Al Franken’s Sexual Misconduct May Have Saved Roy Moore’s U.S. Senate Bid in These 3 Ways
The admission of Al Franken’s sexual misconduct continues to reverberate around the Internet. His admitted impropriety with a female reporter in 2006, along with shockingly inappropriate photographs, has received universal backlash. While Franken faces a potential ethics hearing on the matter, his conduct may have had another unintended consequence. It may have helped save Roy Moore’s U.S. Senate bid. We examine.
In case you missed the unmissable, Minnesota Senator Al Franken (D-Min) was accused by news anchor Leeann Tweeden of sexual misconduct. She alleges that Franken, a comedian at the time, groped and forcibly kissed her without her consent. “I couldn’t believe it. He groped me, without my consent, while I was asleep.” (Source: “Photo: Journalist Leann Tweeden Accuses Sen. Al Franken of Fondling, Kissing Her Without Consent,” Breitbart, November 16, 2017.)
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There’s even disturbing visual evidence corroborating the account.
You can read Tweeden’s full account on the KABC web site. (Source: “Senator Al Franken Kissed and Groped Me Without My Consent, And There’s Nothing Funny About It,” November 16, 2017.)
Al Franken, to his minor credit, admitted culpability right away. Considering the photographs, resorting to damage control was the only thing he could do politically. He posted an apology on Twitter, which reads as follows:
I want to apologize to Leeann Tweeden, to everyone who was part of the USO tour, to all who've worked for me, to all I represent, & to all who've considered me an ally & supporter & champion of women. I am sorry. https://t.co/vrLCIcggg6
— U.S. Senator Al Franken (@SenFranken) November 16, 2017
In case any lingering questions about culpability remained, Franken even asked Congress to conduct an investigation into his own actions: “I am asking that an ethics investigation be undertaken, and I will gladly cooperate.” Case closed.
Franken’s impropriety comes on the heels of revelations that Congress has dished out at least $17.0 million over a 20-year period to settle sexual harassment and discrimination claims on Capitol Hill. From a public relations perspective, Franken’s revelations were the last thing Congress needed. (Source: “Congress paid out $17 million in settlements since 1990s,” ABC7-Detroit, November 16, 2017.)
Taken in isolation, Franken’s transgressions may come across as another celebrity abusing his status. It’s the exact type of deviance we’ve recently witnessed by other deviants in authority, most notably Hollywood movie producer Harvey Weinstein and Amazon Studios executive Roy Price. Sadly, this conduct has become so commonplace that it’s become almost expected, to a certain degree.
However, I believe Al Franken’s sexual misconduct case could have more widespread implications when looked at in a broader context. That context includes the embattled campaign of Alabama U.S. Senate hopeful Roy Moore.
Below are three important reasons how Al Franken might have inadvertently saved Roy Moore’s U.S. Senate bid.
#1 Shifts the Negative News Cycle Away from Moore
This is the most immediate and impactful way Al Franken has helped Roy Moore’s campaign. It shifted the focus away from Moore’s alleged indiscretions, which have been drip-fed by political foes to inflict maximum damage. Moore now gets a reprieve from the 24/7 negative news cycle that has dogged his campaign; at least for a short while.
Now that Moore’s news cycle has been interrupted, the intensity of subsequent events will be less intense. Franken’s scandal shifts the focus away from Moore’s accusers specifically, and into a broader conversation about sexual misconduct among politicians in general.
Any way to make the conversation less personal is a win for Moore.
#2 May Galvanize Alabama Voters by Displaying Apples-to-Apples Hypocrisy
Following the Franken debacle, Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell issued a statement. But it wasn’t the one many conservatives were looking for. McConnell’s statement reads as follows:
As with all credible allegations of sexual harassment or assault, I believe the Ethics Committee should review the matter. I hope the Democratic Leader will join me on this. Regardless of party, harassment and assault are completely unacceptable—in the workplace or anywhere else.
Although McConnell’s condemnation is clear, many Roy Moore supporters are likely to be livid about the blatant hypocrisy. (Source: “Mitch McConnell calls for ethics review of Al Franken sexual assault accusation,” Washington Examiner, November 16, 2017.)
Here we have a sitting U.S. senator, admitting culpability for lewd sexual misconduct (along with shocking photo evidence), and yet McConnell is only asking for an Ethics Committee hearing.
In Roy Moore’s case, the evidence is much less clear. The four accounts of misconduct involve hearsay accusations, which are almost 40 years old. The allegations have all been made a month before a critical U.S. Senate race.
None have any physical evidence besides an alleged yearbook signature, which is quite possibly forged or doctored. In fact, liberal attorney Gloria Allred has admitted she hasn’t asked her client whether the signature is authentic. Roy Moore has strenuously denied all the accusations and denied even knowing some of the women. (Source: “Gloria Allred: ‘I Haven’t Asked’ Beverly Young Nelson If She Saw Roy Moore Sign Her Yearbook,” Breitbart, November 16, 2017.)
Yet, Mitch McConnell has demanded Roy Moore drop out of his U.S. Senate bid. McConnell, speaking at an event in Louisville on Monday, said he “believe[d] the women” and that Moore “should step aside.” He even floated the possibility of supporting a write-in candidate in lieu of Moore, which would be a guaranteed loser. (Source: “New sex assault allegation hits Moore; he calls it false,” Associated Press, November 14, 2017.)
So the big question on many Alabaman voters’ minds will be: Why is McConnell demanding Moore drop out but only requesting an Ethics hearing on Franken? This seems like the ultimate hypocrisy, considering Franken’s is a slam-dunk case while Moore’s is very possibly politically motivated (and unproven). Where’s the outrage?
This is an effort by Mitch McConnell and his cronies to steal this election from the people of Alabama and they will not stand for it! #ALSEN
— Judge Roy Moore (@MooreSenate) November 16, 2017
Alabaman voters will not lose sight of this fact.
#3 Helped Provide Cover for Donald Trump to Stay Out
Roy Moore’s U.S. Senate bid may be able to survive the GOP establishment throwing him under the bus, but not the president. With funding, field support, and public relations help pulled, Moore is already facing an uphill battle in a close race.
Until yesterday, Donald Trump had yet to officially weigh in. But no doubt he held Roy Moore’s U.S. Senate bid in the palm of his hand. If he followed the party line and disavowed Moore, that likely would have swung enough Trump Republicans against Moore to torpedo his bid.
Yes, it’s true that Luther Strange was crushed in the Alabama Senate primary by Roy Moore, despite being endorsed by President Trump. However, that was pre-scandal. Polls that had Moore way ahead of Democratic challenger Doug Jones have completely shifted as the accusations against Moore have taken their toll.
For example, the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s own internal polling shows Doug Jones ahead by 12 points. A new Fox News poll indicates Moore is eight points behind. (Source: “Poll: Moore trails Jones in Alabama Senate race,” Politico, November 16, 2017.)
Even if we take a skeptical approach and assume these polls are biased or unrepresentative of reality, the best-case scenario for Moore is that this race is tight. Trump disavowing him could have been the death-knell for a campaign once considered a sure thing.
Only that’s not what happened.
In a much anticipated White House release yesterday, Press Secretary Sara Huckabee Sanders said that although President Donald Trump thought the sexual misconduct accusations leveled against Roy Moore were “troubling,” he believed the voters of Alabama “should make the decision on who their next senator should be.” (Source: “WH Press Sec Sanders: Trump Thinks ‘People of Alabama Should Make the Decision on Who Their Next Senator Should Be’,” Breitbart, November 16, 2017.)
Huckabee Sanders’ statement came a couple hours after the Franken scandal become public knowledge. Coincidence? Maybe, maybe not. But the White House had avoided the topic upon Trump’s arrival back to the U.S. from his 12-day Asia tour on Tuesday. It provided the perfect opportunity for Trump to sidestep the issue (which he was probably inclined to do, anyway) and leave it to the voters of Alabama to decide. This was a huge win for Moore.
In the end, Al Franken’s misdeeds could get him ousted from Congress. But more than that, he might have inadvertently aided Roy Moore’s U.S. Senate bid, much to the chagrin of political foes. Call it a potential Alabama Hail Mary in the making.
We’ll have to wait until December 12 to find out.
