GetWiki

{{Short description|American comedian and politician (born 1951)}}{{Good article}}{{Use American English|date = February 2019}}{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2021}}

factoids

| term_end = January 2, 2018| predecessor = Norm Coleman| successor = Tina Smith| birth_name = Alan Stuart Franken195121}}| birth_place = New York City, U.S.| death_date = | death_place = Democratic Party (United States)>DemocraticFranni Bryson|1975}}| children = 2Harvard University (Bachelor of Arts>BA)| website = | signature = Al Franken Signature.svgembed= yes title= Franken's voice description= 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, writer, actor, and media personality who served as a United States senator from Minnesota from 2009 to 2018. Franken 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 prominent 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. He 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.NEWS, Van Berkel, Jessie,weblink Al Franken launches SiriusXM radio show, marking a return to the public sphere, Star Tribune, Minneapolis, September 25, 2019, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20190925203218weblink">weblink September 25, 2019, September 25, 2019,

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.WEB, Phoebe Kunst,weblink Geni, February 25, 1918, August 9, 2018, August 9, 2018,weblink live, WEB,weblink Ancestry of Al Franken, William Addams Reitwiesner, September 7, 2014, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20150308160549weblink">weblink March 8, 2015, Both of his parents were Jews, and Franken was raised in a Reform Jewish home and attended Temple Israel in Minneapolis.ENCYCLOPEDIA,weblink Al Franken, Jewish Virtual Library, February 12, 2017, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20170210202030weblink">weblink February 10, 2017, WEB, Interview with Al Franken,weblink 2022-12-05, Interviews with Max Raskin, en-US, He has an older brother, Owen (b. circa 1946), who is a photojournalist,MAGAZINE, Mayer, Jane, The Case of Al Franken,weblink 2022-02-12, The New Yorker, July 20, 2019, en-US, and his cousin Bob is a journalist for MSNBC.WEB, CNN Newsnight Aaron Brown Aired April 29, 2002 - 22:00 ET,weblink CNN, April 29, 2002, November 5, 2008, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20080420184550weblink">weblink April 20, 2008, The Frankens moved to Albert Lea, Minnesota, when Al was four years old.WEB,weblink Meet Al, dead,weblink" title="wayback.archive-it.org/all/20160207074215weblink">weblink February 7, 2016, September 18, 2015, 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.MAGAZINE, Colapinto, John, John Colapinto, Enter Laughing,weblink The New Yorker, July 20, 2009, January 9, 2013, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20121019112307weblink">weblink October 19, 2012, Franken graduated from The Blake School in 1969, where he was a member of the wrestling team.NEWS, Liebovich, Mark,weblink Al Franken Faces Donald Trump and the Next Four Years, The New York Times, December 13, 2016, December 13, 2016, At 65, Franken retains the thick build of the high-school wrestler he once was., live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20161213105200weblink">weblink December 13, 2016, Franken says that he scored 800 (out of 800) on the math section of his SATs and 662 on the verbal section. He attended Harvard College, where he majored in political science, graduating cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in 1973.WEB,weblink January 30, 2009, About.com, Profile of Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota, Deborah, White, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20081207163737weblink">weblink December 7, 2008, 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.NEWS, Sullivan, James,weblink Al Franken is taking comedy seriously again, The Boston Globe, 2022-05-11, 2022-05-13, Franken began performing in high school, where he and his longtime friend and writing partner Tom Davis were known for their comedy.WEB,weblink Tom Davis, Comedian and 'SNL' Sketch Writer, Dies at 59, July 19, 2012, January 12, 2013, The New York Times, Douglas, Martin, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20121112154909weblink">weblink November 12, 2012, The duo first performed on stage at Minneapolis's Brave New Workshop theater specializing in political satire.BOOK, Davis, Tom, Thirty-Nine Years of Short-Term Memory Loss: The Early Days of SNL from Someone Who Was There, 2010, Grove Press; Reprint edition, 978-0-8021-4456-0, 29,weblink They soon found themselves in what was described as "a life of near-total failure on the fringes of show business in Los Angeles".Hill, Doug; Weingrad, Jeff (1987). Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live. p. 57. Vintage Books. {{ISBN|0-394-75053-5}}.

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. Franken received 15 Emmy nominations and five Emmy awards for his television writing and producing,WEB, Al Franken,weblink 2021-10-27, Television Academy, en, October 27, 2021,weblink live, while creating such characters as self-help guru Stuart Smalley. Another routine proclaimed the 1980s the Al Franken Decade.NEWS,weblink Al Franken: You Can Call Me Senator, Harvard Magazine, Jesse, Kornbluth, March–April 2012, September 26, 2012, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120926080350weblink">weblink September 26, 2012, 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.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}}. 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.NEWS, Ana Marie, Cox, Don't Laugh at Al Franken, Time (magazine), Time, April 5, 2007,weblink August 19, 2007,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20070919191241weblink">weblink September 19, 2007, dead, NEWS, Westfall, Sandra Sobieraj, May 26, 2017, Al Franken Says John Belushi's Fatal Overdose Inspired Him to Give Up Drugs,weblink People (magazine), People, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20170720082107weblink">weblink July 20, 2017, In 1995, Franken left the show in protest over losing the role of Weekend Update anchor to Norm Macdonald.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}}.

Post-SNL activities

File:Al Franken at Ramstein Air Force Base, Dec 2000.jpg|thumb|right|Franken entertaining troops at Ramstein Air BaseRamstein Air BaseIn 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.NEWS, Leopold, Todd, Al Franken's Guide to Life,weblink August 31, 2014, CNN, May 7, 2002, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20140903072337weblink">weblink September 3, 2014, NEWS, Stuart Saves His Family,weblink August 31, 2014, Los Angeles Times, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20140905164150weblink">weblink September 5, 2014, Despite its aggregate rating of 30% on Rotten Tomatoes,WEB, Stuart Saves His Family (1995),weblink Rotten Tomatoes, April 12, 1995, August 31, 2014, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20150223052038weblink">weblink February 23, 2015, the film received favorable reviews from The Washington PostNEWS, Howe, Desson, 'Stuart Saves His Family' (PG-13),weblink August 31, 2014, The Washington Post, April 14, 1995, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20140904041550weblink">weblink September 4, 2014, and Gene Siskel.NEWS, Siskel, Gene, 'Stuart' Funny Without Making Fun of Self-Help Movement,weblink August 31, 2014, Chicago Tribune, April 14, 1995, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20140903122402weblink">weblink September 3, 2014, Franken is the author of four books that made The New York Times Best Seller list.BOOK, Powers, Retha, This Is My Best: Great Writers Share Their Favorite Work,weblink limited, 2005, Chronicle Books, Paperback, 978-0-8118-4829-9, 549, 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.WEB, 2020-11-23, Al Franken,weblink 2021-10-27, GRAMMY.com, en, October 27, 2021,weblink live, 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.NEWS,weblink To Fox, 'Fair and Balanced' Doesn't Describe Al Franken, August 12, 2003, January 6, 2013, Susan, Saulny, The New York Times, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20130127011040weblink">weblink January 27, 2013, WEB,weblink Fox News Sues Humorist Al Franken over Slogan, Associated Press, August 11, 2003, January 6, 2013, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20130730235345weblink">weblink July 30, 2013, 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.NEWS, Saulny, Susan, August 23, 2003,weblink In Courtroom, Laughter at Fox and a Victory for Al Franken, The New York Times, October 5, 2005,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20090704223849weblink">weblink July 4, 2009, live, NEWS, September 3, 2003,weblink Comedian and Political Commentator Al Franken, NPR, National Public Radio, October 5, 2005,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20050911192611weblink">weblink September 11, 2005, live, The publicity resulting from the lawsuit propelled Franken's yet-to-be-released book to number 1 on Amazon.com.WEB,weblink Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them (review), Bookreporter.com, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20110608165400weblink">weblink June 8, 2011, 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.NEWS, Shorto, Russell,weblink Al Franken, Seriously So, The New York Times, March 21, 2004, July 9, 2009, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20101110182650weblink">weblink November 10, 2010, 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.WEB,weblink Al Franken to Leave Air America in February, January 29, 2007, November 10, 2019, September 30, 2020,weblink live, 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|date=July 2019}}In 2003, Franken served as a Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School's Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy. Since 2005 he has been a contributor to The Huffington Post.NEWS,weblink Al Franken, HuffPost, September 26, 2012, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20121019025310weblink">weblink October 19, 2012, Franken toured Iraq several times with the United Service Organizations (USO).NEWS, Kasindorf, Martin, Komarow, Steven, USO Cheers Troops, but Iraq Gigs Tough to Book,weblink August 29, 2014, USA Today, December 22, 2005, November 8, 2012,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20121108031548weblink">weblink live, On March 25, 2009, he was presented with the USO Metro Merit Award for his ten years of involvement with the organization.WEB, Michael J., Carden, USO Metro Salutes Exceptional Troops, Volunteers,weblink United States Department of Defense, Defense.gov, American Forces Press Service, March 26, 2009, January 6, 2013, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20130114022710weblink">weblink January 14, 2013, NEWS, Diaz, Kevin, Franken to Receive Award for USO Service,weblink September 8, 2014, Star Tribune, March 23, 2009, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20140909004904weblink">weblink September 9, 2014,

Political activism

File:Senator Paul Simon and comedian Al Franken.jpg|thumb|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!"NEWS, Corliss, Richard,weblink Vote for Me, Al Franken, Time (magazine), Time, February 14, 2007, July 9, 2009, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20081212234345weblink">weblink December 12, 2008, 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. Wellstone was a mentorNEWS,weblink Franken Shakes Off the Hoopla, Settles into Job, Roper, Eric, July 10, 2009, Star Tribune, February 13, 2017, ...Paul Wellstone, Franken's political mentor, whose picture now sits near his desk., live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20170214101300weblink">weblink February 14, 2017, NEWS,weblink Minnesotans in Spotlight as DNC Opens, Croman, John, July 26, 2016, KARE-11, 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., and political and personal role model for Franken, who stated his hopes of following in Wellstone's footsteps.WEB,weblink Tuesday, Franken's Hand Will Be on Wellstone Bible, His Thoughts Likely on the Many Minnesotans He's Met, July 6, 2009, January 5, 2013, Jay, Weiner, MinnPost, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20121015071302weblink">weblink October 15, 2012, NEWS,weblink From Satirist to Senator, CNN, July 6, 2009, December 26, 2016,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120722094956weblink">weblink July 22, 2012, dead, Senator Norm Coleman's comment that he was a "99 percent improvement" over Wellstone was an impetus for Franken's run for the Senate.WEB, 2017-06-05, Franken: Roll Call's Coleman Interview Led Him to Politics,weblink 2022-12-05, Roll Call, en, Franken said he learned that 21% of Americans received most of their news from talk radio, an almost exclusively conservative medium. "I didn't want to sit on the sidelines, and I believed Air America could make a difference", he said. 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.WEB,weblink Al Franken Knocks Down Dean Heckler, Morris, Vince, January 27, 2004, New York Post, February 17, 2017, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20170218070056weblink">weblink February 18, 2017, NEWS,weblink THE TRUTH about Franken's "Takedown", Daily Kos, November 3, 2017, live,weblink November 7, 2017, 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."NEWS, Kuhn, David Paul, Senator Franken?,weblink April 28, 2005, February 15, 2007, Salon (website), Salon, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20100218070911weblink">weblink February 18, 2010, In late 2005 he started his own political action committee, Midwest Values PAC. By early 2007 the PAC had raised more than $1{{nbsp}}million.NEWS,weblink Chris, Cilizza, The Washington Post, February 5, 2007, August 8, 2007, Minnesota Senate: Is Franken the Dems' Dream Candidate?, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20110523143444weblink">weblink May 23, 2011, WEB,weblink Mother Jones (magazine), Mother Jones, September 1, 2007, September 1, 2007, Doggone It, People Like Him,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20071012161000weblink">weblink October 12, 2007, live, 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".NEWS,weblink Scott, A.O., A. O. Scott, Comedian Turned Activist, With His Own Campaign, August 30, 2014, The New York Times, September 13, 2006, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20161213203915weblink">weblink December 13, 2016, File:Al Franken Iraq 7.jpg|thumb|upright|Franken playing Saddam HusseinSaddam HusseinFranken initially supported the Iraq War, but opposed the 2007 troop surge. In an interview with MSNBC's Joe Scarborough,WEB,weblink Transcript, "Scarborough Country", NBC News, December 7, 2005, April 17, 2020, October 15, 2017,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20171015204921weblink">weblink live, 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.'"WEB,weblink Coleman and Franken on Iraq: Everything You Need to Know, MinnPost, August 7, 2008, August 29, 2014, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20141221084117weblink">weblink December 21, 2014, In 2004, Franken favored transitioning to a universal health care system,NEWS, Al Franken, Seriously,weblink The New York Times, March 21, 2004, November 10, 2015, 0362-4331, Russell, Shorto, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20151005054208weblink">weblink October 5, 2015, 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.NEWS, Black, Eric, Franken on Fixing Social Security and Medicare — and why repealing Obamacare is a terrible idea,weblink August 30, 2014, MinnPost, August 26, 2014, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20140829060110weblink">weblink August 29, 2014, 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.WEB, Higher Education,weblink Al Franken for Senate, 2008, December 13, 2008,weblink November 20, 2008, dead, WEB, Gas Prices,weblink Al Franken for Senate, 2008, December 13, 2008,weblink November 20, 2008, dead, 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.WEB, Kevin, Duchschere,weblink Franken Faces $25,000 Workers' Comp Penalty, Star Tribune, March 12, 2008, July 9, 2009,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20090620013416weblink">weblink June 20, 2009, live, 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.WEB, Duchschere, Kevin,weblink Friday: New Round of Financial Questions Dogs Franken, Star Tribune, April 24, 2008, July 9, 2009, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20090324192946weblink">weblink March 24, 2009, 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.WEB, More Furor over Franken's Taxes, April 16, 2008,weblink live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120221235919weblink">weblink February 21, 2012, 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.NEWS, Patrick, Condon,weblink Comedian Turned Candidate Franken to Pay $70K in Back Taxes, Fox News, April 30, 2008, July 9, 2009, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20130527010942weblink">weblink May 27, 2013,

U.S. Senate

2008 elections

(File:AlFranken.JPG|thumb|upright|Franken campaigning for the U.S. Senate in 2008)On January 29, 2007, Franken announced his departure from Air America Radio, and on the day of his final show, February 14, he formally announced his candidacy for the United States Senate from Minnesota in 2008.NEWS, Al Franken Decides He's Good Enough, Smart Enough to Run for Senate,weblink New York (magazine), New York, February 1, 2007, February 16, 2008,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20080101172006weblink">weblink January 1, 2008, live, 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.NEWS,weblink Ciresi in Parting: Choose Wisely, Star Tribune, March 11, 2008, January 3, 2013, Pat, Doyle, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20150101215103weblink">weblink January 1, 2015, 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{{nbsp}}million to Coleman's $1.6{{nbsp}}million,WEB, Franken Raises Over $1.9 Million in Second Quarter,weblink Al Franken for Senate, July 8, 2007, February 16, 2008,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20080203052850weblink">weblink February 3, 2008, NEWS, Mulcahy, Mike, Franken Leads the Pack in Second Quarter Fundraising, Polinaut, Minnesota Public Radio, July 9, 2007,weblink July 17, 2007, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20071014071216weblink">weblink October 14, 2007, although in early July 2007, Coleman's $3.8{{nbsp}}million cash on hand exceeded Franken's $2{{nbsp}}million.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.NEWS,weblink GOP Targets Al Franken's Playboy Column, ABC News, May 23, 2008, July 9, 2009, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20081006065717weblink">weblink October 6, 2008, 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."On June 7, 2008, Franken was endorsed by the DFL.WEB,weblinkweblink" title="archive.today/20120530055911weblink">weblink dead, May 30, 2012, Les saya: It's Franken in One, Star Tribune, June 7, 2008, July 9, 2009, In a July 2008 interview with CNN, he was endorsed by Ben Stein, a noted entertainer, speechwriter, lawyer and author known for his conservative views, who generally supported Republican candidates.NEWS, Preston on Politics: Bueller? Bueller? â€” McCain Needs Rove, CNN, Mark, Preston,weblink July 29, 2008, July 28, 2008,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20080912135051weblink">weblink September 12, 2008, live, 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.NEWS, Martin, Jonathon, Kraushaar, Josh, Franken Helps Craft McCain 'SNL' Skit, Politico, September 20, 2008,weblink October 29, 2008,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20081027205436weblink">weblink October 27, 2008, live, Coleman's campaign reacted, saying, "Once again, he proves he's more interested in entertainment than service, and ridiculing those with whom he disagrees."NEWS, Scheck, Tom, Coleman Hits Franken for SNL Skit, Minnesota Public Radio, September 21, 2008,weblink October 29, 2008,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20080926001824weblink">weblink September 26, 2008, live, 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.NEWS, Chris, Welch, Ed, Hornick,weblink Franken Declares Senate Race Win After State Ruling, CNN, January 6, 2009, January 3, 2012, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20100103190935weblink">weblink January 3, 2010, File:MN- Union Members Attend Franken Rally in St. Paul (2963989200).jpg|thumb|Franken at an election rally with Hillary ClintonHillary ClintonOn January 6, 2009, Coleman's campaign filed an election contest which led to a trial before a three-judge panel.WEB,weblink Minnesota Senate Seat Election Contest, Minnesota Courts, January 6, 2009, January 6, 2009,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20081226082736weblink">weblink December 26, 2008, dead, 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.WEB,weblink Coleman Asks High Court to Look Again at Rejected Votes, Jason, Hoppin, St. Paul Pioneer Press, April 20, 2009, April 22, 2009,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20090509084306weblink">weblink May 9, 2009, live, NEWS, Associated Press,weblink Al Franken Is the Winner of Minnesota Senate Race, Court Rules, New York Daily News, April 14, 2009, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20090417103549weblink">weblink April 17, 2009, NEWS, Muskal, Michael,weblink Franken Widens Lead in Minnesota Senate Recount, Los Angeles Times, April 7, 2007, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20090410081229weblink">weblink April 10, 2009, On April 24 the Minnesota Supreme Court agreed to hear the case.WEB,weblink Supreme Court Recount Timeline Called Reasonable, April 24, 2009, January 9, 2013, Minnesota Public Radio, Elizabeth, Stawicki, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20090429101057weblink">weblink April 29, 2009, WEB,weblink Order for Briefing Schedule, Minnesota Supreme Court, April 24, 2009, April 26, 2009,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20090521083509weblink">weblink May 21, 2009, live, Oral arguments were conducted on June 1.WEB,weblink Minnesota Senate Seat '08 Election, Minnesota Judicial Branch, July 7, 2009, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20081226082736weblink">weblink December 26, 2008, 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.WEB,weblink Norm Coleman Concedes Minnesota Senate race to Al Franken, Josh, Kraushaar, Manu, Raju, Politico, July 1, 2009, January 3, 2012, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120106085518weblink">weblink January 6, 2012, Governor Tim Pawlenty signed Franken's election certificate that evening.WEB, Pat, Doyle,weblink Pawlenty Will Sign Franken Election Certificate, Salon.com, Salon, June 30, 2009, January 3, 2012, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20150101214052weblink">weblink January 1, 2015,

2014 elections

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.WEB,weblink Statewide Results for U.S. Senator, Primary Election, Minnesota Secretary of State, July 3, 2017, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20170507205238weblink">weblink May 7, 2017, He won the general election against the Republican nominee, Mike McFadden with 53.2% of the vote.NEWS, The Most Detailed Maps You'll See from the Midterm Elections,weblink November 6, 2014, The New York Times, November 5, 2014, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20141106083058weblink">weblink November 6, 2014, WEB,weblink Statewide Results for U.S. Senator, Minnesota Secretary of State, July 3, 2017, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20170612141948weblink">weblink June 12, 2017,

Tenure

File:Joe Biden meets with Al Franken in DC 5-6-09.jpg|thumb|left|Franken meeting with Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenFranken was sworn into the Senate on July 7, 2009, 246 days after the election.NEWS, July 7, 2009, And Here's Senator Franken, Huls, Carl, The New York Times, July 8, 2009,weblink live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20090710221126weblink">weblink July 10, 2009, NEWS, July 7, 2009, Domenico, Montanaro, Al Franken, the Newest U.S. Senator, First Read, MSNBC, July 8, 2009,weblink dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20090710074040weblink">weblink July 10, 2009, He took the oath of office with the Bible of late Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone, whose old seat Senate leaders set aside for Franken.NEWS, Stassen-Berger, Rachel, Minnesota Sen. Al Franken Sworn in with Paul Wellstone Bible,weblink May 14, 2013, Pioneer Press, July 7, 2009, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20140909010059weblink">weblink September 9, 2014, NEWS, Brunswick, Mark, Emotional Franken Vows to honor Wellstone, Star Tribune, July 1, 2009,weblink live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20110607061317weblink">weblink June 7, 2011, On August 6, 2009, Franken presided over the confirmation vote of Sonia Sotomayor to be an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.NEWS,weblink Senator Franken, at Center Stage, Presides over Sotomayor Vote, Fox News, August 6, 2009, October 18, 2009, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120216212333weblink">weblink February 16, 2012, 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.WEB,weblink Franken's First Bill Passes as Part of Defense Bill, July 24, 2009, January 9, 2013, Chris, Steller, The Minnesota Independent, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20111219051351weblink">weblink December 19, 2011, File:Al Franken Official Senate Portrait.jpg|thumb|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.NEWS, Fritze, John, Franken works the fair on health care, USA Today, September 4, 2009,weblink July 23, 2019, September 29, 2018,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20180929040907weblink">weblink live, WEB,weblink TV Guide: Franken Video Gets Attention, MSNBC, October 18, 2009, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20090909192002weblink">weblink September 9, 2009, 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.WEB,weblink Franken Finds Fans and Foes Friendly at Fair, Kare11.com, June 13, 2010, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20100620150522weblink">weblink June 20, 2010, weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20090907163302weblink">TV Guide: Franken Video Gets Attention. Msnbc.msn.comDuring the debate on health care reform, Franken was one of the strongest supporters of a single-payer system. 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.NEWS,weblink Franken Warns Against Weakening Law on Health-Care Spending, July 22, 2010, Lauren, Knobbe, MinnPost, June 22, 2013, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20121010202328weblink">weblink October 10, 2012, On September 30, 2013, Franken voted to remove a provision that would repeal Obamacare's medical device tax from a government funding bill,WEB,weblink U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 113th Congress – 1st Session: Vote 210, Legislation & Records, United States Senate, September 30, 2013, live,weblink October 2, 2013, NEWS,weblinkweblink" title="archive.today/20131001170023weblink">weblink dead, October 1, 2013, Klobuchar, Franken Call for Repeal of Medical Device Tax, July 8, 2013, HometownSource.com, October 1, 2013, saying that though he supported the provision, he disagreed with its being used as a condition for preventing the 2013 federal government shutdown.NEWS, Diaz, Kevin, Complicated Shutdown Votes for Key Minnesotans, September 30, 2013, October 1, 2013,weblink Star Tribune, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20131004215358weblink">weblink October 4, 2013, 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.NEWS,weblink Franken Gets His First Amendment Passed by Roll Call Vote, HuffPost, November 10, 2008, October 18, 2009, Sam, Stein,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20091010024151weblink">weblink October 10, 2009, live, WEB,weblink Arbitration Amendment | al Franken | Senator for Minnesota, December 9, 2017, dead,weblink December 9, 2017, (File:2017AlFranken.jpg|thumb|left|upright|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.NEWS, Corkery, Michael, Al Franken's Credit Rating Amendment is No Joke, The Wall Street Journal, May 13, 2010,weblink live,weblink October 15, 2017, The amendment passed, but the financial industry lobbied to have it removed from the final bill.NEWS, Larnder, James, Reckoning Day for the Raters, The Hill (newspaper), The Hill, June 14, 2010,weblink live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20110622022418weblink">weblink June 22, 2011, 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.NEWS, Davidoff, Steven, Finding a Good Financial Bill in 2,300 Pages, The New York Times, July 16, 2010,weblink July 19, 2010, July 20, 2010,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20100720212251weblink">weblink live, 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.WEB,weblink Al Franken Gets Serious, Michael, Hirsh, July 5, 2010, July 20, 2010, Newsweek, {{cbignore}}NEWS,weblink Factbox: Long To-Do List Ahead for Financial Regulators, Reuters, Rachelle, Younglai, Roberta, Rampton, Kim, Dixon, Mark, Felsenthal, July 15, 2010, July 20, 2010,weblink July 19, 2010, live, {{update inline |reason=Well, what happened after that? Did the SEC act? Did Franken's 'solution' go into effect? |date=June 2023}}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.NEWS, Daileda, Colin, McConnell to Franken: 'This Isn't SNL', CBS News, August 6, 2010,weblink November 11, 2010,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20100812035637weblink">weblink August 12, 2010, dead, Bolton, Alexander (8/5/10). McConnell Scolds Franken for Making Faces from Dais During His Speech . The HillNEWS, Raju, Manu, McConnell to Franken: This Isn't 'SNL',weblink Politico, August 5, 2010, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20100822235258weblink">weblink August 22, 2010, McConnell responded, "This isn't Saturday Night Live, Al." 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".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."NEWS, Berman, Matt, The NSA Has at Least 1 Liberal Friend Left: Sen. Al Franken,weblink September 8, 2014, National Journal, June 11, 2013, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20140909004839weblink">weblink September 9, 2014, In 2013, Franken received the Stewart B. McKinney Award for his work fighting homelessness.NEWS, Keating, Christopher, U.S. Sen. Al Franken Will Receive Stewart B. McKinney Award Tonight in D.C.,weblink October 31, 2014, Hartford Courant, October 30, 2013, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20141031062018weblink">weblink October 31, 2014, When Franken declared his intention to seek reelection in 2014,WEB,weblink Franken a Player in Democrats' Plan to Keep Senate, November 3, 2012, November 22, 2012, Star Tribune, Corey, Mitchell, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20121107211952weblink">weblink November 7, 2012, 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,NEWS,weblink Al Franken goes from top target to heavy favorite for Minnesota Senate, May 26, 2013, James, Hohmann, Politico, May 26, 2013, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20130527111328weblink">weblink May 27, 2013, 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.WEB, 2015-02-18, September 28, 2019, Nominee For Attorney General Tap Dances Around Senator Franken's Question About Aaron Swartz,weblink Techdirt, Mike Masnick, September 28, 2019,weblink live, 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."NEWS,weblink Minn.'s Franken Hardly a GOP Target for Defeat, June 22, 2013, Patrick, Condon, Associated Press, June 22, 2013, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20130627152136weblink">weblink June 27, 2013, In interviews he expressed his desire to be known for a focus on constituency work, keeping his head down, and working hard.NEWS,weblink Al Franken on his first 6 months in the Senate: 'I kept my head down and did my job', January 17, 2010, Jason, Hoppin, TwinCities.com, June 22, 2013, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20140223114042weblink">weblink February 23, 2014, NEWS,weblink Franken's Goal: I'm Serious Enough, March 2, 2013, Shira, Toeplitz, Emily, Pierce, Roll Call, June 22, 2013, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20121216034700weblink">weblink December 16, 2012, (File:WASHINGTON, DC -- JULY 25 2017 Democratic Senators address a crowd of supporters at a rally on the Capitol steps after the motion to proceed vote on the Trumpcare bill. (35998609362).jpg|thumb|Franken in July 2017 (second from the left))Franken was an effective fundraiser for the Democrats.NEWS, Brooks, Jennifer, Franken ashamed but says he'll return to work on Monday,weblink Star Tribunedate=November 27, 2017, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20171130230108weblink">weblink November 30, 2017, NEWS, Brodey, Sam, Resignation or not, what should Democrats do with Franken campaign money?,weblink MinnPost, November 17, 2017, live,weblink December 1, 2017, NEWS, Everett, Burgess, Franken gets serious about flipping Senate to Democrats,weblink Politico, November 3, 2017, live,weblink December 1, 2017, By late 2015, his political action committee had raised more than $5{{nbsp}}million in donations. In 2016, his PAC raised $3.3{{nbsp}}million.WEB, Midwest Values PAC Summary,weblink OpenSecrets, live,weblink December 1, 2017, According to The Star Tribune, Franken was able to "draw crowds and donations across the country".Franken condemned the genocide of the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar and called for a stronger response to the crisis.NEWS, Sen. Todd Young urges action to end Muslim genocide in Myanmar,weblink IndyStar, October 22, 2017, February 4, 2019, June 8, 2020,weblink live, 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.NEWS, Senate – Aipac,weblink September 19, 2016,weblink October 19, 2016, 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.WEB,weblink Cosponsors – S.720 – 115th Congress (2017–2018): Israel Anti-Boycott Act, Benjamin L., Cardin, March 23, 2017, congress.gov, June 27, 2019, June 21, 2020,weblink live, 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.WEB,weblink U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 115th Congress – 1st Session, senate.gov, July 27, 2017, June 27, 2019, January 13, 2018,weblink live,

{{anchor|Allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct}}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." She said she pushed him away, feeling "disgusted and violated".WEB,weblink Senator Al Franken Kissed and Groped Me Without My Consent, And There's Nothing Funny About It, Tweeden, Leann, Leann Tweeden, November 16, 2017, 790 KABC, December 9, 2017, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20171116153732weblink">weblink November 16, 2017, Roger Stone circulated news of the allegations to right-wing media.MAGAZINE, Mayer, Jane, The Case of Al Franken, The New Yorker, December 25, 2020, July 29, 2019,weblinkweblink July 22, 2019, live, File:Al Franken and Leeann Tweeden.jpg|thumb|Franken holding his hands above Leeann TweedenLeeann TweedenDuring the 2006 tour, Franken was photographed holding his hands above Tweeden's breasts while she was asleep wearing body armor and a helmet.NEWS, Amy B., Wang, Lindsey, Bever, Michelle Ye Hee, Lee, 'Al Franken kissed and groped me without my consent,' broadcaster Leeann Tweeden says,weblink The Washington Post, November 16, 2017, live,weblink November 16, 2017, WEB, Clark, Dartunorro, November 16, 2017, Al Franken accused of forcibly kissing, groping Leeann Tweeden,weblink 2022-06-03, NBC News, en, 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."A teenaged accusation against Brett Kavanaugh is no excuse to rehabilitate adult serial sexual predator Al Franken {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403013725weblink |date=April 3, 2019 }}, Washington Examiner, Becket Adams, September 17, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2019.NEWS,weblink Senator Al Franken Apologizes for Groping a Woman in 2006, Fandos, Nicholas, November 16, 2017, The New York Times, November 16, 2017,weblink November 16, 2017, live, Harwood was referring to video taken of Tweeden "humping" the married Williams on a similar 2004 USO tour.WEB, Leeann Tweeden: Video With 10K Views Shows Her Throwing Her Leg Around Robin Williams, Slapping His Backside,weblink Inquisitr, November 21, 2017, December 27, 2020, January 21, 2021,weblink live, 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."MAGAZINE, Khatchatourian, Maane, Al Franken Apologizes After Being Accused of Groping, Kissing Radio Host Without Consent,weblink Variety (magazine), Variety, November 16, 2017, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20171117002645weblink">weblink November 17, 2017, July 16, 2019, A few hours later, Franken issued a longer apology,NEWS, Read Al Franken's apology following accusation of groping and kissing without consent,weblink CNN, November 17, 2017, November 17, 2017, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20171116234557weblink">weblink November 16, 2017, which Tweeden accepted.NEWS, Savransky, Rebecca, Woman who accused Franken says she accepts his apology,weblink November 19, 2017, The Hill (newspaper), The Hill, November 16, 2017, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20171118225328weblink">weblink November 18, 2017, 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.WEB, Lee, MJ,weblink Woman says Franken inappropriately touched her in 2010, CNN, November 20, 2017, November 20, 2017, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20171120231510weblink">weblink November 20, 2017, WEB,weblink Al Franken hit with groping allegation from second woman, November 20, 2017, Fox News, November 20, 2017, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20171120160129weblink">weblink November 20, 2017, Two anonymous women made similar complaints related to events during political events.WEB, Hatch, Jenavieve, Roth, Zachary,weblink Two More Women Accuse Sen. Al Franken Of Inappropriate Touching, November 23, 2017, November 23, 2017, HuffPost, live,weblink November 23, 2017, 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."NEWS, Chavez, Nicole, Lee, MJ,weblink Al Franken sorry he 'made some women feel badly', CNN, November 24, 2017, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20171124052538weblink">weblink November 24, 2017, 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.NEWS, Schladebeck, Jessica, Army veteran says Sen. Al Franken groped her while she was stationed in Middle East in 2003,weblink New York Daily News, November 30, 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.", live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20171207012432weblink">weblink December 7, 2017, NEWS, Gambino, Lauren, Al Franken: two more women accuse senator of sexual misconduct,weblink The Guardian, November 30, 2017, live,weblink December 7, 2017, 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 photographWEB,weblink Army veteran says Franken groped her during USO tour in 2003, Lee, MJ, CNN, November 30, 2017,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20180115184801weblink">weblink January 15, 2018, January 14, 2018, with her during a 2003 USO tour in Iraq.WEB,weblink CNN, Fifth woman comes forward with accusations against Al Franken, November 30, 2017, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20171201032035weblink">weblink December 1, 2017, 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. On November 30 the committee announced that it was investigating allegations against him.NEWS, Naylor, Brian, Pelosi, Ryan Call on Conyers To Step Down; Franken Under Senate Ethics Inquiry,weblink NPR, November 30, 2017, live,weblink December 5, 2017, NEWS, Zdechlik, Mark, Franken's ethics investigation: a field guide,weblink Minnesota Public Radio, December 4, 2017, live,weblink December 4, 2017, Some liberal groups and commentators, including the Indivisible movement and Sally Kohn, called on Franken to resign.WEB, Sachor, Elana, Min Kim, Seung,weblink Liberals turn on Franken, Politico, November 20, 2017, November 24, 2017, live,weblink November 21, 2017, On December 6, two more accusations surfaced, one by an anonymous congressional aide about an attempted kiss at his radio show studio,NEWS,weblink Another woman says Franken tried to forcibly kiss her, Politico, December 6, 2017, live,weblink December 6, 2017, and one by congressional aide Tina Dupuy that Franken squeezed her waist at a party before he took office.NEWS,weblink Woman tells magazine about 2009 Franken groping incident, Lima, Christiano, December 6, 2017, Politico, December 6, 2017,weblink December 6, 2017, live, 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.NEWS, Schor, Elana, Kim, Seung Min, More than two dozen Democratic senators call on Franken to resign,weblink December 6, 2017, Politico, live,weblink December 6, 2017,

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.NEWS,weblink Sen. Al Franken says he's resigning – live stream updates, Watson, Kathryn, December 7, 2017, CBS News, December 7, 2017, live,weblink December 7, 2017, He called some of the accusations "simply not true" and said he remembered others "very differently".WEB, Solis, Marie, Could Al Franken Make A Comeback? Amy Klobuchar Said Former Senator Has A Third Act,weblink Newsweek, April 15, 2018, June 9, 2018, June 6, 2018,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20180606121544weblink">weblink live, 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.WEB,weblink Sen. Al Franken takes dig at Trump, Moore in resignation speech, December 7, 2017, USA Today, December 7, 2017, live,weblink December 7, 2017, 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.NEWS,weblink Transition time: Franken moves out, Smith moves in, Rao, Maya, January 2, 2018, January 2, 2018, Star Tribune, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20180102232408weblink">weblink January 2, 2018,

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.NEWS, Mayer, Jane,weblink The Case of Al Franken, The New Yorker, July 22, 2019, live,weblink July 22, 2019, July 22, 2019, Reporting in 2019 by New Yorker journalist Jane Mayer documented substantial inaccuracies in Tweeden's allegations. 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."Accusations that the forced resignation was unfair were described as a liability to Gillibrand's presidential campaign in mid-2019.NEWS, Lisa, Lerer, September 2, 2019, The Gillibrand Test Case for Women in Politics,weblink The New York Times, September 1, 2019, 0362-4331, NYTimes.com, September 2, 2019,weblink live, 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."NEWS, Natasha, Korecki, May 31, 2020, Franken scandal haunts Gillibrand's 2020 chances,weblink Politico, November 26, 2018, May 30, 2020,weblink live, 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.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.NEWS,weblink Coming Forward About Sexual Assault, and What Comes After, Carmon, Irin, September 30, 2019, New York (magazine), New York, September 30, 2019,weblink September 30, 2019, live, Schonbeck, Amelia, Sarah Jones, en-us, 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."NEWS,weblink Another Woman Says Al Franken Groped Her, Carmon, Irin, September 30, 2019, September 30, 2019, live, en-us,weblink September 30, 2019, 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.NEWS, Schnell, Mychael,weblink Al Franken: 'It would be tempting' to run for office again, The Hill (newspaper), The Hill, February 10, 2022, 2022-02-10,

Committee assignments

In the Senate, Franken served on the following committees:

• Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
  • Subcommittee on Energy
  • Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests and Mining
  • Subcommittee on Water and Power
• Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
  • Subcommittee on Children and Families
  • Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety (Ranking Member)
• Committee on Indian Affairs
• Committee on the Judiciary
  • Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the Courts
  • Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights
  • Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights
  • Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law (Ranking Member)

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, where he lives. 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. 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.WEB,weblink Minnesota Monthly, January 29, 2013, Starring Al Franken, Tim, Gihring, July 2008, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20130312144738weblink">weblink March 12, 2013, They have a daughter, a son, and four grandchildren. Their daughter, Thomasin, 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.NEWS,weblink Thomasin Franken, Brody Greenwald, The New York Times, October 2, 2011, August 29, 2014, live, subscription,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20151025210640weblink">weblink October 25, 2015, Their son, Joseph, works in the finance industry. Franken is a second cousin of the actor Steve Franken, known for his appearances in the television series The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.WEB,weblink Steve Franken, 'Dobie Gillis' Actor, Dead at Age 80, August 30, 2012, January 6, 2013, OnTheRedCarpet.com, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20121113085432weblink">weblink November 13, 2012, Franken has said that he "very strongly" identifies "as a Jew—as a pretty secular Jew". He has also said he believes in God.In the summer of 2021, Franken moved back to New York City, settling on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

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? (novel)|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 {| class"wikitable sortable"

style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;"! Year! Work! Writer! Actor! Cameo! Notes|1976Tunnel Vision (1976 film)>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 videoRole: 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}}||1986One More Saturday Night (film)>One More Saturday Night|{{yes}}|{{yes}}||Role: Paul Flum|1988–1995|Saturday Night Live|{{yes}}|{{yes}}|{{yes}}||1993Coneheads (film)>Coneheads|{{yes}}|||1994When a Man Loves a Woman (film)>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}}||1998From the Earth to the Moon (miniseries)>From the Earth to the Moon||{{yes}}||TV miniseriesRole: Jerome Wiesner|2001|Harvard Man|||{{yes}}||2004|Outfoxed||{{yes}}||Role: Air America host|2004The Manchurian Candidate (2004 film)>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|2011Hot Coffee (film)>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|2023The Daily ShowTHE DAILY SHOW GUEST HOST LINEUP ACCESS-DATE=2023-06-22 LANGUAGE=EN, ||||Guest host

Electoral history

2008

{{Election box open primary begin no change | title=2008 Minnesota U.S. Senate electionWEB,weblink Minnesota Secretary of State, 2008 Primary Election Results, March 8, 2021, January 26, 2021,weblink live, WEB,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20090121144412weblink">weblink dead, January 21, 2009, General Election Results, Minnesota Secretary of State, January 5, 2009, January 6, 2009, WEB,weblink Election Reporting, Minnesota Secretary of State, April 10, 2009, April 13, 2009, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20081120032829weblink">weblink November 20, 2008, }}{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change }}{{Election box candidate with party link no change }}{{Election box candidate with party link no change }}{{Election box candidate with party link no change }}{{Election box candidate with party link no change }}{{Election box candidate with party link no change }}{{Election box candidate with party link no change }}{hide}Election box total no change {edih}{{Election box open primary general election no change}}{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change }}{{Election box candidate with party link no change }}{{Election box candidate with party link no change }}{{Election box candidate with party link no change }}{{Election box candidate with party link no change }}{{Election box write-in with party link no change }}{{Election box margin of victory no change }}{hide}Election box total no change {edih}{hide}Election box gain with party link no swing {edih}{{Election box end}}

2014

{{Election box open primary begin no change | title=2014 Minnesota U.S. Senate electionWEB,weblink Minnesota Secretary of State, 2014 Primary Election Results, March 8, 2021, January 26, 2021,weblink live, WEB,weblink Statewide Results for U.S. Senator, Minnesota Secretary of State, December 19, 2014, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20141225184614weblink">weblink December 25, 2014, }}{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change }}{{Election box candidate with party link no change }}{hide}Election box total no change {edih}{{Election box open primary general election no change}}{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change {{Election box candidate with party link no change {{Election box candidate with party link no change }}{{Election box candidate with party link no change {{Election box write-in with party link no change }}{{Election box margin of victory no change }}{hide}Election box total no change {edih}{hide}Election box hold with party link no change {edih}{{Election box end}}

See also

• Saturday Night Live cast members
• List of Jewish members of the United States Congress

Explanatory notes

{{notelist}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{Sister project links|d=Q319084|n=no|b=no|v=no|voy=no|c=category:Al Franken|m=no|mw=no|species=no|wikt=no}}

• weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20180224162528weblink">alfranken.com, the website of Franken's, or made on behalf of him, as archived by the Wayback Machine on February 24, 2018
• weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20180106013805weblink">Franken's previous U.S. Senate website as archived by the Wayback Machine on January 6, 2018
• {{Curlie|Regional/North_America/United_States/Minnesota/Government/Federal/US_Senate/Former_Members/Al_Franken_%5BD%5D/ }}
• {{CongLinks | congbio=F000457 | votesmart=108924 | fec=S8MN00438 | congress=al-franken/1969 }}
• {{C-SPAN|23334}}
• {{IMDb name|0291253}}

{{Al Franken|state=expanded}}{{Navboxes| title = Awards for Al Franken| list ={{EmmyAward ComedyVarietyMusicWriting 1970s}}{{EmmyAward ComedyVarietyMusicWriting 1980s}}{{EmmyAward VarietySpecialWriting}}{{Evelyn F. Burkey Award}}{{Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album}}{{Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album 2000s}}}}{{United States senators from Minnesota}}{{USCongRep-start|congresses= 111th–115th United States Congresses |state=Minnesota}}{{USCongRep/MN/111}}{{USCongRep/MN/112}}{{USCongRep/MN/113}}{{USCongRep/MN/114}}{{USCongRep/MN/115}}{{USCongRep-end}}{{Authority control}}