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In reply to the discussion: Al Franken was forced out of the Senate [View all]hlthe2b
(102,589 posts)146. Kirsten Gillibrand Pays The Price For Speaking Out Against Al Franken: 08/03/18 HuffPo
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/kirsten-gillibrand-al-franken-2020_us_5b58994ae4b0b15aba945e79
I Think It Was A Big Mistake
HuffPost spoke to dozens of elite donors who contributed significant amounts of money to Hillary Clintons presidential campaign. Gillibrand, at one time, was part of the tight, loyal Clinton world. The Clintons were early supporters of hers and Hillary wrote the foreword to Gillibrands book.
Many of these donors said that either they were unhappy with Gillibrand or knew plenty of people who were. The 2020 race is still years away, but as donors start to shop around, her comments on Clinton and Franken could be a factor.
I viewed it as self-serving, as opportunistic ― unforgivable in my view, said Rosalind Fink, a New York donor. Since then, I have not purposely attended any fundraiser where she was there. And there is absolutely no way I will support her.
But the two-term senator cemented her prominence in the movement last year when she called out members of her own party. In November, she said that Bill Clinton should have resigned the presidency over his affair with Monica Lewinsky. And then the following month, she became the first Democratic senator to publicly call on then-Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) to go after multiple women accused him of engaging in sexual misconduct.
Franken announced his resignation the following day. --snip--
a threat who needed to leave immediately.
Gillibrand wasnt the only senator to publicly call on Franken to step down, but she was the first (but only by minutes) in a wave of female senators ― who were eventually joined by many of their male colleagues on the same day, Dec. 6 ― to do so. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), however, reportedly told Franken in private that he needed to go beforehand.
But Gillibrand has received the brunt of the blame for what happened, with many of her detractors saying the reason she came out against Franken was that shes an opportunist who was positioning herself for a presidential run in 2020. Some Democratic Party donors have been reconsidering whether they would support her in a primary.
Most prominently, Gillibrand has attracted the ire of billionaire George Soros, who has long funded Democratic candidates and causes. Soros recently said he wasnt sure whom he was supporting for 2020, but that it absolutely wouldnt be Gillibrand. He accused her of going after Franken, whom I admire, to improve her chances for president.
--snip--
Fink said she condemned Frankens behavior, but she believed the Senate should have investigated the allegations thoroughly before forcing him out.
I think it was a big mistake, said Irene Finel Honigman, another Clinton donor from New York, adding, I was not that impressed with her to begin with. I think she certainly had potential, but as for many people, this kind of sealed the deal.
Another donor, who like many others asked to remain anonymous in order to speak candidly, called Gillibrand a ruthless opportunist.
Thats the knock on her, and thats what this proved, he said. She saw an opportunity to be out front, and regardless of the ramifications, she took it.
Susie Tompkins Buell, a major Democratic Party donor who has championed female politicians, also said she was reconsidering her support for senators who called for Franken to resign.
On social media, its easy to find anti-Gillibrand posts. No matter the issue, Gillibrand has detractors who circle back to what she did to Franken. --more--
HuffPost spoke to dozens of elite donors who contributed significant amounts of money to Hillary Clintons presidential campaign. Gillibrand, at one time, was part of the tight, loyal Clinton world. The Clintons were early supporters of hers and Hillary wrote the foreword to Gillibrands book.
Many of these donors said that either they were unhappy with Gillibrand or knew plenty of people who were. The 2020 race is still years away, but as donors start to shop around, her comments on Clinton and Franken could be a factor.
I viewed it as self-serving, as opportunistic ― unforgivable in my view, said Rosalind Fink, a New York donor. Since then, I have not purposely attended any fundraiser where she was there. And there is absolutely no way I will support her.
But the two-term senator cemented her prominence in the movement last year when she called out members of her own party. In November, she said that Bill Clinton should have resigned the presidency over his affair with Monica Lewinsky. And then the following month, she became the first Democratic senator to publicly call on then-Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) to go after multiple women accused him of engaging in sexual misconduct.
Franken announced his resignation the following day. --snip--
a threat who needed to leave immediately.
Gillibrand wasnt the only senator to publicly call on Franken to step down, but she was the first (but only by minutes) in a wave of female senators ― who were eventually joined by many of their male colleagues on the same day, Dec. 6 ― to do so. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), however, reportedly told Franken in private that he needed to go beforehand.
But Gillibrand has received the brunt of the blame for what happened, with many of her detractors saying the reason she came out against Franken was that shes an opportunist who was positioning herself for a presidential run in 2020. Some Democratic Party donors have been reconsidering whether they would support her in a primary.
Most prominently, Gillibrand has attracted the ire of billionaire George Soros, who has long funded Democratic candidates and causes. Soros recently said he wasnt sure whom he was supporting for 2020, but that it absolutely wouldnt be Gillibrand. He accused her of going after Franken, whom I admire, to improve her chances for president.
--snip--
Fink said she condemned Frankens behavior, but she believed the Senate should have investigated the allegations thoroughly before forcing him out.
I think it was a big mistake, said Irene Finel Honigman, another Clinton donor from New York, adding, I was not that impressed with her to begin with. I think she certainly had potential, but as for many people, this kind of sealed the deal.
Another donor, who like many others asked to remain anonymous in order to speak candidly, called Gillibrand a ruthless opportunist.
Thats the knock on her, and thats what this proved, he said. She saw an opportunity to be out front, and regardless of the ramifications, she took it.
Susie Tompkins Buell, a major Democratic Party donor who has championed female politicians, also said she was reconsidering her support for senators who called for Franken to resign.
On social media, its easy to find anti-Gillibrand posts. No matter the issue, Gillibrand has detractors who circle back to what she did to Franken. --more--
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Yes. It's especially galling right now when we need every powerful voice on Kavanaugh. NT
enough
Sep 2018
#15
Exactly, 38 of his Senate colleagues led by a NY Senator, demanded he resign. He was left with
OnDoutside
Sep 2018
#13
Maybe in your world. Fact is that members of his "team" left him no choice but to resign.
Autumn
Sep 2018
#114
Kirstin Gillibrand thought she was launching a presidential bid by leading the charge
Still In Wisconsin
Sep 2018
#17
On what basis do you say that a prospective Gillibrand Presidential bid is thwarted?
brooklynite
Sep 2018
#43
I'm not saying she can't or won't run because of this. My point was that I think
Still In Wisconsin
Sep 2018
#78
Kirsten Gillibrand Pays The Price For Speaking Out Against Al Franken: 08/03/18 HuffPo
hlthe2b
Sep 2018
#146
Indeed, "Why do we eat our own?" I'm with you & the OP on this, Still in Wisconsin
Hekate
Sep 2018
#123
More than half of all Democratic Senators called for him to step down. But only one will
MrsCoffee
Sep 2018
#31
Well, he's not a Democratic Senator ... Bernie Sanders called for him to resign
SFnomad
Sep 2018
#49
Wrong! Gillebrand was the first one to come out against Franken. I heard her interviewed on radio...
brush
Sep 2018
#133
You have no idea what you're talking about. Gillibrand even doubled down on it on "The View"...
brush
Sep 2018
#152
Is there a language problem? You have no idea of what radio interview I heard. You may have heard...
brush
Sep 2018
#168
Or they did it because they thought it was the right thing to do at the time.
MrsCoffee
Sep 2018
#32
I don't have to validate to you an opinion supported by over 100 people on this thread
LakeArenal
Sep 2018
#153
We'll continue to target the ringleader, Gillibrand. That kind of gullible naivete in falling...
brush
Sep 2018
#86
Still not getting it. He apologized for taking a gag photo, not for groping her.
brush
Sep 2018
#187
my point is that a lot of the power of a senator comes from the respect and cooperation of others
unblock
Sep 2018
#60
i get that you think he didn't fight for his job well, but what do you think he *should* have done?
unblock
Sep 2018
#73
It's easy. You mischaracterize the allegations down to nothing and dismiss those
mythology
Sep 2018
#46
I thought his book came out way before this whole stupid tragic series of non-events.
mahina
Sep 2018
#109
Just to save a minute if you were checking, the book was published in May 2017 and the BS storm
mahina
Sep 2018
#111
Yeah, sort of. Clearly leanne is a liar, works with and for rightwing filth
Eliot Rosewater
Sep 2018
#62
And Clinton's nominees forced to drop out for failing to report undocumented employees ...
eppur_se_muova
Sep 2018
#61
No. We need to continue to speak up about the hypocrisy. Remember, it was the Dems who took
YOHABLO
Sep 2018
#90
No. We need to continue to speak up about the hypocrisy. Remember, it was the Dems who took
YOHABLO
Sep 2018
#91
Unfortunately, this is NOT what was discussed back then between ranking D members.
LiberalLovinLug
Sep 2018
#98
Sure it is. It's basic deduction. Starting with...there was no sexual harassment.
Honeycombe8
Sep 2018
#176
This what you get when there is no democratic government . Only Charles and David
geretogo
Sep 2018
#160