On Thursday, President Trump held a rally in Rochester, Minnesota in order to promote the Republican agenda in the typically blue state, as well as boost Republican Senate candidate Karin Housley.
During his speech, Trump slammed former Democratic Sen. Al Franken, who resigned last year amid multiple allegations of groping and inappropriate behavior toward women:
[Tina Smith] took a wacky guy’s place. That guy was – he was wacky. Boy, did he fold up like a wet rag, huh? Man, he was gone so fast. I don’t wanna mention Al Franken’s name, okay, so I won’t. He was gone so fast. It was like, “Oh, he did something!” “Oh, I resign. I quit, I quit.” Wow. He was gone, and he was replaced by somebody that nobody ever heard of.
Following the release of a photo in which Franken is shown groping or pretending to grope Leeann Tweeden, Trump tweeted:
“Lesley Stahl tape” is a reference to a 1995 magazine article in which Franken is quoted describing potential lines for a possible SNL sketch mentioning journalist Lesley Stahl:
“Then, when Lesley’s passed out, I take her to the closet and rape her.” Or, “That’s why you never see Lesley until February.” Or, “When she passes out, I put her in various positions and take pictures of her.”
Franken announced his resignation less than a month after the November 16, 2017 allegations from Leeann Tweeden and after considerable pressure from Democrats.