Kaine To Pawlenty: Tell Coleman To Quit -- And Don't Keep Delaying A Dem Senator

[kpete]

Source: Talking Points Memo

Kaine To Pawlenty: Tell Coleman To Quit -- And Don't Keep Delaying A Dem Senator
By Eric Kleefeld - May 20, 2009, 10:36AM

Here's the full text of DNC Chairman Tim Kaine's letter to Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN), asking the Republican governor to urge Norm Coleman to concede the state's disputed Senate race.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0509/22746.html

The key quote is this, making clear that Dems intend to hang this thing around belligerent GOPers' necks as a destructive, anti-democratic event: "To allow this to process to continue into the federal courts for no other reason than to deny for as long as possible the seating of another Democratic Senator would make what has been a bad situation for Minnesotans even worse. I urge you to do everything within your power and influence to bring this process to an end."

Dear Governor Pawlenty:

It has now been six months since Minnesota voters went to the polls to cast their ballots in a hard fought election for the United States Senate. No one will deny that the race was incredibly close - but after an official recount, an extensive legal process and a clear and definitive ruling by the three judge panel, it is all but indisputable that Democrat Al Franken won and will be the next Senator from Minnesota.

..............

Read more: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/05/kaine-to-pawlenty-tell-coleman-to-quit----and-dont-keep-delaying-a-dem-senator.php#more

[pleah]

1. K&R I have yet to see that anyone has been able to talk sense to

a thug.

[MineralMan]

2. Dim Polenta will sign the certificate of election

only after being dragged to the signing table by a team of horses. He wants to be a "Power Republican," so he's dragging his heels on everything just now. What he doesn't realize, or doesn't want to think about is that he's likely to lose his gubernatorial bid in 2010, should he choose to run. If he doesn't run, what's he going to do? There's nothing for him other than his governorship. If he loses that, he's finished.

And yet, like other GOOPers, he's obstructing like there is no tomorrow.

[The Hope Mobile]

3. Its what they do best nt

[AndyTiedye]

15. The Repiggies Will Make it Worth His While

He may have delusions of being Moose Lady's running mate in 2012.

[xxqqqzme]

4. Shouldn't this be where the

powerful RNC chair steps in to talk to the idiot governor (seeing as how steele doesn't want to be a figurehead 'n all)?

[Seedersandleechers]

5. This will go to the federal courts,

I believe. They have their orders, and as we know, they are "good solders".

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

6. The media is keeping this thing going. If Coleman were the Democrat and Franken

the Republican, and Coleman was dragging this situation out and through the courts, the corporate media would be up in arms! The double standard is absolutely stunning!!

[onehandle]

7. The GOP has gone from the party of no to the party of assholes.

They should toss the elephant and use Coleman as their symbol.

[No Elephants]

9. They've been the party of assholes for as long as I can remember, decades

before I ever heard the term "Party of No."

Being the Party of No is merely one of many manifestations and/or symptoms of being the Party of Assholes.

[Robbien]

8. It has taken Kaine six months to finally speak up

The silence of the Democratic party in DC has been deafening so far.

[No Elephants]

10. Seriously. Franken has gotten no support from Dems in high places. I'd be

willing to bet that those two trips he made to D.C., one to the Senate and the other to Biden, were to ask for some help from Reid, who could have seized this dispute under Article I of the Constitution, and then from the WH.

At the very least, Democrats should have been all over the media, especially in Minnesota, berating Coleman and Pawlenty for keeping Minnesota without its full complement of Senators all this time.

Franken's been very classily silent about no one stepping up to help him, too.

[onenote]

12. wrong

First, there was no way that Reid was going to "seize" the dispute from the courts -- at least not until the 3-judge court ruled in mid-April. It would've been a huge mistake to do so, politically. Having Franken twist in the wind is unfortunate, but in the end it produces more long term benefits for the party than would be the case if it appeared that Reid and the national party had short-circuited the legal process at an early stage. Once the state courts have finished with it, the politics change and stepping in to get Franken seated makes sense, but not before.

Second, it was not until late March that the FEC ruled that the national parties could provide financial support to Coleman and Franken in the recount battle.

I spend a lot of time up on the Hill and around Democratic offices and there is a lot of work being done to help Franken behind the scenes.

[spooky3]

20. thank you, onenote, this answered some questions in my mind.

[onenote]

11. wrong.

Kaine has spoken out about the Minnesota election on several occasions. In early March, before the 3-judge court ruled, Kaine issued a statement in response to an assertion by Coleman that the election might have to be "re-done":

“The people of Minnesota have spoken. It’s time for Norm Coleman to accept the voters’ decision, do what is best for his state and country and stop standing in the way of a Senator being seated. The stakes for our country are too high right now to suggest that the results of a democratic election, exhaustive recount, and legal proceedings be thrown out just because Norm Coleman doesn’t like the results."

After the 3-judge court ruled in April, Kaine issued another statement urging Coleman to quit and that a certificate of election be issued. The DNC also ran a radio spot to that effect in Minnesota.

[FriendlyReminder]

13. HELLO! It is about time

[ElboRuum]

14. A better letter to Pawlenty...

Dear Governor Pawlenty:

One of the most important aspects of our system of government is the presence of free and fair elections. Without them, our republic, whose representatives and officers are elected by the people of the nation, resembles nothing more that an autocracy in which those in power and authority can keep it beyond their legitimate due once received. Governor Pawlenty, part of the fair election process is for the defeated candidate, even if that candidate is the incumbent, to step down and transfer his/her position willingly such that the election process remains trustworthy.

The official recount, while very close in a state of this size and population, determined that it was indeed the challenger, Democratic candidate Al Franken, who was the legitimate winner in the Senatorial race for this state. Yet, nearly 7 months past the election date, and a few months past the end of the recount, Senator Coleman and the RNC have seen fit to tie up the seating of the victor in this election in legal objection after legal objection.

Senator Coleman and the Republican National Committee have taken it upon themselves to step in that very dangerous direction of obstructing the transfer of his seat to his legitimately elected rival and, in so doing, put the trustworthiness of our electoral system in severe jeopardy.

Governor, no one begrudges Senator Coleman his rights under the law, however, the official count is clear. There really is no hope for Senator Coleman to retain his seat, even if he takes his case to the Supreme Court of the land. This can only amount to a stall tactic to prevent yet another Democratic Senator from being seated, both by Senator Coleman and the Republican National Committee.

We, the people of the state of Minnesota, fairly elected Democratic candidate Al Franken as our next Senator. We expect... nay, demand, that he be seated, according to our will as recorded this past election day. Furthermore, we demand that you use every bit of persuasion that you have at your disposal to help Senator Coleman see the error of his ways and end this wasteful challenge to this election.

If this does not happen, we, the people of the state of Minnesota, will remember that our electoral process was not defended by you, sir.

The people of this state could not do worse than to re-elect a Governor who does not respect the very process which allows him to serve. Should Al Franken not be seated soon, you may find yourself in difficult battle to retain your position when it comes time for this state to reflect upon the service you have given it.

Sincerely,

Whomever.

[Mz Pip]

16. Or what???

What leverage can the Democrats use against Polenta? What can they threaten him with. Polenta could care less what the Democrats think.

[Blaze Diem]

17. Well said. They got nothin to lose. Sad that Mn Law allows this to continue. as it has.

As I see it, Coleman is simply using the law to keep Frankin from claiming his rightful seat in the Senate.
BUT that is the key issue...Mn law allows Coleman to continue this charrade as long as he can afford to.
That is the nightmare of this all.
You may call it whatever you want. But the law does not tell him he now must stop, yet.

I hope Coleman's reputation is forever ruined and Pawlenty loses every MN election he ever runs for in the future.
Oh ya, they can take Bachmann with them.

[bemildred]

19. This is America. Anybody can sue anybody for anything for as long as they want.

As long as they have enough money. Money buys justice, or what passes for it here; or just as much legal process as you care to pay for.

[Wednesdays]

18. K&R

:kick: