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'''Alan Stuart "Al" Franken''' (born May 21, 1951), a [[liberal]] [[Democrat]] and former satirist and comedian known for his attacks against [[Republican]]s and [[Conservatives]], is the junior U.S. Senator from [[Minnesota]]. He was declared the winner after purportedly obtaining a slim majority of the votes. The Minnesota Supreme Court rejected the last legal challenges from his opponent, [[Norm Coleman]], who conceded.  

'''Alan Stuart "Al" Franken''' (born May 21, 1951), a [[liberal]] [[Democrat]] and former satirist and comedian known for his attacks against [[Republican]]s and [[Conservatives]], is the junior U.S. Senator from [[Minnesota]]. He was declared the winner after purportedly obtaining a slim majority of the votes. The Minnesota Supreme Court rejected the last legal challenges from his opponent, [[Norm Coleman]], who conceded.  

After all the court appeals the Republican governor of Minnesota, [[Tim Pawlenty]], signed the certificate of election for Franken and he took office July 6, 2009, for a six year term.  Franken's win gave Democrats a 58-40-2 margin in the Senate, enough to shut off filibusters if the 58, along with two Independents who caucus with the Democrats, hang together.

After all the court appeals the Republican governor of Minnesota, [[Tim Pawlenty]], signed the certificate of election for Franken and he took office July 6, 2009, for a six-year term.  Franken's win gave Democrats a 58-40-2 margin in the Senate, enough to shut off filibusters if the 58, along with two Independents who caucus with the Democrats, hang together.

== Fraudulent Election? ==

== Fraudulent Election? ==

The recount that turned Al Franken into a U.S. Senator may have been decided by convicted felons who voted illegally in Minnesota's Twin Cities it was announced in July, 2010.  In a study conducted by Minnesota Majority, a conservative watchdog group, found that at least 341 convicted felons in largely Democratic [[Minneapolis]]-[[St. Paul (City)|St. Paul]] voted illegally in the 2008 Senate race. The final recount vote in the race, determined six months after Election Day, showed Franken beat Coleman by 312 votes -- ''fewer votes than the number of felons whose illegal ballots were counted'', according to the newly released study, which matched publicly available conviction lists with voting records. The group took the voting lists and matched them with conviction lists and then went to the voting roster lists, where voters sign in before going to the voting booth, and matched them by hand.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/07/12/felons-voting-illegally-franken-minnesota-study-finds/ Felons Voting Illegally May Have Put Franken Over the Top in Minnesota, Study Finds]</ref>

The recount that turned Al Franken into a U.S. Senator may have been decided by convicted felons who voted illegally in Minnesota's Twin Cities it was announced in July, 2010.  In a study conducted by Minnesota Majority, a conservative watchdog group, found that at least 341 convicted felons in largely Democratic [[Minneapolis]]-[[St. Paul (City)|St. Paul]] voted illegally in the 2008 Senate race. The final recount vote in the race, determined six months after Election Day, showed Franken beat Coleman by 312 votes -- ''fewer votes than the number of felons whose illegal ballots were counted'', according to the newly released study, which matched publicly available conviction lists with voting records. The group took the voting lists and matched them with conviction lists and then went to the voting roster lists, where voters sign in before going to the voting booth, and matched them by hand.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/07/12/felons-voting-illegally-franken-minnesota-study-finds/ Felons Voting Illegally May Have Put Franken Over the Top in Minnesota, Study Finds]</ref>

== Playboy Article ==

== Playboy Article ==

In 2000, Al Franken's comments appeared in a ''Playboy'' article titled "Porn-O-Rama!" He was quoted as saying that the Internet is a great tool for learning and that his 12 year old son was able to do a report on bestiality for a sixth-grade assignment.

In 2000, Al Franken's comments appeared in a ''Playboy'' article titled "Porn-O-Rama!" He was quoted as saying that the Internet is a great tool for learning and that his 12-year-old son was able to do a report on bestiality for a sixth-grade assignment.

[[File:alfrankendiapers.jpg|right|thumb| Minnesota embarrassment (in purportedly fake photo)]]

[[File:alfrankendiapers.jpg|right|thumb| Minnesota embarrassment (in purportedly fake photo)]]

==United States Senate==

==United States Senate==

Franken was sworn in to the Senate on July 7, 2009, and is currently ranked 99th in seniority. To much surprise, a Septemeber 14, 2009 Senate AMDT. 2355 prohibiting use of funds to fund the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now ([[ACORN]]), Franken voted with the winning majority to strip ACORN funding.<ref>[http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=1&vote=00275 U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 111th Congress - 1st Session]</ref> This after having received ACORN support in his Senate election campaign, ''"I'm thrilled and honored to receive this endorsement,"'' and ''"more motivated than ever to work with ACORN."'' <ref>[http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentary/61519432.html?elr=KArksDyycyUtyycyUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU Katherine Kersten: Worst trouble with ACORN is at the polls, StarTribune, September 26, 2009]</ref>

Franken was sworn in to the Senate on July 7, 2009, and is currently ranked 99th in seniority. To much surprise, a September 14, 2009 Senate AMDT. 2355 prohibiting use of funds to fund the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now ([[ACORN]]), Franken voted with the winning majority to strip ACORN funding.<ref>[http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=1&vote=00275 U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 111th Congress - 1st Session]</ref> This after having received ACORN support in his Senate election campaign, ''"I'm thrilled and honored to receive this endorsement,"'' and ''"more motivated than ever to work with ACORN."'' <ref>[http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentary/61519432.html?elr=KArksDyycyUtyycyUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU Katherine Kersten: Worst trouble with ACORN is at the polls, StarTribune, September 26, 2009]</ref>

== Books by Franken ==

== Books by Franken ==