Franken says woman who raised assault allegations against him is free to 'speak out'
Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Mike Franken says his former campaign staffer accusing him of assault is free to tell her side of the story. Iowa Republicans are calling on Franken to release her from a non-disclosure agreement.
Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Mike Franken says his former campaign staffer accusing him of assault is free to tell her side of the story. Iowa Republicans are calling on Franken to release her from a non-disclosure agreement.
Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Mike Franken says his former campaign staffer accusing him of assault is free to tell her side of the story. Iowa Republicans are calling on Franken to release her from a non-disclosure agreement.
Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Mike Franken said his former campaign staffer accusing him of assault is free to tell her side of the story.
In a statement released Wednesday, Franken for Iowa campaign manager Julie Stauch wrote:
“No agreement exists that prevents any employee of our campaign – past or present – from speaking out on this issue. These accusations are false and deceitful insinuations from political opponents," Stauch said.
“If only Sen. Grassley had the interests of Iowa women in mind throughout his 63-year political career, instead of seven weeks before his most competitive reelection campaign ever. The facts are clear: Senator Grassley has repeatedly voted against the Violence Against Women Act, against ensuring equal pay for equal work, and has spent decades working to ban abortion nationwide, even in cases of rape, incest, and when the life of the mother is at risk.”
In April, Kimberley Strope-Boggus told Des Moines police that when she was fired from the Franken campaign in February she signed a separation agreement and "agreed not to make any disparaging remarks about [Franken] or his campaign."
In the same report, she told police that, in March, Franken grabbed her and kissed her without her consent.
Police said there was not enough information to bring charges and closed the case.
Franken's opponent, Republican incumbent Chuck Grassley, responded to the allegations Wednesday. He's calling on Franken to release Strope-Boggus from her non-disclosure agreement.
"People who have experienced sexual harassment or assault should be able to speak out if they choose and that's exactly what the Judiciary did with a bill that I helped cosponsor," Grassley said.
Grassley co-sponsored the Speak Out Act which passed the Senate Judiciary committee earlier this month.
It would exempt victims of sexual harassment or assault from non-disclosure agreements, allowing them to speak out.
Franken's campaign manager responded to that legislation, writing, “Admiral Franken appreciates Sen. Grassley's support for Sen. Gillibrand’s bipartisan bill banning non-disclosure agreements governing allegations of sexual assault or harassment. Franken fully supports this bill and will be proud to back it when he is in the Senate."
Grassley Works spokesperson Michaela Sundermann sent this statement to vlog:
“It took more than 50 hours for Mike Franken to address the nondisclosure agreement and now he’s attempting to play word games in response to serious allegations of assault. Note he does not deny his accuser is under a nondisclosure agreement.
In his statement, Mike Franken tries to mislead Iowans by saying she is not under a nondisclosure agreement ‘on this issue.’ Is Mike Franken denying that his lawyers contacted his accuser in an attempt to silence her with the nondisclosure agreement, as outlined in the police report detailing the alleged assault? The question remains: will Mike Franken release his accuser from all nondisclosure agreements so she can fully share her side of the story? And will Mike Franken pledge not to retaliate against his accuser should she speak out freely regarding all her interactions with him?”
Previous coverage:
Watch: ‘This is not game over’: How will assault allegations against Franken change US senate race?
Watch: Iowa Republicans call on Franken to release accuser from non-disclosure agreement