Rape survivor wants Franken's name off bill
By AP staff
AP
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The Latest on allegations of sexual misconduct against Sen. Al Franken (all times local):

A Minnesota woman and rape survivor who worked with Sen. Al Franken to craft legislation for fellow survivors says the senator should take his name off the bill.

Abby Honold, 22, was brutally raped by a fellow University of Minnesota student in 2014. Her rapist was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty in 2016.

She worked with Franken on an upcoming bill to fund special training for law enforcement officers interviewing trauma victims. But those plans changed after allegations surfaced Thursday that Franken forcibly kissed a Los Angeles radio anchor and was photographed reaching out to grope her while she slept during a 2006 USO tour.

Honold said Friday that someone else should champion the bill — and said Franken’s office agrees. She calls his conduct disappointing.

The woman who accused Sen. Al Franken of forcibly kissing her and groping her during a 2006 USO tour read a letter she received from him in which he apologizes.

In an appearance on ABC’s “The View” on Friday, Leeann Tweeden said Franken also discussed a photo showing Franken posing in a joking manner, smiling at the camera with his hands on her chest as she naps wearing a flak vest aboard a military plane.

Franken wrote to her: “Dear Leeann, I want to apologize to you personally. I don’t know what was in my head when I took that picture. But that doesn’t matter. There’s no excuse. I understand why you can feel violated by that photo.”

Franken did not acknowledge groping Tweeden and said he remembered the events differently. Still, he said, he was ashamed that his actions ruined the USO experience for her.