Washington Free Beacon reporter Elizabeth Harrington said Sen. Al Franken (D., Minn.) was forced to resign on Thursday because his party realized he was "disposable."
Beginning with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D., N.Y.), a flurry of Democratic senators called for Franken to step down this week after a seventh woman came forward to accuse him of sexual misconduct.
In a defiant speech on the Senate floor, Franken announced Thursday he would resign his seat in the coming weeks. However, he said some of the allegations against him were false and also said he remembered other stories "differently."
He also took shots at President Donald Trump and Republican Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore, who have also been accused of past sexual misconduct.
"From hearing his speech, it was absolutely clear that Franken did not want to resign, but he was in fact, I think, forced out by his fellow Democrats, because him being in there hurts the narrative," Harrington said. "Democrats can't attack Republicans and Roy Moore if Franken and [John] Conyers are still in there."
Harrington said Franken didn't appear remorseful at all and essentially called his accusers liars.
"I think it just shows the self-importance of politicians, and he thought he was so important to the people in Minnesota, but the fact that he's gone in reality it's because he was in fact disposable, and a Democratic governor can pick his replacement," Harrington said.
Harrington noted Minnesota is a blue state and Franken, a reliable progressive vote, will be replaced by a Democrat with Mark Dayton (D.) appointing his replacement.