Minnesota Democratic Senator Al Franken Resigns As 7th Sexual Misconduct Accuser Surfaces! Once Vocal Franken Supporter, Previously A Victims Doubter And Current DC Comics Artist Mick Gray Remains Uncharacteristically Mum?
We’ve been following DC Comics Artist Mick Gray’s initial resolute support and then mixed yet qualified support for former Saturday Night Live (SNL) comedian and current Democratic Senator Al Franken’s amidst:
- an initial four allegations of sexual misconduct by Leeann Tweeden, Lindsay Menz and two anonymous women against the Minnesota senator;
- a fifth accuser Stephanie Kemplin; and
- an anonymous sixth accuser who is a former congressional aide.
Now, a seventh accuser named Tina Dupuy. She has said that his groping of her occurred in 2009 as follows:
- “It happened at a Media Matters party during the first Obama inauguration. It was a great time to be a Democrat…
…I asked to get a picture with him. We posed for the shot. He immediately put his hand on my waist, grabbing a handful of flesh. I froze. Then he squeezed. At least twice.
I’d been married for two years at the time; I don’t let my husband touch me like that in public because I believe it diminishes me as a professional woman. Al Franken’s familiarity was inappropriate and unwanted. It was also quick; he knew exactly what he was doing…
“At Comics Nexus, we have not written on all the #MeToo stories here. This is not because they are not important, they are and deserve their place as Time’s person of the year, but we have focused on the comics and related community.
The Al Franken story was one we cover due to DC Comics artist Mick Gray’s initial comments of support, equivocation, and more on his social media.
Franken’s first accuser was not be believed or it was not sexual assault, etc. Gray did not in all cases use those words, but forwarded stories on his Facebook account that gave that very clear impression.
In fairness to Gray, after a few more groping stories emerged, he did indicate he was done with Franken, but continued later to share a petition in support of Franken on his Facebook account.
Now that we’re up to 7 accusers – or 8 depending on your news source yet I have not been able to determine who the 8th victim is – Gray has at press time been silent lately on a topic he was so vocal about at the beginning of this sordid saga only 3 weeks ago.
I have to say, I like Mick Gray and his art. I’ve had nice chats with him on social media about Batman’s Robins, but I felt it was important to flag his initial comments and current silence based on the current #MeToo times.
Currently, the majority of Democratic Senators, and those that caucus with them, totaling 35 Senators have called for Franken to resign from the Senate.
The Office of Senator Franken had indicated that he would be issuing a statement at 11:45 a.m. Eastern Time today on the Senate floor. At that time, Al Franken did indicate that he would be resigning his Senate seat in the “coming weeks”. Franken said:
- “Today I am announcing that in the coming weeks, I will be resigning as a member of the United States Senate. It’s become clear that I can’t both pursue the ethics committee process and at the same time remain an effective senator for [the people of Minnesota].”
That would then leave the appointment of a new Senator up to the Governor of Minnesota prior to that seat being contested in mid-term elections in 2018.
