNN. November 30, 2017. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017.
  143. ^ Naylor, Brian (November 30, 2017). "Pelosi, Ryan Call on Conyers To Step Down; Franken Under Senate Ethics Inquiry". NPR. Archived from the original on December 5, 2017.
  144. ^ Zdechlik, Mark (December 4, 2017). "Franken's ethics investigation: a field guide". Minnesota Public Radio. Archived from the original on December 4, 2017.
  145. ^ Sachor, Elana; Min Kim, Seung (November 20, 2017). "Liberals turn on Franken". Politico. Archived from the original on November 21, 2017. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  146. ^ "Another woman says Franken tried to forcibly kiss her". Politico. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  147. ^ Lima, Christiano (December 6, 2017). "Woman tells magazine about 2009 Franken groping incident". Politico. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  148. ^ Schor, Elana; Kim, Seung Min. "More than two dozen Democratic senators call on Franken to resign". Politico. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  149. ^ Watson, Kathryn (December 7, 2017). "Sen. Al Franken says he's resigning – live stream updates". CBS News. Archived from the original on December 7, 2017. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
  150. ^ Solis, Marie (April 15, 2018). "Could Al Franken Make A Comeback? Amy Klobuchar Said Former Senator Has A Third Act". Newsweek. Archived from the original on June 6, 2018. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
  151. ^ "Sen. Al Franken takes dig at Trump, Moore in resignation speech". USA Today. December 7, 2017. Archived from the original on December 7, 2017. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
  152. ^ Rao, Maya (January 2, 2018). "Transition time: Franken moves out, Smith moves in". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on January 2, 2018. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  153. ^ a b c d e Mayer, Jane (July 22, 2019). "The Case of Al Franken". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on July 22, 2019. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
  154. ^ Lerer, Lisa (September 1, 2019). "The Gillibrand Test Case for Women in Politics". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on September 2, 2019. Retrieved September 2, 2019 – via NYTimes.com.
  155. ^ Korecki, Natasha (November 26, 2018). "Franken scandal haunts Gillibrand's 2020 chances". Politico. Archived from the original on May 30, 2020. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  156. ^ Carmon, Irin; Schonbeck, Amelia (September 30, 2019). "Coming Forward About Sexual Assault, and What Comes After". New York. Sarah Jones. Archived from the original on September 30, 2019. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  157. ^ Carmon, Irin (September 30, 2019). "Another Woman Says Al Franken Groped Her". Archived from the original on September 30, 2019. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  158. ^ a b Schnell, Mychael (February 10, 2022). "Al Franken: 'It would be tempting' to run for office again". The Hill. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  159. ^ Gihring, Tim (July 2008). "Starring Al Franken". Minnesota Monthly. Archived from the original on March 12, 2013. Retrieved January 29, 2013.
  160. ^ "Thomasin Franken, Brody Greenwald". The New York Times. October 2, 2011. Archived from the original on October 25, 2015. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
  161. ^ "Steve Franken, 'Dobie Gillis' Actor, Dead at Age 80". OnTheRedCarpet.com. August 30, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  162. ^ "The Daily Show Guest Host Lineup". Comedy Central. Archived from the original on January 27, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  163. ^ "2008 Primary Election Results". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  164. ^ "General Election Results" (PDF). Minnesota Secretary of State. January 5, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 21, 2009. Retrieved January 6, 2009.
  165. ^ "Election Reporting". Minnesota Secretary of State. April 10, 2009. Archived from the original on November 20, 2008. Retrieved April 13, 2009.
  166. ^ "2014 Primary Election Results". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  167. ^ "Statewide Results for U.S. Senator". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on December 25, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
Media offices
Preceded by
Andrew Smith
 Head Writer of Saturday Night Live
1985–1986
Served alongside: Tom Davis 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Minnesota
(Class 2)
2008, 2014 		Succeeded by
U.S. Senate
Preceded by U.S. Senator (Class 2) from Minnesota
2009–2018
Served alongside: Amy Klobuchar 		Succeeded by
Tina Smith
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas Former US Senator Order of precedence of the United States Succeeded byas Former US Senator
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Al_Franken&oldid=1257605083"