LA radio station: We tipped off ‘news partners’ before publishing Franken allegations

A Los Angeles radio station is pushing back on reports that former Trump campaign adviser Roger Stone appeared to know sexual misconduct allegations involving Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) were coming hours before they were made public.

In a statement Friday, KABC said a “very small group” of employees discussed the best day for host Leeann Tweeden to come forward with her account of being forcibly kissed and groped by Franken in 2006.

The station says it informed “some of our news partners so they could prepare to cover what we knew was a very significant story.”

{mosads}“None of us involved in the decision on when to go public coordinated with any group, campaign or individuals outside of the news industry,” the station said. “We have no political agenda. Leeann’s story is not about keeping secrets, it’s about letting the truth be known.”

KABC Statement Regarding Claims of Coordination with Roger Stone: pic.twitter.com/HdoHRKYegA

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 17, 2017

The statement comes after a Twitter account connected to Stone tweeted a quote about Franken hours before the allegations against the senator were made public.

“Roger Stone says it’s Al Franken’s ‘time in the barrel’. Franken next in long list of Democrats to be accused of ‘grabby’ behavior,” read the tweet from Enter the Stone Zone, an account that purports to share “political commentary” from Stone.

QUOTE: Roger Stone says it’s Al Franken’s “time in the barrel”. Franken next in long list of Democrats to be accused of “grabby” behavior.

— Enter The Stone Zone (@stonezonetweets) November 16, 2017

Later, another Twitter account connected to Stone tweeted about the allegations, which it claimed were “predicted by Roger Stone.” 

As predicted by Roger Stone, It’s now Senator Al Franken’s time in the barrel. pic.twitter.com/LI7EDnvKE9

— Stone Cold Truth (@StoneColdTruth) November 16, 2017

Stone was banned from Twitter in October after a series of profane tweets.