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A second woman is now alleging that Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) touched her inappropriately in 2010 at the Minnesota State Fair.
Lindsay Menz, a 33-year-old Texas woman, told CNN on Thursday that Franken grabbed her buttocks during a photo op during the state fair.
What did Menz allege?
Menz told CNN that during a 2010 visit to the fair with her husband and father — whose small business was operating a local radio booth — she spent time taking photos with various political candidates, elected officials, and even some celebrities as they appeared at her father's radio booth.
Menz reported that when Franken's turn came to approach the booth, Menz engaged in a short conversation with the senator. When it came time for a photo, Menz reported that Franken "pulled me in really close, like awkward close, and as my husband took the picture, he put his hand full-fledged on my rear. It was wrapped tightly around my butt cheek."
"It wasn't around my waist," Menz explained. "It wasn't around my hip or side. It was definitely on my butt. I was like, 'Oh my God, what's happening.'"
Menz said the "uncomfortable" incident — which reportedly lasted three to four seconds — made her feel "gross."
"It'd be like being walking through the mall and some random person grabbing your butt," she explained. "You just feel gross. Like 'Ew, I want to wash that off of me.'"
CNN reported that Menz shared the photo of her and Franken on Facebook that same day, and her sister commented and joked that Menz and Franken weren’t two "Bibles width apart."
Menz responded, "Dude — Al Franken TOTALLY molested me! Creeper!"
Lindsay Menz tells @CNN Al Franken inappropriately touched her during a photo-op at the Minnesota State Fair in 2010 https://t.co/NwSMHwxgWD
— Julia Manchester (@JuliaManch) November 20, 2017
Did Franken respond?
In a Sunday statement to CNN, Franken said that he did not recall taking a photo with Menz, and added that he felt "badly" — that she felt disrespected.
"I take thousands of photos at the state fair surrounded by hundreds of people, and I certainly don't remember taking this picture," Franken said. "I feel badly that Ms. Menz came away from our interaction feeling disrespected."
