A Second Take On Due Process Morning Joe/MSNBC 12/19/2017:
I don't feel entirely comfortable siding with notorious corporate Dem John Manchin on this. (See: Edward-Isaac Dovere, ‘I Was An Easy Pickup’: How Trump Lost Manchin on Taxes) But when he's right, he's right. Politico 12/19/2017)
But Kirsten Gillibrand isn't claiming second thoughts: Edward-Isaac Dovere, Franken urged to reverse his resignation Politico 12/18/2017:
The feeling is not pervasive throughout the conference. Aides to several Democratic senators who called for Franken to step down, despite their conflicted feelings about doing so, said they remain comfortable with the move.
That includes Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. The New York Democrat helped lead the charge against Franken the day that POLITICO published the account of a former Democratic congressional aide who said the former comedian tried to forcibly kiss her after the taping of a radio show in 2006.
Gillibrand has said that sending a clear message of zero tolerance is important, and that she was worried that the Ethics Committee process was being used as a shield.
“She has said, ‘He was entitled to a process, but he was not entitled to my silence,’” said one person who has spoken to Gillibrand about the decision.
And why should she? Pushing Al Franken into announcing his resignation removed one of the more prominent male politicians who might be a competitor to her in the Presidential primaries of 2020. She has other potential male opponents to knock off before she can get the nomination, notably Joe Biden. So why give up a political tactic that has been quite effective for her in the Franken case? Andrea Ramsey has some thoughts on the matter.
So does Elizabeth Drew:
Sen. Gillibrand, ringleader in showing Al Franken the door, now says he could have his process but not deny her her voice. No one was doing that but her voice denied him any process.
— Elizabeth Drew (@ElizabethDrewOH) December 19, 2017
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