I believe Al Franken's accusers...

[Egnever]

8. I hear you but

You seem to have judged Franken without giving him a chance to defend himself or even face his accusers, and then no matter the severity of the punishment, have deemed he should be punished for it.

Despite the fact he immediately asked for an ethics investigation.

Yep he apologized for being a comedian and making jokes that had an impact on women. I do not agree he should be reprimanded in the senate for being a comedian. (I didnt agree with the pile on of Cathy Griffin either btw). Comedians push boundaries and at times step over lines we are not comfortable with. I would not want it any other way. I certainly don't when we reach back ten years to look at their comedy by the standards of today.

He also apologized to Lean Tweeden directly for the picture. But while he recognized she might see the backstage rehearsal differently he certainly denied remembering it the same. Given what we now know about Mrs. Tweeden I am going to give him the benefit of the doubt here.

It is entirely possible he is a serial groper in front of cameras but I don't really find it credible. I am fairly certain if it is true a hearing would provide plenty of evidence of it and again he has denied all of that.

But that is it end of apology for actions and sets a pretty low bar in my opinion for censure in the senate.

I will include the vast majority of his apology just for clarity and because I actually thought it was outstanding. He recognized what women are facing and apologized for any he has let down through his actions intentional or not.

I hear you that you are not out for his neck but I think you have judged him before letting him face what from the outset looks a whole lot like dirty pool.

Without further ado his apology.

http://www.businessinsider.com/al-franken-response-sexual-harassment-claims-2017-11

I respect women. I don't respect men who don't. And the fact that my own actions have given people a good reason to doubt that makes me feel ashamed.

But I want to say something else, too. Over the last few months, all of us—including and especially men who respect women—have been forced to take a good, hard look at our own actions and think (perhaps, shamefully, for the first time) about how those actions have affected women.

For instance, that picture. I don't know what was in my head when I took that picture, and it doesn't matter. There's no excuse. I look at it now and I feel disgusted with myself. It isn't funny. It's completely inappropriate. It's obvious how Leeann would feel violated by that picture. And, what's more, I can see how millions of other women would feel violated by it—women who have had similar experiences in their own lives, women who fear having those experiences, women who look up to me, women who have counted on me.

Coming from the world of comedy, I've told and written a lot of jokes that I once thought were funny but later came to realize were just plain offensive. But the intentions behind my actions aren't the point at all. It's the impact these jokes had on others that matters. And I'm sorry it's taken me so long to come to terms with that.

While I don't remember the rehearsal for the skit as Leeann does, I understand why we need to listen to and believe women’s experiences.

I am asking that an ethics investigation be undertaken, and I will gladly cooperate.

Pretty stand up guy in my opinion and I think a censure from this senate would be a grave injustice baring a hearing that finds evidence to do so of course.