Today, Senator Al Franken resigned. But not really.
As RedState’s Dan Spencer wrote, Franken needs to “put up or shut up” when it comes to leaving his comfy Senate seat. His announcement of resigning his position “in the coming weeks” is a Democratic cop-out. It temporarily appeases some and feels very moral to others, but the longer he stays the more it seems like he and his higher-ups just don’t care.
Perhaps, there is another more partisan motive to it all, though.
On Twitter, @Patriot_Musket questioned the Democrats long-term plans for the seat, and his theory might just be correct. Could this be what is really going on behind the scenes?
That Minnesota senate seat is not as safely Democratic as people think it is.
— Federalist Musket🇺🇸 (@Patriot_Musket) December 7, 2017
Franken won it by 300 votes. Many of which were later admitted to be illegal votes.
— Federalist Musket🇺🇸 (@Patriot_Musket) December 7, 2017
— Federalist Musket🇺🇸 (@Patriot_Musket) December 7, 2017
And Democrats and Al Franken know it. Hence the non-resignation resignation.
— Federalist Musket🇺🇸 (@Patriot_Musket) December 7, 2017
This is why he's being vague about WHEN he will actually resign. pic.twitter.com/0GsVf5poZw
— Federalist Musket🇺🇸 (@Patriot_Musket) December 7, 2017
In summary…
If he can drag it out long enough, the seat stays D until at least 2020. If he can't, then it's up next year and not as safe as people think it is.
— Federalist Musket🇺🇸 (@Patriot_Musket) December 7, 2017
So, that could possibly explain why the resignation will be “in the coming weeks” instead of immediately. No date was given. Today, the people demanded that he make some sort of statement. So he did. The PR police were satisfied, and that’s about it.
In a news cycle that sees almost daily sexual harassment allegations being brought against the well-known, whether they’re in politics, entertainment, or the media, appeasement is a must. At the moment, the spotlight is upon so many figures. Could Franken’s non-resignation resignation announcement been orchestrated to take the heat off of him (at least somewhat) while plans are hatched to save the seat for another Democrat in the near future?
Time will tell.
What’s clear is that members of Congress are given much more leeway than individuals in other positions and industries. We hear excuses, delays, and distractions. D.C. really is a very safe place for those who sexually harass others and abuse their positions of power.
If Franken desired to retain any shred of already-strained credibility, he would leave immediately or at least give an exact end date. But he didn’t.
And that might just be part of a bigger plan.
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