CNN political commentator Angela Rye said the absence of a call from the left for Sen. Al Franken (D., Minn.) to resign spells "hypocrisy in the Democratic Party."
Democratic strategist Hilary Rosen and Rye, former Executive Director of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), joined CNN’s Kate Bolduan Monday morning to discuss the sexual misconduct accusations against Sen. John Conyers (D., Mich.).
Rosen argued the accusations against Conyers are more serious than those against Franken, who has been accused of kissing and groping one woman and placing his hand on the butts of multiple others.
The whole time Rosen was speaking, Rye was shaking her head and Bolduan asked her what she was hearing from the caucus regarding the allegations.
"I think that it’s unfortunate that, yet again, we see the hypocrisy in the Democratic Party," Rye said. "There’s no call for Al Franken to resign; he’s also a ranking member on a subcommittee on judiciary that’s very, very important, but there’s been no call for him to step aside."
Rye said the calls for an ethics investigation against Franken is a poor excuse for action being taken against the senator when there was photograph evidence of his sexual misconduct against Leeann Tweeden and others.
"But let me tell you what’s different, Kate: political expediency," Rye said. "This is the problem with the party. This is why people see us as the same as Republicans. You have to treat these things fairly."
Rye also said senior ranking and high ranking members get targeted directly, and suggested black members were unfairly targeted in investigations, citing, from her experience as sitting director of the CBC, four black members who were investigated compared to two white members.
"Four of the six ethics investigations, ongoing, were for African-American members," Rye said of her time as CBC director. "Are you going to tell me that black members are more unethical than white members. I would tell you, no."
Rosen tried to follow up, but Rye told her she was "not finished."
"What I am saying is that the Democratic Party needs to take a hard look in the mirror and treat these situations fairly," Rye said.
Rosen said she did feel Franken should be treated equally to Conyers in regards to an investigation, but did not feel the accusations of offenses against the senators were of the same severity.
"I beg to differ with you, Hilary … there’s no place for either," Rye said.