Franken 's rising political star obscured by accusations
Al Franken
WASHINGTON (AP) â "Many of you have jobs  many of you have families " Sen. Al Franken told Democratic leaders gathered on the eve of a hotly contested governor's election in Virginia. After an expectant pause  he leaned into the microphone and added  "Ignore them."
 Franken  was jokingly beseeching activists to get out the vote the following day  in what ended up as a surprisingly decisive victory for Democratic candidate Ralph Northam. But the moment  barely two weeks ago  also underscored how high the one-time "Saturday Night Live" comic had risen in  his  party's firmament.
After spending much of  his  nearly nine years as senator trying to shed  his  funnyman image and quietly digging into issues like internet access and consumer protection   he  was now a draw at political events and mentioned by some as a 2020 presidential possibility. Months of savaging some of President Donald Trump's appointees had turned the Harvard-educated Franken into a weapon of choice for Democrats eager to attack the administration and energize party voters.  He  brandished comedy as a bludgeon.
Now   Franken 's rising trajectory has been interrupted by allegations  he  had physical contact with four women without their permission.  He  faces a Senate ethics investigation for improper conduct and hasn't been seen publicly since the first claims of misbehavior last week.  His  future is suddenly unclear.
"It's always a great disappointment when leaders you like and admire do bad stuff " said Mike Lux  a liberal Democratic consultant. He said it was premature to say how the allegations would affect  Franken 's career. But  Lux added  "If more incidents come to light   he 's got a real problem."
Los Angeles radio anchor Leeann Tweeden last week said  Franken  had put  his  tongue in her mouth during a 2006 USO tour  before  he  became senator. She also posted a photo of  him  with  his  hands above her chest as she slept wearing a flak vest aboard a military plane. Franken  66  has apologized.
In a story published Wednesday by the Huffington Post  two more women alleged that  Franken  touched their buttocks during campaign events in 2007 and 2008.
 Franken  canceled a sold-out appearance in Atlanta to promote  his  book  "Al Franken  Giant of the Senate."  His  aides have said  he 's "spending time with  his  family and doing a lot of reflecting."
FILE - In this May 3  2017  file photo   Senate Judiciary Committee member Sen. Al Franken  listens on Capitol Hill in Washington  as FBI Director James Comey testified before the committee on oversight of the FBI.  Franken  has spent much of  his  nine years as senator trying to shed  his  funnyman image and digging into issues. That rising trajectory has been interrupted by allegations that  he  forcibly kissed one woman and squeezed anotherâs buttocks without their permission. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster  File)
 Franken  came to the Senate after a months-long recount gave  him  a 312-vote victory in  his  2008 election.  He  immediately distanced  himself  from  his  decades of professional comedy  which included off-color jokes about rape and disparaging women  and avoided national reporters.
Instead   he  focused on building a reputation as a studious senator  pushing legislation to crack down on Wall Street rating agencies  he  considered complicit in the 2007 economic collapse. As a signature issue   he  adopted the push to protect "net neutrality " an Obama administration policy barring internet providers from blocking or hindering websites. The Trump administration's Federal Communications Commission said Tuesday it will dismantle the rule.
 Franken  helped shape parts of former President Barack Obama's health care law and tackled farm and mental health issues.  He  easily secured a second six-year term in 2014  defeating a Republican businessman.
 Franken  appeared on  his  first Sunday network talk show late in  his  first term amid signs  he  was bolstering  his  national profile. But it was Trump's emergence that teased out a new  Franken  and had  him  pivot from staid senator to liberal attack dog.
In withering interrogations in the Senate   Franken  has clashed with a parade of Trump Cabinet appointees.
" He  made those guys sweat " former Senate Democratic aide Jim Manley said. " He 's got the ability to channel some of the populist rage against the administration."
 Franken  had a celebrated clash last month with Jeff Sessions over the attorney general's evolving descriptions of  his  contacts with Russian officials during last year's presidential campaign. Sessions  a Trump campaign official  told Congress in January  he 'd not communicated with the Russians.  He  later said  he  didn't recall such contact. Then last month   he  told the Senate Judiciary Committee  he 'd had no "improper discussions" with them.
WASHINGTON (AP) â "Many of you have jobs  many of you have families " Sen. Al Franken told Democratic leaders gathered on the eve of a hotly contested governor's election in Virginia. After an expectant pause  he leaned into the microphone and added  "Ignore them."
 Franken  was jokingly beseeching activists to get out the vote the following day  in what ended up as a surprisingly decisive victory for Democratic candidate Ralph Northam. But the moment  barely two weeks ago  also underscored how high the one-time "Saturday Night Live" comic had risen in  his  party's firmament.
After spending much of  his  nearly nine years as senator trying to shed  his  funnyman image and quietly digging into issues like internet access and consumer protection   he  was now a draw at political events and mentioned by some as a 2020 presidential possibility. Months of savaging some of President Donald Trump's appointees had turned the Harvard-educated Franken into a weapon of choice for Democrats eager to attack the administration and energize party voters.  He  brandished comedy as a bludgeon.
Now    [TGT]  's rising trajectory has been interrupted by allegations   [TGT]   had physical contact with four women without their permission.   [TGT]   faces a Senate ethics investigation for improper conduct and hasn't been seen publicly since the first claims of misbehavior last week.   [TGT]   future is suddenly unclear.
"It's always a great disappointment when leaders you like and admire do bad stuff " said Mike Lux  a liberal Democratic consultant. He said it was premature to say how the allegations would affect  Franken 's career. But  Lux added  "If more incidents come to light   he 's got a real problem."
Los Angeles radio anchor Leeann Tweeden last week said  Franken  had put  his  tongue in her mouth during a 2006 USO tour  before  he  became senator. She also posted a photo of  him  with  his  hands above her chest as she slept wearing a flak vest aboard a military plane. Franken  66  has apologized.
In a story published Wednesday by the Huffington Post  two more women alleged that  Franken  touched their buttocks during campaign events in 2007 and 2008.
 Franken  canceled a sold-out appearance in Atlanta to promote  his  book  "Al Franken  Giant of the Senate."  His  aides have said  he 's "spending time with  his  family and doing a lot of reflecting."
FILE - In this May 3  2017  file photo   Senate Judiciary Committee member Sen. Al Franken  listens on Capitol Hill in Washington  as FBI Director James Comey testified before the committee on oversight of the FBI.  Franken  has spent much of  his  nine years as senator trying to shed  his  funnyman image and digging into issues. That rising trajectory has been interrupted by allegations that  he  forcibly kissed one woman and squeezed anotherâs buttocks without their permission. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster  File)
 Franken  came to the Senate after a months-long recount gave  him  a 312-vote victory in  his  2008 election.  He  immediately distanced  himself  from  his  decades of professional comedy  which included off-color jokes about rape and disparaging women  and avoided national reporters.
Instead   he  focused on building a reputation as a studious senator  pushing legislation to crack down on Wall Street rating agencies  he  considered complicit in the 2007 economic collapse. As a signature issue   he  adopted the push to protect "net neutrality " an Obama administration policy barring internet providers from blocking or hindering websites. The Trump administration's Federal Communications Commission said Tuesday it will dismantle the rule.
 Franken  helped shape parts of former President Barack Obama's health care law and tackled farm and mental health issues.  He  easily secured a second six-year term in 2014  defeating a Republican businessman.
 Franken  appeared on  his  first Sunday network talk show late in  his  first term amid signs  he  was bolstering  his  national profile. But it was Trump's emergence that teased out a new  Franken  and had  him  pivot from staid senator to liberal attack dog.
In withering interrogations in the Senate   Franken  has clashed with a parade of Trump Cabinet appointees.
" He  made those guys sweat " former Senate Democratic aide Jim Manley said. " He 's got the ability to channel some of the populist rage against the administration."
 Franken  had a celebrated clash last month with Jeff Sessions over the attorney general's evolving descriptions of  his  contacts with Russian officials during last year's presidential campaign. Sessions  a Trump campaign official  told Congress in January  he 'd not communicated with the Russians.  He  later said  he  didn't recall such contact. Then last month   he  told the Senate Judiciary Committee  he 'd had no "improper discussions" with them.