A partisan altright blogger. I very much look forward to vindicating myself and my family before the House Committee on ethics. I cannot allow these charges to undermine my colleagues and friends on both sides of the aisle. A senior democratic aid tells cnn that conyers decision to step aside comes after days of House Minority leader nancy pelosi working behind the scenes with conyers to lay the ground work for him to step aside gracefully. Before conyers announcement pelosi responded to the allegation against conyers. We are strengthened by due process. Just because someone is accused and is it one accusation or two. John conyers is an icon in our country. He has done a great deal to protect women. Right wing is quoting me as praising him for his work on that and he did great work on that. The fact is as john reviews his case which he knows and i dont. How is it that you dont . He will do the right thing. And shortly after that interview conyers made the announcement that he was giving up his Ranking Member position on the Judiciary Committee. President trump continues to push support for Senate Candidate roy moore who faces a string of Sexual Assault allegations involving under aged women tweeting this morning quote the last thing we need in alabama and the u. S. Senate is a Schumer Pelosi puppet. Bad for our Second Amendment and wants to raise taxes to the sky. Jones would be a disaster. I endorsed Luther Strange in the primary. It wasnt enough. Cant let Schumer Pelosi win this race. Liberal jones would be bad. Here is what republican senator Lindsey Graham thinks of moore. From a Republican Point of view i dont know what winning looks like with roy moore. If he wins we get the baggage of him winning and it becomes a story every day about whether or not you believe the women or roy moore, should he stay in the senate . If you lose you give the senate seat to a democrat. The moral of the story is dont nominate somebody like roy moore who can actually lose the seat that any other republican can win. And from a Party Perspective we have to look long term and not short term. What i would tell President Trump if you think winning with roy moore is going to be easy for the Republican Party you are mistaken. Cnns Boris Sanchez joining me now. This is just another disagreement seemingly between the president and his own party though it didnt start out that way when the allegations against roy moore first surfaced the white house put out a statement that if these allegations were true then roy moore should step down. At the time that echoed what many other republicans were saying. There was a point in time where certain people around the white house like ivanka trump were harsh in their criticism saying there was a special place in hell for pedophiles. You had the director of legislative affairs saying no senate seat is above pedophilia. There was the possibility that the white house would continue to follow Congressional Republicans on the issue of the embattled Senate Candidate but since then we have seen the president attack his opponent doug jones and defend roy moore before he left for his thanksgiving trip. The president was asked about the allegations and he said roy moore has denied them even going so far as to say that he would go to alabama to campaign with roy moore potentially. So its a very growing divide between republicans and the president. You have South Carolina republican tim scott today saying he fears like Lindsey Graham that this could potentially damage the republican brand. It is pretty clear to me that the best thing that roy moore can do for the country is to move on. The reality of it is that the allegations are still very strong and the denial has been weak, a little stronger but f r fairly weak. In my opinion and opinion of many republicans and conservatives in the senate it is time for us to turn the page because it is not about partisan politics or electing republicans versus democrats. This is about the character of our country. I want to be on the side of right when history writes the story. One last note, fred. It is a crucial week for unity within the Republican Party after a year lacking in major legislative victories. The senate could potentially vote on tax reform as early as thursday and there is a lot riding on that vote. So to have this kind of division is certainly not something that Congressional Republicans are happy about. Boris sanchez, thank you so much in d. C. Now to our other breaking story hearing from senator al franken who just did an interview with his hometown paper and a public Radio Station. One woman who claims that minnesota democrats harassed her before he was in the senate and a second woman says he groped her during a photoopin 2010 while he was a senator. Ryan young is in minneapolis. Todays interviews, this means the senator has broken his silence after eight days. Reporter about eight days. Of course, this is an interesting conversation i think a lot of people across the country are wanting to see what he was going to say. He decided to choose his local paper to come out first and have the interview. He did the public radio interview and then were told me will be a television interview. Trying to get the message to people so they can understand from him what he is thinking. He says he looks forward to going back to work but we are hearing his own voice. Listen to his words in an interview he just finished. First of all, i just want to say that this whole thing has been embarrassing and, you know, and its been difficult, but part of that is that i want to respect a womans experience. Very often there are these kinds of allegations that i believe that women should be respected and listened to. This is what im doing. Im taking responsibility. I apologized to the women who have felt disrespected. Im someone who hugs people. And i have learned from these stories that some of these encounters i have crossed the line for some women. Did you put your hand on someones rear end during a photo shoot . I do not remember again, i take pictures with thousands of people. I would never intentionally do that. And so but that does not negate my intention isnt what is important. What is important is we have to listen to women and respect what they say. And i have been listening and reflecting and i hope to make a positive contribution to this conversation. Its a very important conversation. The Ethics Committee is looking into all of this. And i will cooperate fully with it. Listen, i know i have a lot of work to do to regain trust of people i have let down. I am just going to do my job. And i will go forward. This has been ten days since this came out. I will go forward. Im going to take responsibility and be held accountable and im going to try to be productive in the way i speak about this. So you heard him say he does plan to go to work tomorrow morning. Just in the last hour we didnt have these developments and you are hearing his voice for the first time and the article in the paper here and then we are told once again an interview at 10 30 where he will sit down and answer questions for the first time about this in front of the camera. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. Joining me right now democratic new york congressman new york meeks thanks for being with me. Good to see you. Good being with you. We want totackle two things here. Of course, you know, al franken breaking his silence and then of course congressman conyers stepping down as Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee. Hearing al franken is freshest on our minds. Were his words enough for you . Does it fill in some of the blablaj blanks you have had over the days of silence since allegations came to light . I think what is important is that the Ethics Committee is reviewing. If al franken is sitting as a Ranking Member on any committee i think he should step down from that but not from congress and not from the committees of which he has been assigned to. But i think that his apology seems to be genuine and i think that what the Ethics Committee should be looking at on any of these instance wlz there is practice and pattern, whether there was specific intent or not. I think that is important for anybody that is a member of the United States congress. So you trust the Ethics Committee to get to the bottom of the allegations flushing out the allegations whether it involves al franken or anybody else, whether it has been handled appropriately, whether the complaints are credible, whether a penalty should be forth coming if the allegations are credible . Yeah, i think that the Ethics Committee has done i think they feel that someone has done something that is not fitting the institution because what is important here is the institution of the United States congress then they have remedies of which they can utilize. I think that is the appropriate process to take place now. And then we move from there since these are mr. Franken and mr. Conyers and any other member is a member of the United States congress. And you have said prior to today before congressman john conyers said that he would be stepping down as Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee. You said you think he should step down as a result of the allegations. In your view is that enough for now . I think that john conyers is an no question his service in the United States congress has made america a better place. We wouldnt be where we are today if it wasnt for the service of john conyers. That being said i think it is appropriate that while there is an ethics investigation in regards to the scenario with him and whether or not someone was sexually harassed that he remains in congress but should not be as a Ranking Member until such time that this case has been resolved. Should it be resolved and it is as he said that basically was a severance pay et cetera then i think there should be opportunity for him to go back. Until that happens and until we know the full facts i think we should give mr. Conyers and mr. Franken and any other member of congress those opportunities and see whether or not it is a practice and pattern. As we have seen with regards to mr. Moore and or open admission by the president of the United States who said he felt entitled because he was a celebrity that he could grab women wherever he wanted to. That is something that came out of the mouth of the president himself. Do you see the standards or how these allegations are being handled differently . You bring upthe president who admitted to it. The American People still elected him president. You hear a number of voters, members in congress who say allegations against members of congress from this point forward should be taken so seriously to the point that perhaps they should step down even before allegations are proven, if allegations are credible then that alone merits perhaps members of Congress Stepping down. I think that some of that is overblown. I think you have seen incidents in the past where members of congress have been accused of something and it has been so egregious that those members have stepped down because of the pressure that has been put on them and or because of the fact that they know and admitted that they have done something wrong. I think that has happened in the past. I think we do need to improve the reporting process and make sure there is more transparency. In this instance i do not see where there is a pattern and practice or where he said he thought he was entitled to do certain things or could because of his celebrityism. I think that the president and we need to look at that also, the president should be undergoing ethics review for his past behavior and that no president should be above the similar kind of scrutiny. You heard him Say Something about senator franken but at the same time he is out there campaigning for judge moore. Maybe not hypocritical because he conducted similar acts. Maybe she is not a pedophile but similar acts of entitlement and denial so maybe two peas in the pod there. And before i let you go House Minority leader nancy pelosi earlier today before john conyers stepped down as a Ranking Member on the Judiciary Committee called congressman conyers an icon presumably making reference to his record as a civil rights activist, korean war vet, cofounder of congressional black caucus. Do you believe that was appropriate . Do you take issue with that . He is definitely an icon. Whose hae contributed mightily to this country and made this country a better place. When you think about where we would be if it wasnt for rosa parks refusing to get out of her seat. Here is a woman that was disrespected by White America and prevented from having a job place in the United States here was jon conyers who decided he would hire her in his office and treat her with the kind of dignity and respect that she deserved. There is no question and i think history will record him as an icon and individual who committed his life to making the United States of america a better place. Today with the announcement that he was stepping down as the Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee in the house. Congressman Gregory Meeks thank you so much for your time. My pleasure. Thank you for having me. More on our breaking news. Democratic congressman conyers stepping down as Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee. What does this mean for democrats as they head back to the hill tomorrow . My panel will be weighing in next. Thanks for loading, sweetie. Oh, burnton gravy . Gotta rinse that. Nope. No way. Nada. Really . Dish issues . Throw it all in. Cascade platinum powers through even burnton gravy. Nice. Cascade. Helping Small Businesses. Ut, jamie damage your vehicle . We got you covered. [ glass shatters ] Property Damage . Thats what general liabilitys for. What . injured employee . Ow. Workers comp helps you pay for a replacement. Whats happening . This is carla. Hows it going . And if anything comes up, our experts are standing by. Boo the lowest price of the year. For just 59 its the only dna test that can trace your origins to over 150 ethnic regions and open up a world of possibilities. Save 40 at ancestrydna. Com. Ends monday. Of thoughts and dreams that scatter you pull them all together and how, i cant explain oh yeah, well well well youuuu you make my dreams come true well, well, well youuuu topped steak twisted potatoes at applebees. Now thats eatin good in the neighborhood. Whether its connecting one of or bringing wifi to 65,000 fans. Campuses. Businesses count on communication, and communication counts on centurylink. Welcome back. Major development on a pair of high profile lawmakers accused of Sexual Harassment. Congressman john conyers, the michigan democrat and longest serving member in the house saying he is stepping down as Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee in the house. We are hearing from senator al franken who just did an interview with his hometown newspaper and a public Radio Station there saying he is, quote, embarrassed and ashamed after two women came forward and accused him of Sexual Harassment but adds that he will show up to work tomorrow. Joining me right now the Washington Bureau chief for the Chicago Sun Times and cnn political commentator and former democratic ohio state senator. Happy thanksgiving weekend. Lets begin with congressman conyers, lynn. Giving up this position as Ranking Member on the house Judiciary Committee be enough to save his job overall . No. Thats an inside game. People dont know really what it means to be the ranking democrat on a Committee Even one as important as judiciary. It means relatively nothing. It buys some time with his colleagues and lets them have something to say when asked by their constituents what do you think. So that alone will not save his job. Here is what will save his job, finding of the Ethics Committee that somehow exonerates him. Given that settlements have been paid that seems like a long shot splmpt dw so nina Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi released a statemen