DFA urges Rep. John Conyers and Sen. Al Franken to resign following sexual misconduct allegations
Today, in light of the growing allegations of sexual misconduct against Rep. John Conyers and Sen. Al Franken, Democracy for America is urging both men to resign from office.
Complete statement from Democracy for America, led by the four women on its directing team, calling on Conyers and Franken to resign and urging progressives to lead the charge for justice for survivors and accountability for all perpetrators:
"We believe the multiple women who have bravely shared their stories about the behavior of Representative John Conyers and Senator Al Franken, and we strongly feel that both men have a moral obligation to hold themselves accountable for their misconduct and resign from office.
"Sexual abuse, assault, harassment, and exploitation and the men who perpetrate them have no place in our politics, period. While upholding that minimal standard may mean losing leaders in important fights, we should be far more concerned about the untold damage we do to the number, power, and diversity of progressive leaders when we hold back from confronting rape culture and abusive work environments anywhere and everywhere we see them.
"The right, which is led by serial sexual assault perpetrator Donald Trump and has tried to excuse child predator Roy Moore, has less than zero credibility in any effort to end our culture's long-running pandemic of sexual violence and harassment. If progressives are going to build a country that delivers justice for survivors, real accountability for perpetrators, and works toward equity in everything we do, the fight for change must start with us." -- Mia Moore, Chief of Staff; Kristina Powell, Finance Director; Mari Schimmer, Organizing Director; Annie Weinberg, Electoral Director; and all the directors and staff of the Democracy for America team.