Leeann Tweeden didn’t accuse Sen. Al Franken of sexual misconduct to drive him out of office. She did it to empower victims, herself included.
The journalist and radio host stopped by Good Morning America on Friday to explain why she waited so long to come forward with allegations against the Senator, whom she claims groped and kissed her without consent during a 2006 USO trip to the Middle East.
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Tweeden told Robin Roberts after holding on to her story for over 10 years, she was inspired to tell her truth after seeing so many women come forward with sexual harassment and assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein and other powerful men over the past month.
But unlike Weinstein’s accusers, Tweeden doesn’t want to see her alleged abuser out of power. She explained:
“I didn’t do this to have him step down. I think Al Franken does a lot of good things in the Senate. You know, I think that’s for the people of Minnesota to decide. I’m not calling for him to step down. That was never my intention.”
So, what was her intention? To give Franken a reality check on the shitty way he treated her!
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She continued:
“I just wanted him to understand what he did was wrong and how he treated me and how abusers do that under the guise that it’s funny, or that ├óΓé¼╦£Oh, I can get away with it because I’m a comedian.’ That’s never funny. When you shine a light on it, that’s the culture of it ├óΓé¼ΓÇ¥ that’s the chance we need to make.”
While the forced kissing and groping definitely crossed the line, Tweeden recalled other belittling jabs she endured during the two-week trip with the former Saturday Night Live alum, which ended with the now-infamous picture of Franken giving a sleeping Tweeden a degrading breast squeeze.
Watch the emotional interview (below) to hear what she had to say.
MORNING EXCLUSIVE: Leeann Tweeden opens up about the photo and alleged sexual misconduct from Sen. Al Franken: https://t.co/jGJ0mfxdGD pic.twitter.com/as0nPPE584
— Good Morning America (@GMA) November 17, 2017
[Image via ABC.]
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