US Democratic Senator Al Franken announced his resignation on Thursday, a day after a majority of his Democratic Senate colleagues called for him to step down following a string of sexual misconduct allegations against him.
"I know in my heart that nothing I've done as a senator - nothing - has brought dishonour on this institution," Franken said on the Senate floor. "Nevertheless, today I am announcing that in the coming weeks, I will be resigning as a member of the United States Senate."
He took a parting shot at President Donald Trump and Republican candidate in Alabama, Roy Moore, both of whom have been accused by multiple women of inappropriate sexual behaviour. The latter is facing accusations of pedophilia, but is refusing to resign.
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"I am leaving while a man who has bragged on tape about his history of sexual assault sits in the Oval Office and a man who repeatedly preyed on young girls campaigns for the Senate with the full support of his party," Mr Franken said.
"But this decision is not about me. It's about the people of Minnesota."
The former comedian issued an apology in November after a photo emerged from 2006, in which he appeared to be groping a woman's chest as she slept.
News presenter Leeann Tweeden claimed Mr Franken kissed her during a rehearsal for a skit in an opinion piece published by KABC radio. She also described another incident in which Mr Franken misbehaved.
"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.
"I immediately pushed him away with both of my hands against his chest and told him if he ever did that to me again, I wouldn't be so nice about it the next time.
"I walked away. All I could think about was getting to a bathroom as fast as possible to rinse the taste of him out of my mouth. I felt disgusted and violated."
Reuters / Newshub.
