'Ashamed' Franken says he'll return to work on Monday - Breaking an eight-day silence, the Minnesota senator tells the Star Tribune that he needs to regain trust of those he's let down. - Sen. Al Franken broke his eight-day silence Sunday, reaching out to Minnesota media outlets to talk Sen. Al Franken: 'This has been a shock to me' A week-and-a-half after the first of four allegations of sexual misconduct against DFL Sen. Al Franken surfaced, Franken told MPR News he has felt shocked, embarrassed and ashamed but that he will not leave the Senate.