Woman accuses Senator Al Franken of unwanted groping, kissWASHINGTON (Reuters) - A radio broadcaster accused U.S. Senator Al Franken on Thursday of touching her breasts while she slept and forcing a kiss on her in 2006 when he was still a comedian and the two were preparing to perform before U.S. troops in the Middle East. Anchor Leeann Tweeden related her experience in a first-person account on the website of Los Angeles station KABC amid outrage over numerous reports of sexual misconduct by powerful men from Hollywood to Capitol Hill.  Franken, a Democrat, issued an apology on Thursday. The Senate’s Democratic and Republican leaders called on the Ethics Committee to review the allegations and Franken said he would cooperate. Tweeden said Franken wrote a skit that included a kiss between the two and said he insisted upon rehearsing it, which she at first resisted. “He repeated that actors really need to rehearse everything and that we must practice the kiss. I said ‘OK’ so he would stop badgering me,” she wrote. “We did the line leading up to the kiss and then he came at me, put his hand on the back of my head, mashed his lips against mine and aggressively stuck his tongue in my mouth.” She said she pushed Franken away but felt disgusted and violated. Tweeden also said Franken groped her while she slept during their flight home on a military plane. “I felt violated all over again. Embarrassed. Belittled. Humiliated,” Tweeden wrote. “How dare anyone grab my breasts like this and think it’s funny?” She posted a photo taken at the time of Franken mugging for the camera with his hands above her breasts as she sat in the military aircraft wearing a flak jacket with eyes closed.   “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,” Franken said in a statement. Reuters was unable to independently verify Tweeden or Franken’s accounts.     She told reporters in a later press conference that she considered the kiss an assault but accepted his apology. “The apology? Sure, I accept it,” she said. “People make mistakes and of course he knew he made a mistake.” U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in on Twitter, calling the photo “really bad.” “And to think that just last week he (Franken) was lecturing anyone who would listen about sexual harassment and respect for women,” Trump tweeted. Trump himself came under fire last year over alleged sexual misconduct after a decade-old outtake from his appearance on the television program “Access Hollywood” surfaced during the presidential campaign, in which Trump bragged about kissing and grabbing women without their consent. Trump later apologized for the “Access Hollywood” comments, which he called “locker room talk.” He told reporters last month that allegations of sexual assault and misconduct leveled at him before the election by several women were “made-up stuff.” Franken, in a longer statement issued after his first apology, was more contrite. “I don’t know what was in my head when I took that picture, and it doesn’t matter. There’s no excuse. I look at it now and I feel disgusted with myself. It isn’t funny. It’s completely inappropriate,” he said.  The USO, which sponsored the tour on which Franken and Tweeden traveled, said it was never aware of the incident. “This incident was never reported to the USO,” USO spokeswoman Ashley McLellan said in an email. “We have no knowledge of it. The report is deeply disturbing and does not reflect the values of the USO.”  Franken was a well-known American comedian before he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2008 as a Democrat from Minnesota. Sexual misconduct allegations have been lodged against several well-known men in the entertainment industry, and Roy Moore, a Republican U.S. Senate candidate in Alabama, has been accused of having sexual contact with teenage girls decades ago. Moore, 70, has denied the accusations and said he was the victim of a political witch hunt.  Trump on Thursday said Moore should step aside if sexual misconduct allegations against him are true, a stance that puts him at odds with other Republican leaders in Washington who have said they believe the women making the accusations against the former Alabama Supreme Court chief justice and have demanded that Moore withdraw from the race ahead of the Dec. 12 vote. Lawmakers this week shared stories of women and men being propositioned and groped in the halls of the U.S. Capitol as Congress reviewed sexual harassment policies.   Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and Democratic leader Chuck Schumer agreed the Ethics Committee should investigate. Franken also called for an ethics investigation. “It appears that the Senate is looking into that, which they should, and we feel that is an appropriate action,” White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said on Thursday when asked about the allegations against Franken. Franken’s Democratic Senate colleagues Clare McCaskill and Kirsten Gillibrand both expressed deep concern about the allegations. “The behavior described is completely unacceptable. Comedy is no excuse for inappropriate conduct, and I believe there should be an ethics investigation,” McCaskill wrote on Twitter. Former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, asked about Alabama Senate candidate Moore, said reporters should be asking her instead about Franken and called up the photograph on her phone. “This is what you should be asking me about,” Palin said, as she talked to reporters in the U.S. Capitol, complaining about “double standards here.” She added Franken should leave the Senate if the account is true. Tweeden said she was inspired to tell her story by women members of Congress who spoke up against harassment this week. “I’m telling my story because there may be others,” she said. politicsNews
woman accuses senator al ranked unwanted growing kisswashington reuters a radio broadcaster accused senator al ranked thursday touching breasts slept forcing kiss still comedian two preparing perform troops middle east anchor learn sweden related experience account website los angeles station abc amid outrage numerous reports sexual misconduct powerful men hollywood capitol hill ranked democrat issued apology thursday the senate democratic republican leaders called ethics committee review allegations ranked said would cooperate sweden said ranked wrote skit included kiss two said insisted upon rehearsing first resisted he repeated actors really need rehearse everything must practice kiss i said ok would stop badgering wrote we line leading kiss came put hand back head mashed lips mine aggressively stuck tongue she said pushed ranked away felt disgusted violated sweden also said ranked grouped slept flight home military plane i felt violated embarrassed belittled humiliated sweden wrote how dare anyone grab breasts like think funny she posted photo taken time ranked tagging camera hands breasts sat military aircraft wearing flak jacket eyes closed i certainly remember rehearsal skit way i send interest apologies learn as photo clearly intended funny i done ranked said statement reuters unable independently verify sweden ranked accounts she told reporters later press conference considered kiss assault accepted apology the apology sure i accept said people make mistakes course knew made president donald trump weighed twitter calling photo really and think last week ranked lecturing anyone would listen sexual harassment respect women trump tweeted trump came fire last year alleged sexual misconduct outtakes appearance television program access hollywood surfaced presidential campaign trump dragged kissing grabbing women without consent trump later apologized access hollywood comments called locker room he told reporters last month allegations sexual assault misconduct leveled election several women ranked longer statement issued first apology contribs i know head i took picture matter there excuse i look i feel disgusted it funny it completely inappropriate said the uso sponsored tour ranked sweden traveled said never aware incident this incident never reported uso uso spokeswoman ashley mclellan said email we knowledge the report deeply disturbing reflect values ranked american comedian elected senate democrat minnesota sexual misconduct allegations lodged several men entertainment industry roy moore republican senate candidate alabama accused sexual contact teenage girls decades ago moore denied accusations said victim political witch hunt trump thursday said moore step aside sexual misconduct allegations true stance puts odds republican leaders washington said believe women making accusations former alabama supreme court chief justice demanded moore withdraw race ahead vote lawmakers week shared stories women men proposition grouped halls capitol congress reviewed sexual harassment policies senate republican leader mitch mcconnell democratic leader chuck scheme agreed ethics committee investigate ranked also called ethics investigation it appears senate looking feel appropriate action white house spokeswoman sarah sanders said thursday asked allegations ranked ranked democratic senate colleagues clare mccaskill kristen gillibrand expressed deep concern allegations the behavior described completely unacceptable comedy excuse inappropriate conduct i believe ethics investigation mccaskill wrote twitter former republican vice presidential candidate sarah palin asked alabama senate candidate moore said reporters asking instead ranked called photograph phone this asking palin said talked reporters capitol complaining double standards she added ranked leave senate account true sweden said inspired tell story women members congress spoke harassment week i telling story may others said politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Woman accuses Senator Al Franken of unwanted groping, kissWASHINGTON (Reuters) - A radio broadcaster accused U.S. Senator Al Franken on Thursday of touching her breasts while she slept and forcing a kiss on her in 2006 when he was still a comedian and the two were preparing to perform before U.S. troops in the Middle East. Anchor Leeann Tweeden related her experience in a first-person account on the website of Los Angeles station KABC amid outrage over numerous reports of sexual misconduct by powerful men from Hollywood to Capitol Hill.  Franken, a Democrat, issued an apology on Thursday. The Senate’s Democratic and Republican leaders called on the Ethics Committee to review the allegations and Franken said he would cooperate. Tweeden said Franken wrote a skit that included a kiss between the two and said he insisted upon rehearsing it, which she at first resisted. “He repeated that actors really need to rehearse everything and that we must practice the kiss. I said ‘OK’ so he would stop badgering me,” she wrote. “We did the line leading up to the kiss and then he came at me, put his hand on the back of my head, mashed his lips against mine and aggressively stuck his tongue in my mouth.” She said she pushed Franken away but felt disgusted and violated. Tweeden also said Franken groped her while she slept during their flight home on a military plane. “I felt violated all over again. Embarrassed. Belittled. Humiliated,” Tweeden wrote. “How dare anyone grab my breasts like this and think it’s funny?” She posted a photo taken at the time of Franken mugging for the camera with his hands above her breasts as she sat in the military aircraft wearing a flak jacket with eyes closed.   “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,” Franken said in a statement. Reuters was unable to independently verify Tweeden or Franken’s accounts.     She told reporters in a later press conference that she considered the kiss an assault but accepted his apology. “The apology? Sure, I accept it,” she said. “People make mistakes and of course he knew he made a mistake.” U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in on Twitter, calling the photo “really bad.” “And to think that just last week he (Franken) was lecturing anyone who would listen about sexual harassment and respect for women,” Trump tweeted. Trump himself came under fire last year over alleged sexual misconduct after a decade-old outtake from his appearance on the television program “Access Hollywood” surfaced during the presidential campaign, in which Trump bragged about kissing and grabbing women without their consent. Trump later apologized for the “Access Hollywood” comments, which he called “locker room talk.” He told reporters last month that allegations of sexual assault and misconduct leveled at him before the election by several women were “made-up stuff.” Franken, in a longer statement issued after his first apology, was more contrite. “I don’t know what was in my head when I took that picture, and it doesn’t matter. There’s no excuse. I look at it now and I feel disgusted with myself. It isn’t funny. It’s completely inappropriate,” he said.  The USO, which sponsored the tour on which Franken and Tweeden traveled, said it was never aware of the incident. “This incident was never reported to the USO,” USO spokeswoman Ashley McLellan said in an email. “We have no knowledge of it. The report is deeply disturbing and does not reflect the values of the USO.”  Franken was a well-known American comedian before he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2008 as a Democrat from Minnesota. Sexual misconduct allegations have been lodged against several well-known men in the entertainment industry, and Roy Moore, a Republican U.S. Senate candidate in Alabama, has been accused of having sexual contact with teenage girls decades ago. Moore, 70, has denied the accusations and said he was the victim of a political witch hunt.  Trump on Thursday said Moore should step aside if sexual misconduct allegations against him are true, a stance that puts him at odds with other Republican leaders in Washington who have said they believe the women making the accusations against the former Alabama Supreme Court chief justice and have demanded that Moore withdraw from the race ahead of the Dec. 12 vote. Lawmakers this week shared stories of women and men being propositioned and groped in the halls of the U.S. Capitol as Congress reviewed sexual harassment policies.   Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and Democratic leader Chuck Schumer agreed the Ethics Committee should investigate. Franken also called for an ethics investigation. “It appears that the Senate is looking into that, which they should, and we feel that is an appropriate action,” White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said on Thursday when asked about the allegations against Franken. Franken’s Democratic Senate colleagues Clare McCaskill and Kirsten Gillibrand both expressed deep concern about the allegations. “The behavior described is completely unacceptable. Comedy is no excuse for inappropriate conduct, and I believe there should be an ethics investigation,” McCaskill wrote on Twitter. Former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, asked about Alabama Senate candidate Moore, said reporters should be asking her instead about Franken and called up the photograph on her phone. “This is what you should be asking me about,” Palin said, as she talked to reporters in the U.S. Capitol, complaining about “double standards here.” She added Franken should leave the Senate if the account is true. Tweeden said she was inspired to tell her story by women members of Congress who spoke up against harassment this week. “I’m telling my story because there may be others,” she said. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: woman accuses senator al ranked unwanted growing kisswashington reuters a radio broadcaster accused senator al ranked thursday touching breasts slept forcing kiss still comedian two preparing perform troops middle east anchor learn sweden related experience account website los angeles station abc amid outrage numerous reports sexual misconduct powerful men hollywood capitol hill ranked democrat issued apology thursday the senate democratic republican leaders called ethics committee review allegations ranked said would cooperate sweden said ranked wrote skit included kiss two said insisted upon rehearsing first resisted he repeated actors really need rehearse everything must practice kiss i said ok would stop badgering wrote we line leading kiss came put hand back head mashed lips mine aggressively stuck tongue she said pushed ranked away felt disgusted violated sweden also said ranked grouped slept flight home military plane i felt violated embarrassed belittled humiliated sweden wrote how dare anyone grab breasts like think funny she posted photo taken time ranked tagging camera hands breasts sat military aircraft wearing flak jacket eyes closed i certainly remember rehearsal skit way i send interest apologies learn as photo clearly intended funny i done ranked said statement reuters unable independently verify sweden ranked accounts she told reporters later press conference considered kiss assault accepted apology the apology sure i accept said people make mistakes course knew made president donald trump weighed twitter calling photo really and think last week ranked lecturing anyone would listen sexual harassment respect women trump tweeted trump came fire last year alleged sexual misconduct outtakes appearance television program access hollywood surfaced presidential campaign trump dragged kissing grabbing women without consent trump later apologized access hollywood comments called locker room he told reporters last month allegations sexual assault misconduct leveled election several women ranked longer statement issued first apology contribs i know head i took picture matter there excuse i look i feel disgusted it funny it completely inappropriate said the uso sponsored tour ranked sweden traveled said never aware incident this incident never reported uso uso spokeswoman ashley mclellan said email we knowledge the report deeply disturbing reflect values ranked american comedian elected senate democrat minnesota sexual misconduct allegations lodged several men entertainment industry roy moore republican senate candidate alabama accused sexual contact teenage girls decades ago moore denied accusations said victim political witch hunt trump thursday said moore step aside sexual misconduct allegations true stance puts odds republican leaders washington said believe women making accusations former alabama supreme court chief justice demanded moore withdraw race ahead vote lawmakers week shared stories women men proposition grouped halls capitol congress reviewed sexual harassment policies senate republican leader mitch mcconnell democratic leader chuck scheme agreed ethics committee investigate ranked also called ethics investigation it appears senate looking feel appropriate action white house spokeswoman sarah sanders said thursday asked allegations ranked ranked democratic senate colleagues clare mccaskill kristen gillibrand expressed deep concern allegations the behavior described completely unacceptable comedy excuse inappropriate conduct i believe ethics investigation mccaskill wrote twitter former republican vice presidential candidate sarah palin asked alabama senate candidate moore said reporters asking instead ranked called photograph phone this asking palin said talked reporters capitol complaining double standards she added ranked leave senate account true sweden said inspired tell story women members congress spoke harassment week i telling story may others said politicsnews