IJR:
On Wednesday, two additional women added to the mounting allegations of inappropriate touching by Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), alleging he touched their buttocks at events in 2007 and 2008.
Both women, who spoke to HuffPost on the condition of anonymity, allegedly endured harassment eerily similar to what Lindsay Menz said she experienced from Franken during a photo-op in 2010. In response, Franken said he didn’t remember the events at which he allegedly groped the women.
“It’s difficult to respond to anonymous accusers, and I don’t remember those campaign events,” Franken said.
One of the women alleged Franken, just as he did with Menz, groped her while they took a photograph.
The second woman said Franken asked her to go to the bathroom after he cupped her butt at a Democratic fundraiser in 2008.
“My immediate reaction was disgust,” she said. “But my secondary reaction was disappointment. I was excited to be there and to meet him. And so to have that happen really deflated me. It felt like: ‘Is this really the person who is going to be in a position of power to represent our community?’”