Report: Senators urge Al Franken to withdraw resignation

No fewer than four senators — at least two of whom are Democrats — have called for Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) to consider reversing his resignation, according to Politico.

Franken's December resignation came on the heels of several women launching accusations of sexual misconduct against the embattled Minnesota senator.

What are the details?

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin (W.Va.) on Politico's "Off Message" podcast Monday blasted the outpouring of Democrats calling for Franken's resignation as "hypocritical."

"What they did to Al was atrocious, the Democrats," Manchin explained. "The most hypocritical thing I’ve ever seen done to a human being — and then have enough guts to sit on the floor, watch him give his speech, and go over and hug him? That’s hypocrisy at the highest level I’ve ever seen in my life. Made me sick."

Manchin said he hopes that Franken will withdraw his resignation and that senators who led the charge against Franken will ask him to stay until the ethics investigation is completed.

"I hope they have enough guts ... and enough conscience and enough heart to say, 'Al, we made a mistake asking prematurely for you to leave,'" Manchin said.

The outlet also spoke to sources reportedly privy to a conversation between Franken and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) in which Leahy allegedly admitted he regretted calling for Franken's resignation.

According to the report, two other senators said they were rushed to make a decision on whether to call for Franken's resignation, and reportedly added that they did not put enough thought into their decision.

One reportedly said, "I think we acted prematurely, before we had all the facts. In retrospect, I think we acted too fast."

Franken, in an early December speech announcing his resignation, said, "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."

Despite giving a resignation speech, Franken continues working at the time of this writing and has not provided a concrete date as when his planned resignation will go into effect.

Politico reported that Franken has not indicated any plans to retract his resignation.