Star Magazine logo

STAR Pays for Scoops!

Button which opens 'Send us a scoop' formClick here!

or call (800) 609-8312

Breaking News

Sen. Al Franken Apologizes For Groping & Kissing Radio Host In 2006

See the photo of the alleged incident.

Sen. Al Franken

Credit: Getty Images

Sen. Al Franken issued two apologies after radio broadcaster, Leeann Tweeden accused the Minnesota Democratic Senator of groping and kissing her without her consent in 2006 while she was on a USO tour overseas.

Leeann, who now works at 790 KABC in Los Angeles posted her story on the station’s website on Thursday in a piece Titled “Senator Al Franken Kissed And Groped Me Without My Consent, And There’s Nothing Funny About It.”

The alleged incident occurred over a decade ago when Franken was starring on the popular NBC series Saturday Night Live. 

 At the time the now-lawmaker Groped Leeann’s breast when she was sleeping and kissed her as part of skit. Later, Leann found a picture of the alleged incident.

“It wasn’t until I was back in the U.S. and looking through the CD of photos we were given by the photographer that I saw this one,” she wrote in a piece for KABC. “I felt violated all over again. Embarrassed. Belittled. Humiliated. How dare anyone grab my breasts like this and think it’s funny?”

Leanne also said that the former SNL cast member wrote in a skit that featured a kiss between them, which he insisted on rehearsing.

“He said to me, ‘We need to rehearse the kiss.’ I laughed and ignored him. Then he said it again. I said something like, ‘Relax Al, this isn’t SNL…we don’t need to rehearse the kiss’,” she wrote in a lengthy and detailed post on KABC’s website.

“He continued to insist, and I was beginning to get uncomfortable.”

Following the claims, Sen. Franken issued a statement via Twitter saying: “I certainly don’t remember the rehearsal for the skit in the same way, but I send my sincerest apologies to Leeann. As to the photo, it was clearly intended to be funny but wasn’t. I shouldn’t have done it.”

A second apology was also later issued, in which he claims he “respects women.”

Since then, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has called for an ethics investigation into Franken.