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The
66-year-old former comedian from Minnesota had been seen as a
rising star in the Democratic Party, but faced growing calls
from fellow Senate Democrats to step down as allegations against
him mounted.
Franken is one of several influential men who have lost their
jobs after being accused of sexual misconduct, assault or
harassment, including Hollywood executive Harvey Weinstein and
journalists Matt Lauer, Charlie Rose and Tavis Smiley.
He will be the third lawmaker facing misconduct allegations to
depart from Congress following Democratic Representative John
Conyers and Republican Representative Trent Franks. Two others,
Democratic Representative Ruben Kihuen and Republican
Representative Blake Farenthold, have said they will not seek
re-election next year.
Franken has denied some of the allegations against him and
questioned others. Reuters has not independently verified any of
the allegations.
Minnesota's Democratic governor, Mark Dayton, last week
appointed Lieutenant Governor Tina Smith, who is also a Democrat
to fill Franken's seat.
Smith, 59, will serve a one-year term concluding in January
2019, Dayton said, and will run in a special election for the
seat next November.
(Reporting by Richard Cowan; Writing by Tim Ahmann and Katanga
Johnson; Editing by David Alexander and Peter Cooney)
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