Steve CoxKonto zweryfikowane

I'm only chiming in here because I hate such inaccuracy in language: Franken contested the first allegation and apologized for the *photo*, without any admission of groping (likely because at least the photo we *have* depicts no touching, given the shadows beneath every finger).https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/931621919585132544 …

2/ To be clear, I am *not* saying I don't believe Tweeden. She was asleep when it happened (and she averred on radio she's a heavy sleeper), but (a) we don't know if more happened than that photo, and (b) she's every right and cause to feel violated by just the photo we do have.

3/ Any investigation into this—I can say as a former criminal defense attorney who tried sexual assaults—will hinge on finding the photographer and/or other photos of the incident. In legal terms, Tweeden wasn't an eyewitness due to an inability to perceive the events (sleeping).

4/ It's *entirely* possible additional witnesses or photos will reveal Franken groped Tweeden—and as I said she's every right and cause to feel violated by that photo. To her credit, her allegation was Franken was posed "as if" groping—a perfectly accurate statement of the facts.

5/ What we expect of journalists, attorneys and politicians is unrelenting accuracy/transparency: Franken apologized for what any person of decency would admit was a grotesque photo; Tweeden accepted his apology. The groping and pseudo-consensual kissing are separate allegations.

6/ By comparison, Trump faces allegations from 19 women which—while he hasn't confessed to the actions they allege—conform to a taped confession we have from him regarding identical behavior and his claim he engages in it routinely. Any journalist or attorney sees the difference.

7/ Franken may yet confess to groping; he may yet confess that the "practice kiss" both he and Tweeden agree was (in only the *narrow legal sense*) "consensual" was in fact performed by him in a manner beyond any reasonable reading of consent; more witnesses or photos may emerge.