Sen. Al Franken Resigns Amid Sexual Misconduct Allegations

WASHINGTON — Sen. Al Franken announced Thursday he will resign from Congress after multiple women accused the senator of sexual misconduct.

"Today I am announcing that in the coming weeks I will be resigning as a member of the United States Senate," Franken said. "Let me be clear, I may be resigning my seat but I'm not giving up my voice."

As more accusers came forward throughout the past month detailing similar stories of the senator forcibly trying to kiss them, pressure grew from members of Franken's own party to step aside.

"Enough is enough," Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., told reporters Wednesday. "We need to draw a line in the sand and say none of it is okay, none of it is acceptable and we, as elected leaders, should absolutely be held to a higher standard."

"I'm shocked and appalled by Sen. Franken's behavior," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. "It's clear to me that this has been a deeply harmful, persistent problem and a clear pattern over a long period of time. It's time for him to step aside."

This week a former congressional aide detailed a new accusation to POLITICO of an incident that took place in 2006 after a taping of Franken's radio program.

"He was between me and the door and he was coming at me to kiss me," she recalled. "It was very quick and I think my brain had to work really hard to be like, 'Wait, what is happening?'"

"But I knew whatever was happening was not right and I ducked," she continued. "I was really startled by it and I just sort of booked it towards the door and he said, 'It's my right as an entertainer.'"

Franken has denied the charges against him.

"This allegation is categorically not true and the idea that I would claim this as my right as an entertainer is preposterous," Franken said in a statement to POLITICO.