Story highlights David Perry, a Minneapolis-based writer, says he can't support Al Franken any more after the recent allegations

He says Republicans may support alleged abusers in the GOP, but that's not enough reason for Democrats to back Franken

David M. Perry is a freelance journalist covering disability rights, history and education. He writes regularly at his blog: How Did We Get Into This Mess? Follow him on Twitter. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his.

Minneapolis (CNN) I was shopping for Thanksgiving with my wife in suburban St. Paul when the news came scrolling across my phone that Sen. Al Franken had been accused of sexual harassment. I saw the photographic evidence. I may have sworn. We had a quiet moment in the busy store, angry to learn that one of our favorite politicians had behaved so badly.

David M. Perry

I've been a big supporter of Al Franken. He's so intelligent and sharp, and yet seemingly so compassionate to people in need. When facing down Trump appointees in the Senate or appearing on the media, he often says just what I hope to hear.

My family and I moved back to the Twin Cities this summer after a decade away. One of the last times that I voted in Minnesota, Paul Wellstone had died and Norm Coleman beat former Vice President Walter Mondale in 2004. I was eager to cast my vote for Al Franken, who holds Wellstone's Senate seat, in 2020. Now, I can't imagine ever voting for Franken.

There's been no unanimity on the left about how to respond. When I took to social media to say that I believed Tweeden and wanted Franken to go, I got pushback from fellow Minnesotans and other progressives. Some argued that because Tweeden had accepted his apology, we should wait to see what the ethics investigation recommended.

Others grabbed onto conspiracy theories, especially after it emerged that Roger Stone seemed to know the allegation was coming. I was told, with no evidence to support it, that the photo of Franken was electronically manipulated. More credibly, defenders acknowledged their disappointment in the senator's conduct, but called it an isolated incident. At the time, I sadly remarked that there's never just one incident.

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