Like it all has been worth it. Politics, Paul Wellstone told us, is about the improvement of peoples lives. I know that the work ive been able to do has improved peoples lives. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. For a decade now, every time i would get tired or discouraged or frustrated i would think about the people i was doing this for and would bet me back up on my feet. I know the same will be true for everyone who decides to pursue a politics that is about improving peoples lives. And i hope you know that i will be fighting alongside you every step of the way. With that, mr. President , i yield the floor. Neil with that, senator al franken has resigned from the United States senate. He says he will do so in the coming weeks. He didnt specify how many weeks. That is important parliamentarywise because we dont know whether he wants to stay for the vote, not only temporary measure to continue the government and continue operating the government for another couple weeks and conclude by voting yea or nay, presumably nay on the tax cut package in the Conference Committee in both houses is now cobbling together and hopes to get to the president s desk by christmas. Al franken wants to be a part of that before he steps down. Keep in mind minnesota has democratic governor would likely remain a democratic president. There will be a special election to determine who will fill out the rest of senator Al Frankens Senate term. A fresh election after that. Get response to all of this. No really big market move one way or the other. This was largely telegraphed and expected. The dow up 88 points. We have lee carter. Democratic strategist jehmu greene. What do you think . It is about time. I dont want to say i told you so when the first allegation came out i asked for senator franken to resign. I think it took a little bit too long for democratic leadership to get here but they got to the right place, and to say in what we heard tom perez say in his statement yesterday, anyone serving in the u. S. House, in the u. S. Senate or in any elected position, if you are guilty of Sexual Misconduct you should step down. That is a huge step for women who have been diminished neil what if charged . Al franken once again raised possibility, to his memory some of this stuff didnt happen or was differently interpreted. Should you step down even amidst the chars. Even if theyre not true . Theyre certainly credible charges. I did political training for women in minnesota, there was no doubt in my mind that these allegations were true. This is the reality. We need to start believing women, especially when you see woman after woman after woman come out and say, this behavior happened to me, and i know a lot of people have referred to this as sexual harrassment. This is Sexual Assault when you grope someone. We clearly have a society where men feel like they cant even remember doing this because it is so ingrained in their behavior, but guess what . We remember it as women. It diminishes us. It takes some women out of their professions completely and so i dont have sympathy for, oh, my goodness, what about his career or all the good things hes done . I certainly understand he agrees with me on many issues but there are many qualified politicians who agree with us on many issues and we dont have a dearth of talent in the democratic party. Thank you, senator franken. Neil i think that is your way of saying dont let the screen door hit you on the way out. One of the things that was interesting, lee carter, i want to raise this with you, senator acknowledging his own mistakes stepping down but pointing on the way out there are others who have done and said worse. I want you to react to this. I will be resigning as a member of the United States senate. I am of all people aware that there is some irony in the fact that i am leaving while a man who has bragged on tape about his history of Sexual Assault sits in the oval office, and a man who has repeatedly preyed on young girls campaigns for the senate with full support of his party. Neil all right. Lee, he is talking in the latter part in this case, roy moore, a Alabama Senate candidate, charges that date back decades on younger women, girls at the time. What do you think . Listen, im not surprised that he brought it up. I think all minds are thinking about this very thing. As we were expecting al franken to resign today, the question what does this mean for the president . What does it mean for the alabama race . I think contrast is really clear. Franken did the right thing and step down. Moore should do the same thing. The president should talk about as separate issue. Neil but moore isnt likely to do that . Moore is not going to do that. Neil say he is elected. He leads in some polls. He is elected. What would you advise . That is one of the worst things that could happen to the Republican Party. Now that franken has resigned and if moore wins this will make the Republican Party lose any moral high ground they have had. The whole notion that they have stood for republican conservative values, family values. Neil if alabama voters didnt care about that or ignored that, or said it was more important they deny a liberal liberal chance to, override. Charges could come. Take charges, end up losing his job. Could continue the investigation. Neil fill out his term. Jeff sessions old term. This is bigger than alabama. On the day that we became aware basically senator franken was going to resign the Republican National committee sent almost 200,000 to a man that a mall kicked out of, because at 30 years old, he was approaching 14yearolds for sexual relations. That is a child molester who just got almost 200,000 from the Republican National committee. Neil they have not proven the mall thing. Im not here to apologize. I point i want to raise here he will enter the United States senate, in event he wins, charges go back decades. No system in place in the senate to handle that. What do they do . I certainly hope somewhere within Republican Leadership in the senate, they find a soul. We have seen a very clear lack of morality in the flipflopping of the Republican Leadership on roy moore. Hopefully, through the actions of senator franken, through the continuing reckoning and outrain republicans will come to understand that this is not just a fleeting moment. Neil this will actually galvanize them . This will galvanize 100 . The fact that Republican Party started doing right thing. Mitch mcconnell said early november, well separate ourselves. That was the right thing to do. The fact that now this week he is going back and saying, listen let people neil president said that. I know it is not the right thing to do. Both women, obviously and it is that, it sound like politics, notwithstanding that is superseding issue for both of you . I think to me, the thing, yes, i am a woman. These are issues very important to me. My question can this man do his job . Can he serve the people as al francken just said. I can not serve the people be under this investigation. Can this man serve the people. Can he do his job embroiled in this kind of controversy. To me the answer is no, he can not. It will be a distraction. Well not be able to focus on issues that matter most, doing right thing by American People. Hopefully this is not a womans issue. Hopefully this is not a partisan issue. This is an issue that every american should be concerned with. Everyone who has a daughter, goes to a mall, doesnt want her approached by a 30yearold, have them sent to the United States senate. These issues should supersede partisanship. We need neil by that definition bill clinton probably should have resigned, right, in the middle of his stuff . Bill clinton was held accountable. There was an impeachment process. Guess what, he was impeached. He is one of two president s who neil senator gillibrand in new york probably should have resigned in retrospect what was going on then. What do you think . Look, i actually at the time was running the womens Outreach Office for the Democratic National committee. I had very strong problems as a young 20yearold with the accusations and neil environment is very different today, fair to say . Is a different environment but accountability is something we need to apply as democrats, as republicans, and as human beings. It is not that difficult. Pretty simple, neil. Neil thank you very much. Lee, thank you very much. North Carolina Republican senator thom tillis with us right now. Senator on the fastmoving developments what do you think . Al franken stepping down but not doing so for a few weeks. What do you read into the few weeks thing . Probably has to do with the votes that well have towards the yearend, continuing resolution and the tax reform, conference report which i hope to send to the president s desk before christmas. I can assume it is only that. But i think he made the right decision stepping down. Im right down from the chamber as it is unfolding before us. Neil my guests, jehmu greene, lee carter, coming from different worlds politics, the message to a roy moore, if that is the case he is elected, go, republicans shouldnt welcome him. What do you think of that . Mitch mcconnell thought he should step aside. He decided to stay in the race. Now the voters of alabama will make a choice next week. I still think it need to go, the facts need to be subjected to the Senate Ethics process. You mentioned in prior only so much jurisdiction we have over this, i do believe we need to look in the facts. I maintain the position my preference would be for mr. Moore to step aside. There are a lot of good alabamaians that could represent them in the u. S. Senate. One thing distracts us from pressing matters we want to get to and promises we want to fulfill. Neil president framed this with if he becomes senator moore, that alternative better than president cast as liberal, chum schumer, nancy pelosi acco acolyte, anathema to everything the party stand for. What do you think of that . You kind of have to worry when you use ends justify the moans rationale for something you dont want to do. I go back to the fact, i know a lot of people in alabama that would be great Public Servants would not have this taint. This is about removing distractions so we get tax reform done, get infrastructure done, continue regulatory reform. Those are the things that the American People wan to see. They do not want to see embarrassing chap were in right now. Anytime someone comes in, to keep the question going, at expense of important things we need to get done. Neil those agree spending package. Something that lasts couple weeks separately, getting tax cut thing done, iron out differences between your body and of course the house. How likely is it that for example, on the budget, the temporary budget, that could be done by tonight, tomorrow . Well, well have to see. I think, i think that we will probably have a shortterm cr. I dont like it. I hate crs in general. Well come back before christmas and have something longer term. We have to work out differences with the house. We have to work out a difference with minority leader pelosi is threatening a shutdown over the daca issue. She is making bad, a terrible mistake, with respect to the daca population people like me trying to come up with a reasonable, bipartisan solution. Neil well watch closely, senator, thank you very, very much. As senator was speaking, those were reassuring words, market up about 100 points right now, even as al franken prepared to leave the United States senate. Well have more after this. Neil all right. If there is any thorny issue in these ongoing tax negotiations has to be deduction or lack thereof in very expensive states like new york, california, new jersey, illinois, it is a very, very big issue. They want to iron that out to get this signed, sealed for the president s signature all before christmas. Gerri willis where this is all going. Thats right, neil, according to my sources im talk to a lot of people in washington the conferees ironing out differences talking about increase allowable deductions for property tax and state income taxes, good news for new york, right . The house and senate bill would allow taxpayers to deduct 10,000 of property taxes, conferees talking about boosting deduction and allow some state income taxes to be deducts as well. Hallelujah. Applying taxpayers to choose. Either they deduct property taxes or state and income taxes up to a certain level. We dont really know what the level might be. It is all discussion. The big question, how would they pay for this . The answer . Raising Corporate Taxes to 22 from 20 . Well continue to follow this conversation. But it is getting pretty interesting for people in the hightaxed blue states. Neil. Neil that he, very, very much, gerri. Congressman don young, republican from arkansas. He is on the Conference Committee, very crucial player in all of this. Congressman, thank you for coming. Thank you. Correct you one thing, alaska, not arkansas. Neil apologize you, sir, i didnt get my state initials down, i apologize. Beautiful state. Oh, yes. Neil let me ask you, how do you feel about this tinkering with the corporate rates, maybe raise them a little bit to raise the deduction for state and local taxes . Not as big of an issue in alaska, but potentially some of your colleagues other states . This is a conference and both sides have differences of opinion. That is why we sit down to debate. The goal is to get this bill done. I think you will see additions that help out the larger tax states. Doesnt affect my state. Im more interested in development of anwar and other things but im beginning to see this little shift because everybody has to give a little bit. I believe it will be become a reality. In heavilytaxed states may not get exactly what they want than for instance what is in the bills right now. Neil part of the quid pro quo for that i guess, sir, you raise the corporate rate a little bit to pay for some of these concessions made for your colleagues on the fence or just outright nos. What if the corporate rate ends up not being at 20 . Well you know, i believe the 20 is the correct number but again, i say were trying to solve a problem, get tax reform in, and there is room to compromise in the house and senate. I expect it to go up a little bit, maybe 2 . Im not sure. But i do think that will occur. And well see if, were correct. As far as the time, will be a difference too. The senate doesnt implement in 2019. We implement immediately. Well see effect on corporations. Come back to the nation to create jobs everybody says will happen if we lower the rate to 20 from 36 . This is conferences. My 45th year, ive been on a lot of conferences. Im optimistic well solve these problems. Neil first hurdle, more immediate hurdle on the spending measure to keep the government operating next couple weeks. Are you for what has been laid out on the table . I know one thing im for, dont shut the government down. I lived in the Newt Gingrich era, they shut the government down, it is very painful. It hurts everybody. It doesnt solve a problem. You establish something you cant really undo quickly and consequence lit the country suffers. Im not for shutting it down. The shortTerm Extension is absolutely necessary and hopefully we get a long Term Extension back in january. Neil another chamber about, congressman, i grant you, but al franken resigning next few weeks, putting pressure on republicans how they greet or dont growth a roy moore should he get elected next week, what do you think . Again the people, the people make that decision. We have become judge menial ourselves, when the people do electing we have to accept the wishes of the people. Im never happy with all the people that are elected but that is the people they represent. They have a right to pick whoever they wish to choose. And i will accept that. I will recognize it. I may not be too happy but i will do that. Neil all right. Congressman, thank you very, very much. I apologize for screwing up your state. Hey, remember one thing, 20 times bigger than arkansas. Arkansas is a great state too. Neil now we have arkansas phones lighting up. Thank you very, very much. God bless you. Neil be well. Happy holidays. Merry christmas. All of the above. Remember the olympics scheduled for south korea, still are, in just a few months. People seem to be backing out. Im not talking about russians getting thrown out. Im talking about no less than u. S. Officials contemplating the risks of going in the first place. What is going on here . After this. Hold on dad. Liberty did what . Yeah, Liberty Mutual 24hour roadside assistance helped him to fix his flat so he could get home safely. My dad says our insurance doesnt have that. Dont worry i know what a lug wrench is, dad. Is this a lug wrench . Maybe . You can leave worry behind when liberty stands with you™. Liberty stands with you™. Liberty mutual insurance. Is the United States recommending our team goes or is that still an open question in this environment . There is open question. I have not heard anything about that. In the talks, whether jerusalem or north korea, it is how we protect citizens in the area. Neil weve been on this quite a while. Like a dog with a bone. Olympics the facts theyre supposed to happen, slated to happen, in the winter in south korea, first russians are kicked out. We find out the is not sending any of its players. Talk that the u. S. Is assessing reassessing monitoring whether it is safe to do so. This might not be such a sure thing. Were on that in a few minutes. Fox news saying Top Justice Department official has been demoted this follow as familiar drill here, the contacts with founder of fusion gps, behind that trump dossier. We have jcla executive director jordan