--- title: Watch Online: Al Franken Addresses Sexual Misconduct Allegations description: Al Franken is set to make an announcement, and possibly resign, on the Senate floor Thursday. Watch Al Franken's announcement here. canonical: https://time.com/5053756/watch-online-al-franken-senate-announcement/ author: Jamie Ducharme article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-12-07T13:54:24.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-23T18:29:14.715Z article:section: Politics og:title: Al Franken Makes Announcement While Under Pressure to Resign Over Allegations og:description: Many expect the Minnesota senator to resign og:url: https://time.com/5053756/watch-online-al-franken-senate-announcement/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd1007fbb80d50918/6988f428096a946ff56a0b0e/al-franken-announcement.jpeg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: US-POLITICS-HARASSMENT-DEMOCRATS-FRANKEN og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Al Franken Makes Announcement While Under Pressure to Resign Over Allegations twitter:description: Many expect the Minnesota senator to resign twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd1007fbb80d50918/6988f428096a946ff56a0b0e/al-franken-announcement.jpeg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Al Franken Makes Announcement While Under Pressure to Resign Over Allegations  by [Jamie Ducharme](https://time.com/author/jamie-ducharme/)  ## Jamie Ducharme Ducharme is a contributor to TIME. Dec 7, 2017 1:54 PM UTC  US Senator Al Franken speaks outside his office on Capitol Hill. US Senator Al Franken speaks outside his office on Capitol Hill.JIM WATSON—AFP/Getty Images  by [Jamie Ducharme](https://time.com/author/jamie-ducharme/)  ## Jamie Ducharme Ducharme is a contributor to TIME. Dec 7, 2017 1:54 PM UTC Sen. Al Franken is set to address the mounting sexual misconduct allegations against him, as well as his future as a Minnesota senator, in an announcement on the Senate floor Thursday. Many, [including some of Franken’s fellow senators](http://time.com/5052304/al-franken-resign-democrats-women/?iid=sr-link4), expect the comedian-turned-lawmaker to resign, [despite a Wednesday evening tweet from Franken’s official account](http://time.com/5053448/al-franken-resign-senate-decision/?iid=sr-link1) that said “any reports of a final decision are inaccurate.” Franken came under increasing pressure to leave office after he was [accused of sexual misconduct by a seventh woman](http://time.com/5052055/al-franken-sexual-misconduct-allegaton-congressional-aide/?iid=sr-link5) on Wednesday. A group of at least 23 Democrats, including New York Sen. Kristen Gillibrand, called on Franken to resign after the new allegations surfaced. “While Senator Franken is entitled to have the Ethics Committee conclude its review, I believe it would be better for our country if he sent a clear message that any kind of mistreatment of women in our society isn’t acceptable by stepping aside to let someone else serve,” Gillibrand wrote in a Facebook post. If Franken resigns, [Minnesota will hold a special election](http://time.com/5053057/al-franken-resigns-senate-seat-minnesota/?iid=sr-link2) to fill his vacant seat during the upcoming midterm elections. The winner of that election would finish out the rest of Franken’s term, which is set to expire in January 2021, and have the option to run to permanently fill his seat in 2020. 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