Coleman and Franken Still Battle, as Minnesota Awaits a Senator

[babylonsister]

Coleman and Franken Still Battle, as Minnesota Awaits a Senator
By Justin Horwath and Andy Mannix / Minneapolis Tuesday, Mar. 10, 2009


When Minnesota's Senate recount trial began in January, the state's lone U.S. Senator, Democrat Amy Klobuchar, made a prediction: either Republican incumbent Norm Coleman or Democratic challenger Al Franken would be seated as Minnesota's next senator by April 11, the day the ice is expected to melt on Lake Minnetonka, a large lake outside of the Twin Cities. But after 30 painstaking days in court, Klobuchar is starting to have her doubts. "Pretty soon I'm going to say when the ice melts on the Arctic," she says.

If the Senator is frustrated, imagine how her constituents feel. For four months, they have watched high-powered Washington attorneys question the legitimacy of the state's well-reputed election process, using dizzying legal arguments and statistical gymnastics. Coleman has even suggested that an entirely new election might have to be held.

Moreover, both candidates have done about-faces in strategy and rhetoric. When Franken was behind in the recount, his counsel argued they wanted every legally cast ballot counted. But with Franken in the lead, they have taken a decidedly less sweeping position. When Coleman had the slim lead immediately after the election, he declared that if he were Franken he "would step back" and concede defeat for the good of Minnesota. And in the weeks during the recount, Coleman lawyers vehemently argued against the inclusion of the same absentee ballots upon which Coleman's case now relies. "In a way I think {Coleman} has lied to the state of Minnesota," says Colleen Lacey, 38, a human resources director from Chaska and self-described Republican who voted for Coleman. "I'm really disappointed that it's gone this far."

And all signs are that it's got even further to go. On Friday, the Minnesota's highest court refused Franken's request that Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Secretary of State Mark Ritchie be forced to award him the coveted election certificate, which, according to Senate rules, is necessary to seat a candidate. The ruling virtually ensured that the legal wrangling will continue for several more weeks and — if Coleman chooses to appeal the case to higher state (and possibly federal) courts — perhaps even months.

more...

http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1883961,00.html

[spanone]

1. what else can they be looking at FOUR MONTHS LATER....seat al NOW.

[panader0]

2. It's mindboggling. You couldn't make this stuff up.

[Mr. Ected]

3. What REALLY Pisses Me Off

Is how Kerry and Gore placed our country's needs first, and their own aspirations second, in handing the baton back to Bush when each of their elections returned dubious results.

It angered me at the time that neither had enough fire in the belly to press their cases, regardless of how long it took them...but I also heralded their acts of selflessness as the hallmark of true patriotism.

Norm Coleman is a perfect case in point as to why we should NEVER back down again in the future. What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

[AlinPA]

4. Republicans will keep the litigation going for the whole 6 years of the senate term.

[jwirr]

5. I wish there would be some way the we (Minnesotans) could sue them

to get this thing decided NOW. We need Franken in DC NOW.