Democratic Senator Al Franken, in his first press conference since allegations of sexual assault surfaced, said Monday that he was “sorry” but hopes to gain the public’s trust again and get back to work. He first broke his silence on the issue on Sunday, telling state-based newspaper and radio reporters that he was “ashamed” by his behavior and sorry for his actions but that he would not resign from Congress.

Four women have publicly said Franken groped them and grabbed them during photos. The first claim was by Leeann Tweeden, a Los Angeles radio host, reported that the senator forcibly kissed and groped her during a 2006 USO tour. She stated that he kissed her while rehearsing a sketch. Later on tour, Franken took a photograph with his hands over Tweeden’s breasts, grinning at the camera, while she was asleep.

The second allegation was reported several days after Tweeden’s. Lindsay Menz told CNN that Franken grabbed her bottom in 2010 when they posed together for a picture at a Minnesota state fair, while he was a senator.

The senator also told the newspaper that he has spent the past week thinking how that could happen. Franken stated, “And I just recognized that I need to be more careful and a lot more sensitive in these situations.”

Source: Fox News