Former U.S. Sen. Al Franken Will Speak in Portland This Fall

Franken resigned from the Senate in 2017 after allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced.

Al Franken (Ryan J. Reilly/Flickr)
By Elise Herron

Former U.S. Sen. Al Franken is coming to Portland on Oct. 2 for a talk at Revolution Hall.

It's been more than two years since Franken resigned from his role as U.S. Senator after allegations surfaced that he had forced a woman into an unwanted kiss during a 2006 U.S.O. tour. Franken is now on a renewed publicity blitz following a sympathetic profile on him in The New Yorker in July.

Franken, who got his start on Saturday Night Live, remains a central figure in the MeToo era, where powerful men are being forced to account for past actions.

According to Revolution Hall's event description, Franken's talk will include musings on SNL's political satire and a "rare behind-the-scenes look at an even longer-running institution—the United States Senate."

"As we head into the 2020 elections," the description reads, "Franken will cut through the conventional wisdom and tell you how it really is."

Tickets go on sale Aug. 23—tomorrow.

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