2 More Women Accuse Franken Of Sexual Misconduct

WASHINGTON, DC — Two more women accused Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) of sexual misconduct Thursday, one telling CNN that he inappropriately touched her breast as the two posed for a photo, and another telling Jezebel that he “open-mouthed kissed her.”

Army veteran Stephanie Kemplin, 41, told CNN that Franken touched her breast in 2003 as the two posed for a photo in Kuwait when she was deployed and he was on a USO tour. Kemplin is the second woman to accuse Franken of inappropriate touching while he was overseas on such a tour.

"When he put his arm around me, he groped my right breast. He kept his hand all the way over on my breast," Kemplin told CNN. "I've never had a man put their arm around me and then cup my breast. So he was holding my breast on the side."

Another woman, who asked to remain anonymous, told Jezebel that Franken planted an open-mouthed kiss on her as the two taped a radio show in front of a large audience in 2006.

The woman, who was the chair of her New England town’s Selectboard, told the website that she joined Franken for a taping of his progressive radio show on “Air America.” After the interview, she told the website, “I reached out my hand to shake his. He took it and leaned toward me with his mouth open. I turned my head away from him and he landed a wet, open-mouthed kiss awkwardly on my cheek.”

She added: “I was stunned and incredulous. I felt demeaned. I felt put in my place.”

A total of six women have now accused Franken of sexual misconduct since mid November. His first accuser, radio host Leeann Tweeden, 44, said Franken grabbed her breasts while she was sleeping and foricbly kissed her while they were on a USO tour in the Middle East.

Two other women accused Franken of grabbing their rear ends as they posed for a photo, and third accused him of cupping her buttocks at a 2008 Democratic fundraiser.

After the allegations surfaced, Franken said he felt embarrassed and ashamed and that he, “let a lot of people down and I’m hoping I can make it up to them and gradually regain their trust.”

Franken said he would continue to serve in the Senate, but welcomes an Ethics Committee investigation into the claims made against him.

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Photo Credit: AP Photo/Alex Brandon