By Michael Ginsberg
Democratic Iowa Senate candidate Mike Franken’s former campaign manager accused him of assault in spring 2022, according to a police report published by a local news outlet.
Franken assaulted former campaign manager Kimberley Strope-Boggus outside a bar in March 2022, according to a Des Moines Police Department report obtained by Iowa Field Report. Strope-Boggus worked as Franken’s campaign manager during his unsuccessful 2020 Senate run, and was fired from his campaign shortly before the March assault, according to the report. Franken defeated former Rep. Abby Finkenauer in a June primary, and will face off against incumbent Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley in November.
Franken and Strope-Boggus allegedly met at a bar in Des Moines to discuss her potential return to the campaign. After their meeting, Franken “grabbed the collar of the vest [Strope-Boggus] was wearing and kissed her on her mouth,” according to the report. Strope-Boggus then reported the assault to Franken’s current campaign manager, according to the report. She did not rejoin the Franken campaign.
BREAKING: Police Report: Mike Franken’s Former Campaign Manager Accused Candidate of Assault https://t.co/yICJIF0oqR via @IAFieldReport #iasen
— Iowa Field Report.com (@IAFieldReport) September 19, 2022
Attorneys for the Franken campaign later contacted Strope-Boggus’s wife Becky over tweets blasting the candidate for calling and asking for money, according to the police report. The attorneys reportedly claimed that the tweets violated a nondisclosure agreement Kimberley Strope-Boggus signed. Kimberley Strope-Boggus reported the incident to the police shortly after that interaction. Law enforcement officials later closed the case as unfounded.
The Franken campaign did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller’s request for comment on the matter. (RELATED: Sen. Blumenthal Expresses Concerns About LA Mayor’s Connection To Alleged Sexual Harasser)
While allegedly holding “an old fashioned view of how to interact with women,” Franken has portrayed himself as a full-fledged supporter of women’s rights. In addition to frequently calling out Grassley’s opposition to abortion, Franken has claimed that “gun violence” and the minimum wage are “gender issue[s].”
“I have always supported a woman’s right to make her own healthcare decisions. That’s what happens when you fight for freedom for 40 years,” Franken tweeted on Sept. 3.
A poll conducted by The Des Moines Register found Grassley leading Franken by eight points, although several surveys commissioned by the Franken campaign have shown a closer race. The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter considers the race Solid Republican. Grassley has held the seat since 1981, and no Democrats has represented Iowa in the upper chamber since 2015.
