Al Franken is a Democratic Senator from Minnesota and Saturday Night Live alum. He is the author of Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them as well as Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot. He is a co-sponsor of Senator Dianne Feinstein’s Respect for Marriage Act, which is intended to repeal DOMA.

He also serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which heard testimony this week about the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).  Testifying in support of DOMA was Tom Minnery, representing the anti-gay group called “Focus on the Family.” During his testimony, Minnery quoted from a Department of Health and Human Services study about the “nuclear family.” When Senator Franken began to question Minnery, the fireworks and fun began: 

“I checked the study out,” said Franken. “It actually doesn’t say what you said it says.”

“Isn’t it true, Mr. Minnery, that a married same-sex couple that has had or adopted kids would fall under the definition of ‘a nuclear family’ in the study that you cite?” Franken asked. 

“I would think that the study, when it cites ‘nuclear families,’ would mean a family headed by a husband and wife,” Minnery replied.

“It doesn’t,” Franken said, followed by laughter from around the gallery.

“The study defines a nuclear family as ‘one or more children living with two parents who are married to one another and are each biological or adoptive parents to all the children in the family,’” Franken read.

“And I frankly don’t really know how we can trust the rest of your testimony if you are reading studies these ways,” Franken concluded.

For bringing humor to a dark topic. For being a voice of reason. For insisting that truth be represented in the halls of power, we have selected Al Franken as our Person of the Week.

-Sponsored by WDFA Marketing