Democrats tell scandal-hit Franken to quit US Senate

WASHINGTON: US Senator Al Franken on Wednesday faced a sudden deluge of demands — led by nearly half of the women senators in his Democratic Party — for his resignation after multiple claims of sexual misconduct against him.
Franken has acknowledged misconduct with at least one accuser. He apologized last month and vowed to work to regain the trust of his colleagues and voters. But with four other women now reportedly coming forward to accuse Franken of touching them inappropriately, 10 Democratic senators said it was time for him to go.
“Sexual harassment and misconduct should not be allowed by anyone and should not occur anywhere. I believe the best thing for Senator Franken to do is step down,” Senator Kamala Harris said in a tweet. As the calls for his resignation mounted, Franken’s office said he would make an announcement on Thursday, US media reported.