Katz Banks Kumin partner Alexis Ronickher appeared as a guest on MSNBC Live to discuss the recent resignation of Senator Al Franken, and how politics is being affected by the cultural shift surrounding sexual harassment.
Due to Congress’ long and drawn-out investigative process, party leaders need to act quickly and forcefully in order to influence a congressman’s decision, and control the public narrative, as in the case of Senator Franken.
“The Democrats saw themselves at a crossroads and they had to make a decision as to how they were going to move forward,” said Ms. Ronickher.
Despite recent public condemnations by many leaders on Capitol Hill, nothing has changed regarding the process or office that handles harassment complaints.
Ms. Ronickher believes that there are two main issues to address: “The first is having real repercussions when people abuse their staff members – sexually harass them. The second is creating a legal framework where staffers can actually come forward.”
“The ethics process needs to be overhauled, the process that staffers have to go through to assert their rights needs to be overhauled.”
