FRANKEN SUNKEN – AT 1:26 P.M. ET:   Suddenly we have a bunch of Democratic senators calling on fellow Dem Al Franken, of Minnesota to resign.  Franken has faced a battery of sexual harassment charges.  From CNBC:

Fourteen Democratic senators and the DNC chief urged Sen. Al Franken to resign Wednesday following the latest sexual misconduct allegation against him.

After the resignation calls, Franken's office said the senator would make an "announcement" on Thursday. It didn't elaborate.

Earlier Wednesday, Politico reported that a former Democratic congressional aide is accusing the Minnesota Democrat of forcibly trying to kiss her 11 years ago,adding to a string of allegations against him.

In a statement before the calls for his resignation started, Franken denied the latest accusation against him.

In a succession of statements Wednesday, 14 of Franken's Senate Democratic colleagues pushed for him to step down. Among them was Patty Murray of Washington, the third-ranking Senate Democrat and the highest-ranking woman.

COMMENT:  I don't defend what he's accused of doing, but there's a mob mentality here that can be very dangerous.

Why now?  Why has Franken, all of a sudden, been asked to resign by fellow Dems?  The answer seems pretty obvious.  Congressman John Conyers of Michigan, the longest serving member of the House, a Democrat, and an African American, was forced to resign yesterday over sex accusations.  Some African Americans are charging, with some justice, a double standard for blacks.  A scalp was needed to prove it ain't so, and Franken's was the best available.  Now, that's my take, and I could be wrong.  But I don't think I am. 

I'd much prefer to see a serious investigation into the charges against Franken.  That's the right way to do it.  But the needs of careers and politics are involved. 

We wait for Thursday's announcement by the senator. 

December 6, 2017