BREAKING: Franken Accuser Defends Herself; Multiple Women Confirm Franken’s Serial Misconduct
Lyz Lenz | POLITICO
Franken Accuser Kimberley Strope-Boggus: “I am honest to a fault. Michael Franken kissed me without my consent. It happened…. What happened to me and what is happening now is not my fault. It’s his. That has always been, and will remain, the truth.”
Second Woman: Franken “frequently crossed boundaries with women,” kissing them on the cheek and hugging them.
Third Woman: “granted anonymity because she also feared political blowback, confirmed this behavior. ‘It’s really uncomfortable.'”
WEST DES MOINES—Grassley Works Communications Director Michaela Sundermann today released the following statement regarding a breaking news story confirming serious allegations of unwanted advances by Mike Franken.
“The pattern that’s emerging raises very serious questions for Iowans and the public trust. It’s unclear what Mike Franken could say to offset what his accusers are saying, but it’s a situation that calls for transparency and accountability. Sexual harassment and assault are never acceptable. Candidates seeking office must answer to the public.”
EXCERPTS FROM POLITICO:
“He’s quick with a wild drinking story. One he told me as we were driving to a campaign event was about the last time he got seriously drunk was in 1983 as a Navy officer in Bahrain. … He got so drunk, Franken continued, he passed out at a picnic with a piece of goat meat in his hand. When he woke up hours later, he had to report back for duty.”
“In a statement, sent to me over text, Strope-Boggus told me, ‘Anyone who knows me, knows that I am honest to a fault. Michael Franken kissed me without my consent. It happened. And now, again, without my consent, I am being mentioned by both sides as though I am a disposable pawn in the political machine. I hope we can all take a step back and look at how we treat women who come forward and how we react to their stories. What happened to me and what is happening now is not my fault. It’s his. That has always been, and will remain, the truth.'”
“A woman with knowledge of the incident, who was granted anonymity to avoid retaliation from Democrats in the state, concurred in this estimation of Franken, comparing the allegations against Franken to the allegations against Biden, when women accused the then-vice president of behavior that made them feel uncomfortable. She noted that Franken ‘frequently crossed boundaries with women,’ kissing them on the cheek and hugging them.”
“Another person, who has experience working with Franken and was granted anonymity because she also feared political blowback, confirmed this behavior. ‘It’s really uncomfortable,’ the person said.”
