Bleating Protests from a Disgraced Senator by Owen | 0930, 23 Dec 1717 | Politics | 10 CommentsOnly someone with a special kind of ego would think to give us a moralizing sermon as he resigns in disgrace. Read the room, Al. Outgoing Sen. Al Franken used his final speech as a U.S. senator to thank family, staff and Democratic colleagues — and to excoriate President Trump. Over the course of a 40-minute speech on the Senate floor on Thursday, the Minnesota Democrat, who is stepping down next month following allegations of inappropriate touching made by multiple women, tore into Trump and Republicans over their “attacks” on voting rights, LGBT rights, science, health care and — most recently — the middle class.