Franken Has Parting Shot for GOP in Final Senate Speech

So long, Sen. Al Franken: The Democrat delivered his final speech on the Senate floor Thursday, slamming Trump administration policies and urging fellow senators to "stand up for truth," the Hill reports. Franken, who reluctantly resigned after several women accused him of groping or harassing them, said he was worried about the direction the country is going in. "As I leave the Senate, I have to admit that it feels like we're losing the war for truth," he said, per the Washington Post. "Maybe it's already lost. If that's what happens, then we have lost the ability to have the kinds of arguments that help build consensus."

In a parting shot at the Trump administration, Franken, who has served in the Senate since 2009, blasted the GOP's tax reform bill for "showering corporations and wealthy donors with tax breaks and special favors." He called it a "slap in the face" for the "forgotten men and women" Trump talked about on the campaign trail and said the values being advanced by Trump and congressional Republicans don't represent his "belief that our economy, our democracy and our country works best when they work for everyone." Other senators, including fellow Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, paid tribute to Franken after he concluded his 30-minute speech, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. After Franken officially leaves on Jan. 2, he will be replaced by Minnesota Lt. Gov. Tina Smith. (More Al Franken stories.)