Sen. Al Franken, D-Minnesota, took to the floor of the Senate and announced his resignation as a United States Senator. He stated, apparently without a hint of irony, “I am proud that during my time the Senate I have used my power to be a champion of women and that I have earned a reputation as someone who respects the women I work alongside every day.” Franken was first outed by a female radio personality who posted a picture of him groping her breasts while she slept and he mugged for the cameras. A report by CBS confirmed most of the details in this article.

Franken was compelled to step down after multiple women pointed the finger of accusation against him. The majority of the Senate Democratic caucus went on the record the day before and demanded that he resign. While rumors abounded that he might stand fast and fight things out in the Senate Ethics Committee, Franken’s position just became untenable. The question arises, what happens next?

Senate Democrats to use Franken scandal to their advantage

While many Republicans will regard the fall of Franken with barely restrained glee, the development presents a problem for them. Most polling suggests that Roy Moore will win the special Senate election in Alabama, Moore has been accused to pursuing a number of teenage girls when he was in his 30s, one of them as young as 14.

If Moore is elected, the Democrats can justly claim that they expedited the removal of one of their perverts, but the Republicans elected one of theirs. The Democrats ignored previous high profile members of their party, such as Bill Clinton and Teddy Kennedy, who did worse things with women and got a pass.

Republican reaction

The GOP reaction to the problem of Roy Moore is tempered by the fact that they need his vote to pass meaningful legislation. At the same time, they cannot fail to do something about Moore. He will apparently be investigated by the Senate Ethics Committee, to what end it is unclear. It is possible that the committee will ferret out enough proof of misdeeds on Moore’s part that the Senate GOP can justify expelling him.

Moore has thus far proven impervious to shame. He did not step aside from the election nor will he likely resign his seat short of proof of the commission of a crime.

The situation brings with it the odor of virtue signaling and hypocrisy on a scale rarely before seen in official Washington. Of course, it is entirely possible that other high profile politicians are going to be caught in flagrante delicto. Chickens coming home to roost does not even begin to describe it.
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