Army veteran says Franken groped her during USO tour in 2003

[Panho]

Source: CNN

An Army veteran says Sen. Al Franken groped her in December 2003, telling CNN that while she was deployed in Kuwait, the Minnesota Democrat cupped her breast during a photo op.

Stephanie Kemplin, 41, of Maineville, Ohio, is the fifth woman in two weeks to accuse Franken of inappropriate touching, and the second person to allege that such behavior took place while Franken was on a USO tour. Three of the five women have been identified by name.

Kemplin said while she was stationed in the Middle East during the Iraq War, she met Franken -- at the time, a comedian and writer -- as he was visiting American troops with the USO. A longtime fan of "Saturday Night Live," Kemplin got in line to take a photo with Franken.

"When he put his arm around me, he groped my right breast. He kept his hand all the way over on my breast," Kemplin said in an interview.

"I've never had a man put their arm around me and then cup my breast. So he was holding my breast on the side."

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/30/politics/al-franken-groping-allegation/index.html

[Bengus81]

1. Ok...let's see the photo then......

"I remember clenching up and how you just feel yourself flushed," she said. "And I remember thinking -- is he going to move his hand? Was it an accident? Was he going to move his hand? He never moved his hand."



That's her breast??

[angstlessk]

7. Yes, he 'never' moved his hand...it's still stuck to my breast.

She is a repugnican who voted for trump...we at DU wonder why would Franken only grope repugnican women?

Seems those who work with him have nothing but praise for him? AND those photos taken outside of a comedy skit all look so innocent...and likely have other people around them that have not said a thing.

Which I am sure why Franken wants the hearing...of course others will not enjoy being questioned under oath!

[lancelyons]

18. I tend to agree. It would be crazy of him to put his hands on her breats while other soldiers

I tend to agree. It would be crazy of him to put his hands on her breasts while other soldiers are in the same area.

It seems like this is just another republican lady that had a picture with Franken and decided to make it look worse.

There is no way he had his hands on her breasts with other soldiers 5-10 feet away. The USO photographer would know.

The military escort had to be in that same room.

Smells like a setup.

[hurple]

16. That's the photo?

Seriously? That's THE photo in question, that the lady is complaining about?

Geez? If that's cupping a woman's breast in a photo, then I'm guilty of harassment as well. Guess I better quit my job.

This is the most blatant attempt at "crying wolf" on Franken, yet.

[rtracey]

40. well

Maybe she has back breasts....hmmmm? uggg what the fuck?

[herding cats]

17. She provided that photo as "proof" of her allegation?

That makes no sense.

[ollie10]

23. Take a good look at the picture....

..... She says he grabbed her right breast. He has his arm around her....it would take quite a stretch and physical contortion to reach all the way around to her right breast..... He either has very long arms....or.....

And isn't she leaning into Franken, instead of the other way around? And where is the look of shock on her face?

Do you have to be a Republican for Franken to touch you?

[CincyDem]

27. Franken gives new meaning to the phrase "the long arm of the law".

[Botany]

28. Damn that Franken going for her "back boobs"

n/t

[DesertRat]

31. "turned her body to shift Franken's hand off her breast before the picture..."

From the CNN story:

Kemplin estimated that the touching lasted anywhere from five to 10 seconds. She said she eventually turned her body to shift Franken's hand off her breast before the picture was taken.

[angstlessk]

33. While the photographer 'waited' for Franken to finish

'fondling' her before he snapped that photo? Wonder how many people were in line waiting for a photo with Franken?

[lancelyons]

38. 5 seconds. Wouldnt the photographer have seen this. What about the military escort?

Something does not seem right here.

Why arent the new organizations questioning this? Are they asking the Lady if she voted for Trump? Or if she had talked to anybody at Fox news lately?

Something seems very wrong.

Nobody in their right mind would have their hands on a womens breast while a USO photographer and other soldiers are right there.

[rsong71]

45. good point - who took the picture? what did they see?

did they politely wait until he was done before they took the picture? (sarcasm) I don't believe it.

[alp227]

55. She did vote for Trump

Kemplin, who now works as a federal contractor investigating Medicare fraud, is a registered Republican and said she voted for President Donald Trump in the 2016 election.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

58. Looks more like she might be pressing her breasts into him

[onecaliberal]

2. Her breasts are on her back?

[Morris64]

3. Its cool he will apologize so we can move on

[moda253]

15. ??????

I don't understand your post. Can you elaborate?

[Morris64]

60. He responded quickly to the other allegations. He would do well to do the same here.

Let the list of creepers unfold and take the heat off Franken

[ollie10]

24. Wouldn't make any difference...This is a hit job

If he apologizes, that is an admission of guilt. If he doesn't apologize, that is an admission of guilt. Either way they want to hang him

[Morris64]

61. OK I was wrong

[IronLionZion]

4. Welcome to DU!

[JawJaw]

5. A Military Police Officer..

..but she said nothing then snuggled up closer to smile for the photographer?

Not buying it.

[Laf.La.Dem.]

6. "cupped her breast"

someone in that picture - does not know where the breast are located

[riverwalker]

8. Look at who is reporting

It’s MJ Lee who ran with the Lindsay Menz State Fair story without verifying anything. Why are these two stories coming from ONE source?

[Nevernose]

53. Theres a new one by a different author

That author, at Jezebel, published an article called something like “Only an idiot thinks the UVA accusations are a hoax”

It looks to me like Roger Stone’s people looked for the most gullible “reporters” they could find, people they knew would publish anything without criticism or critical thought.

https://jezebel.com/is-the-uva-rape-story-a-gigantic-hoax-asks-idiot-1665233387

Ever since journalist Sabrina Rubin Erdely published her searing Rolling Stone story about “Jackie,” a woman who was allegedly the victim of a gang rape at a frat party at the University of Virginia, there’s been an ongoing and much-needed public conversation about the way rape and sexual assault claims are dealt with on college campuses. But Robby Soave at the libertarian magazine Reason thinks we’re talking about the wrong questions entirely. Shouldn’t we be asking, he wonders, if Jackie just, like, made the whole story up?

Soave writes that Erdely’s story is “not credible,” according to “journalists who contemplate such matters.” Which journalists, exactly? One, to be precise, a guy by the name of Richard Bradley, who writes on his blog that he doesn’t believe the story: “I don’t believe that it happened—certainly not in the way that it is recounted.”

Bradley writes that “something about this story doesn’t feel right.” He’s skeptical because we never learn Jackie’s real name (although he doesn’t acknowledge that no credible media outlet would ever use an alleged rape victim’s real name without her permission). He’s skeptical because Erdely doesn’t quote the friends of Jackie’s who evidently discouraged her from seeking medical attention or calling the police after the rape

[blueinredohio]

9. I call bullshit

[bluestarone]

10. yea here we go again

i call BULLSHIT also These fucking tRump assholes just won't stop

[KPN]

11. Why would they? As a group, we Dems

fall for their shit all the time ... because we DO HAVE MORALS and a conscience, and we genuinely care about the welfare of others.

Guess we need to rethink some of that. I know I'm getting angry to the point I'm starting to think "turn it all off", "ignore the news" -- which is exactly what they want.

[RhodeIslandOne]

20. Right wingers are gloating weve been hoisted by our own petard

They will throw any accusation at the wall now because we are trapped in a world where due process is replaced in favor of media trial.

[bluestarone]

50. agree that's exactly what they want so

that's exactly what they WON'T GET LOL

[KPN]

12. Why in the fuck is the media falling for this fucking crap?!!!

Research the source and his/her/their story before reporting the fucking story!!

Jesus! Are we totally lost?

[Laurian]

13. Bullshit. (R-Repulsives) are soliciting these stories to get him to resign.

They are below contemptible and will do anything to increase their hold in the Senate.

Resist!

[kimbutgar]

14. I heard this on Sirius satellite news as the opening headline news

This is another bs allegation to get Roy Moore elected in Alabama. When he wins there’ll be no more Franken groping stories.

[RhodeIslandOne]

21. Dont forget his post on the Senate Judiciary Committee

They do not want him grilling the KKKeebler Elf anymore.

[alp227]

54. Which channel? They probably use Westwood One News

which has a "woosh" sound followed by a top story headline, and the anchor introduction without naming a news service. Westwood One News has a licensing agreement with CNN, as it replaced the old CNN Radio News.

[kimbutgar]

57. Progressive 127

[Dopers_Greed]

19. Right wing smear campaign

Notice the steady interval that these "allegations" are coming out.

They're trying to get Franken to resign and get Moore elected with these, essentially trying to steal 2 Senate seats.

[Liberalagogo]

22. Franken is receiving

the Hillary treatment, so he won't be able to run effectively as a future Presidential candidate. And sadly, it seems to be working.

[warmfeet]

30. That is my thinking as well.

[rsong71]

46. ok - that makes sense

It's an old and effective strategy. And now it's deployed on Franken.

[flamingdem]

25. The "army veteran" angle is being used to give her legitimacy

Let's find out who put her up to this and how much she's being paid

[MFM008]

26. Anyone else notice

These accusations are timed for to keep this story going?
Still a Bannon hit job.

[Bengus81]

29. Hey Franken,give her until NOON to retract her story as a LIE or SUE for slander......

This milque-toast BS has to STOP. They go low,we crawl underneath them and FIRE back.


FUCK THIS!!

[GoCubsGo]

32. Do people ever bother reading through the threads to see if something has already been posted?

Apparently not, as this is the third or fourth post on this subject already.

[Bayard]

34. They should start providing steps

For jumping on this bandwagon.

[oberliner]

35. "Attack the accuser" time again

Disgusting.

[VermontKevin]

36. Yep.

[Kingofalldems]

39. ....

[oberliner]

44. No wonder accusers sometimes wish to remain anonymous

When they give their name and show their face, they get accused of being liars or worse.

[Lokilooney]

49. And no wonder why Roy Moore has so many supporters

I was going to make a comment like, they probably think George Soros is behind it, Sarcastically. Then I did a search and yup, they do think he is behind it. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/roy-moore-george-soros-sexual-misconduct_us_5a1df35de4b0d724fed4748d

[LanternWaste]

42. Little doubt, that's the narrative you desire to advance.

Little doubt, that's the narrative you desire to advance.

The irony is but a tasteless side-dish.

[oberliner]

43. Thank you for this post

I am definitely hoping to advance that narrative.

The irony is indeed disgusting.

Glad to have some others who can see it along with me.

[bluestarone]

52. well looks like you got

ur high for today!! Looks like you were just waiting for this

[Bengus81]

59. Wanting PROOF of her accusation against Franken in "disgusting" in your opinion?

She made the statement that Franken put his hand on her TIT and never removed it evidently while the photo was being taken. AGAIN...where is THAT photo to back up the claim?

This isn't as much about Franken as it is the truth.

[marble falls]

37. They must really fear Franken after the serious toasting he gave Jeffie Sessions ....

if this is the best they can do, its just another BULLSHIT RW claim. She may remember it differently but there's certainly nothing to it so far.

Funny the accusations against Moore are documentable and seriously more depraved than anything alleged against Al Franken. There just is not an iota of parity.

[rsong71]

48. exactly - false equivalency

[LiberalLovinLug]

41. Roger Stone with others have this all set up

They probably have a queue of Trump groupies already in place. Then when one exaggerated Franken story is just about to be lost in the news cycle, the next in the line up gets a tap on the shoulder. Until repetition and 'propelling the propaganda' starts working. Where there's smoke there's fire. Same game plan as Hillary, only hers has gone on for decades until she was irredeemable for 50% of Americans.

Gawd I hope Al keeps fighting through this. He would be a major loss to the Democratic party, if they managed to have him resign.

[rsong71]

47. I think you are absolutely right, unfortunately.

[no_hypocrisy]

51. J'Accuse"" by Emile Zola

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Translation:J%27accuse...!

[trueblue2007]

56. Well, I'm calling her a liar.