White House: Difference between Franken, Trump allegations is Franken ‘admitted wrongdoing’

The White House said Friday that one key difference between the allegations of sexual misconduct against Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and those against President Trump is that the senator “has admitted wrongdoing.”

At Friday’s press briefing, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders responded to a question about whether it would be “fair” to investigate the claims against the president. She said that the allegations against Trump were already covered “extensively” during the campaign.

“We addressed that then,” Sanders said. “The American people I think spoke loud and clear when they elected this president.”

“Senator Franken has admitted wrongdoing and the president hasn’t; I think that’s a very clear distinction,” she continued.

{mosads}Franken apologized Thursday after radio news host Leeann Tweeden accused him of kissing and groping her without consent, providing photographic evidence of the latter. Several top Democrats and Republicans are calling for an ethics investigation into Franken’s behavior, with Franken saying he would cooperate.

Trump tweeted a response to the Franken allegation Friday morning, immediately drawing backlash and reigniting the accusations against him.

During the campaign, more than a dozen women accused Trump of sexually harassing or assaulting them, on top of the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape in which Trump is heard bragging about groping women without consent.

“The Al Frankenstien picture is really bad, speaks a thousand words. Where do his hands go in pictures 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 while she sleeps?” Trump tweeted Friday.

The White House’s official stance on the women who have accused Trump is that they are lying.