Today Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., resigned over the continued allegations by women of unwanted sexual advances from the politician and former comedian, primarily during his years prior to becoming an elected official.

As reverberations emanating from the Harvey Weinstein scandal concerning sexual abuse in the entertainment world have swept through countless industries, include Capitol Hill among the target rich facilitators.

Democrats and Republicans alike joined to signal enough was enough with the questionable behavior Sen. Franken had shown to exhibit against his accusers. This comes on the heels of iconic Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Mich., and Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., issuing resignations over inappropriate behavior. Speculation now swirls around several other members of Congress for similar conduct.

Now it’s time for the Republican Party and the people of Alabama to step up and deliver a rebuke against Donald Trump and the credible claims from at least nine women accusing Judge Roy Moore of inappropriately approaching them as young girls, one being only 14, when he served as a 32-year old assistant district attorney. In some instances it’s alleged Moore touched these girls sexually, in an unwanted and illegal manner.

The fine people of Alabama will litigate this matter on Dec. 12, when the election for its vacant Senate seat takes place.

Listen to the women. #MeToo

Excerpt from Sen. Franken’s resignation delivered today on the floor of the U.S. Senate

“…Over the last few weeks, a number of women have come forward to talk about how they felt my actions had affected them. I was shocked. I was upset. But in responding to their claims, I also wanted to be respectful of that broader conversation, because all women deserve to be heard, and their experiences taken seriously.

I think that was the right thing to do. I also think it gave some people the false impression that I was admitting to doing things that, in fact, I hadn’t done. Some of the allegations against me are simply not true. Others, I remember very differently.

I said at the outset that the Ethics Committee was the right venue for these allegations to be heard, and investigated, and evaluated on their merits. That I was prepared to cooperate fully. And that I was confident in the outcome.

You know, an important part of the conversation we’ve been having the last few months has been about how men abuse their power and privilege to hurt women.

I am proud that, during my time in the Senate, I have used my power to be a champion for women – and that I have earned a reputation as someone who respects the women I work alongside every day. I know there’s been a very different picture of me painted over the last few weeks. But I know who I really am.

Serving in the United States Senate has been the great honor of my life. I know in my heart that nothing I have done as a Senator – nothing – has brought dishonor on this institution. And I am confident that the Ethics Committee would agree.

Nevertheless, today I am announcing that, in the coming weeks, I will be resigning as a member of the United States Senate.

I, of all people, am aware that there is some irony in the fact that I am leaving while a man who has bragged on tape about his history of sexual assaults sits in the Oval Office, and a man who has repeatedly preyed on young girls campaigns for the Senate with the full support of his party.

But this decision is not about me. It’s about the people of Minnesota. And it’s become clear that I can’t both pursue the Ethics Committee process and, at the same time, remain an effective Senator for them.”