Appearing on “Democracy Now!” on Monday, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) refused to directly answer the question posed by host Amy Goodman: Should Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) and Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) resign?
Well, you know, Amy, you know, here’s the thing. I would ask every member of Congress, including those, to look inside their conscience and ask themselves just a few questions. Can you be effective? If you stood up your whole life to stand up for the rights of people — and both of them have — is it not a moment now where you apply some standards to yourself that you have asked others to live by? These are the questions. Can you be effective? Can you be there for your constituents at this point? These are questions that we all have to answer.
I’ll tell you this. When this — I am hoping for a society where every person, women, can go to work and just do their job without any fear of being harassed, mistreated … the social trends that are driving us, I think, are leading our society to a better place. So, you know, I’ll trust that they will do the right thing for their constituents, for our country, um, but I am looking forward to a safer, more respectful work environment for everyone.
Goodman pressed Ellison, and the following exchange occurred:
GOODMAN: But specifically, should John Conyers resign?
ELLISON: I heard your question. I heard your question. I heard your question.
GOODMAN: So you’re not willing to say that?
ELLISON: I’m going to say that I’m going to ask them both to examine their conscience and do the right thing for all of us … and for their legacies.
GOODMAN: And of course Senator Franken is your fellow congressional leader from Minnesota. Your response so the same for Senator Franken?
ELLISON: Right.
Rep. Keith Ellison wouldn’t provide a straight answer as to whether his Democratic colleagues who have been accused of sexual harassment and assault should resign. However, it doesn’t appear as though Ellison has the same issue when it comes to Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore.
On November 22, Ellison retweeted an advertisement from Moore’s opponent, Doug Jones. Above the ad, Jones wrote: “Immoral.”
The commercial lists the names of the women who have accused Moore of sexual misconduct, then says: “They were girls when Roy Moore immorally pursued them. Now they are women; witnesses to us all of his disturbing conduct. Will we make their abuser a U.S. Senator?”
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It was announced on Tuesday that Rep. John Conyers will resign.