Coleman Suffers Legal Blow in Minnesota Senate Contest
EmailABC News’ David Chalian Reports: The United States Senate moved an inch or two closer to getting its 100th senator. But just an inch or two. Former Sen. Coleman’s campaign made clear today that there will be an appeal to the full Minnesota Supreme Court before any definitive resolution comes to the five months old Minnesota senate contest. So the wait continues for Minnesota to have two United States senators representing the state. In a late afternoon ruling, a three-judge panel in Minnesota delivered a severe blow to Republican Norm Coleman’s attempts to return to the United States Senate in the ongoing recount there. The panel ruled that less (and perhaps a lot less) than 400 absentee ballots should be opened and recounted. That would almost certainly not be enough for Coleman to pick up enough votes to win. After the official state recount, Franken had a 225 vote lead. Coleman had originally been arguing that about 5,000 rejected absentee ballots should be opened and counted. By the end of the trial, they were arguing for 1,300. The three-judge panel has ruled that only 400 are to be reviewed to determine whether they are eligible to opened and counted. "To be clear," they wrote, "not every absentee ballot identified in this order will ultimately be opened and counted." Coleman attorney Ben Ginsberg expressed disappointment in the ruling and told reporters an appeal to the full Minnesota Supreme Court is on its way. He said if the today’s court order holds, "It will give us no choice but to appeal that order to the Minnesota Supreme Court. It continues to disenfranchise thousands of Minnesotans who votes should have been counted." "We are disappointed, but we feel the court is wrong and we will appeal," added Gisnberg. Unsurprisingly, the attorney representing Al Franken’s campaign, Marc Elias, called today’s ruling "a thoughtful order from the court, a very thorough consideration." Mr. Elias went on to proclaim just how tricky it will be for Norm Coleman to make up his 225 vote deficit when the entire universe of ballots remaining to be possibly counted is fewer than 400. "The math is going to be very difficult," Elias said. The ruling has called for the remaining ballots to be inspected next week.ABC’s Jonathan Karl contributed to this report.
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This guy only believes his opponent should concede. He should take his own advice.
Posted by: rightbehind | March 31, 2009, 7:05 pm 7:05 pm
Congratulations Senator Franken.
Posted by: Eric | March 31, 2009, 7:08 pm 7:08 pm
One would imagine the folks up in Minnesota would hope that Coleman just goes away and stop torturing the state…
http://www.political-buzz.com/
Posted by: matt | March 31, 2009, 7:20 pm 7:20 pm
I cannot believe this Franken clown received more than two votes. What an embarrassment to the state of Minnesota.
Posted by: James | March 31, 2009, 7:22 pm 7:22 pm
How long does it take these people to get something done? Make a decision and go on. Your people deserve two senators.
Posted by: JAB | March 31, 2009, 7:26 pm 7:26 pm
This ruling = victory for Franken, victory for MN, victory for America
Posted by: dem in chicago | March 31, 2009, 7:26 pm 7:26 pm
CONCEDE NOW Former Senator Horseface
Posted by: dem in chicago | March 31, 2009, 7:33 pm 7:33 pm
Who in their right mind would vote for Al Franken? He’s a hate monger from the left. Apparenlty, since he’s from the left, that doesn’t count.
That would be the equivalent of the right voting for Rush Limburger.
Could you just imagine Stuart and Rush in a debate?
Posted by: Jeff | March 31, 2009, 7:43 pm 7:43 pm
Minnesota did something even stupider not too long ago. Remember Jesse Ventura?
If Minnesotans want a lousy failure of a comic for a senator after they had a joke of a “wrestler” for a senator, then they deserve him.
Posted by: Bill | March 31, 2009, 7:49 pm 7:49 pm
That’s all right Coleman, I’m sure you can keep the election tied up in the courts till hell freezes over or you manage a win by the usual GOP hook or crook.
Posted by: JR | March 31, 2009, 7:49 pm 7:49 pm
You might as well hang it up Norm when 2 of the 3 Judges on the panel are REPUBLICAN.
Posted by: repubswrong | March 31, 2009, 7:50 pm 7:50 pm
Hey Bill, better a joke of a “wrestler” or a comedian than a GOP crook.
Posted by: JR | March 31, 2009, 7:51 pm 7:51 pm
Keep it up Minnesota, you’re making Illinois look good.
Posted by: breadwild | March 31, 2009, 7:57 pm 7:57 pm
Minnesota has TWIN CITIES. Why not TWIN SENATORS?
Posted by: asensibleone | March 31, 2009, 8:00 pm 8:00 pm
the solution is to give the seat to one of the 3rd party candidates who ran. Whichever 3rd party guy had the most votes should take the seat. Sine he/she neither of these two millionaire career entertainers to win outright and the 3rd party candidate hasn’t been a spoiled sport in the election process resorting to lawyers, press releases, Hollywood highjinx, or name calling. Neither of these two deserve the office.
Posted by: Ed | March 31, 2009, 8:01 pm 8:01 pm
Coleman, you clown, how about taking a page from Al Gore’s playbook and BEING A STATESMAN? What a joke this guy has become.
Posted by: Reality Check | March 31, 2009, 8:05 pm 8:05 pm
I don’t particulary like Coleman or Franken, but Coleman is just embarassing himself at this point.
Posted by: outofstater | March 31, 2009, 8:05 pm 8:05 pm
I am a resident of MN and it is time for Former Senator Coleman to give up this fight. He does not have a realistic shot at winning the election and Senator Amy Klobuchar and her staff are picking up the work load for the entire state. Mr. Coleman, the voters of MN will remember the pain you have caused our state in future election bids.
Posted by: Cathy | March 31, 2009, 8:08 pm 8:08 pm
One Senator is better than NONE, as the citizens in Washington DC already know.
Posted by: Bob | March 31, 2009, 8:13 pm 8:13 pm
Hey Dem in Chicago: You said, “Who in their right mind would vote for Al Franken? He’s a hate monger from the left. Apparenlty, since he’s from the left, that doesn’t count.
That would be the equivalent of the right voting for Rush Limburger.
Could you just imagine Stuart and Rush in a debate?”
Franken attended Harvard College and graduated cum laude from Harvard in 1973 with a BA in political science. Rush, on the other hand Limbaugh enrolled at Southeast Missouri State University and dropped out after two semesters and one summer.
Yeah. Al Franken can hold his own with a college drop out who flunked ballroom dancing. Oh yeah. I’m sure he’d WELCOME debating Rush. And Rush wouldn’t show. By the way: who the hell would vote for Rush for anything???? That’s why the guy is just a big mouth for the right. he doesn’t have the cajones to actually do the work of politics.
Posted by: Julia | March 31, 2009, 8:21 pm 8:21 pm
Coleman’s a tool. Typical GOP move to steal the election just like……….. who was that man?
Posted by: Johnny | March 31, 2009, 8:23 pm 8:23 pm
The well that Norm gets money to pay his legal bills is going to dry up…and soon. Who wants to bet on a horse that has gone lame?
Posted by: Jim | March 31, 2009, 8:27 pm 8:27 pm
Al Franken in the gorilla suit scene in Trading Places is the prevailing image here.
Posted by: J Robinson | March 31, 2009, 8:29 pm 8:29 pm
Great, a left wing version of Rush Limbaug in the Senate, just what this country needed. Franken the Freak in the Senate. … Now all we need are Rush, Bill Maher, Bill ‘O Reilly, John Stewart, Ann Coulter to join Frank in this circus and we will really be in for it.
Posted by: DBM | March 31, 2009, 8:35 pm 8:35 pm
In the appeals process it is a loser pays system. Coleman may be required to put $1-3 million in escrow in order to pay for Franken’s legal bills should he lose (and he will). Who is dumb enough to front that money?…Opps, I forgot about Steele making his upteenth bonehead move.
Posted by: Jim | March 31, 2009, 8:36 pm 8:36 pm
Coleman assumes that since Bush had 500,000 less votes than Gore in the 2000 Presidential Election and still won the election anyway, that it stands to reason since Coleman is only 225 behind he should also be declared the winner.
Posted by: A.Lincoln | March 31, 2009, 8:39 pm 8:39 pm
You forget DBM…..
A has been B-Movie 1950′s actor…Reagan
Conan The Barbarian Governor…Arnold S.
WrestleMania Dude / Governor..Ventura
They all seemed to be just fine to you Repubs.
Posted by: A/Lincoln | March 31, 2009, 8:44 pm 8:44 pm
Oh yea…who was the clown who owned the Texas Rangers before he became Governor of Texas? Now talk about qualifications for office.
Posted by: A.Lincoln | March 31, 2009, 8:48 pm 8:48 pm
Congratulations Senator Franken! I can not wait to vote out even more RepubliCONs in 2010!
Posted by: M | March 31, 2009, 8:49 pm 8:49 pm
So Jeff , what’s your point? Franken shouldn’t win because you don’t like him. I always thought in a democracy the one with the most votes should win, and that isn’t going to be Coleman.
Posted by: unshrub | March 31, 2009, 8:51 pm 8:51 pm
Hey A/Lincoln,
I’m not forgetting anything. You want to compare the nonsense spewed by talk show hosts, who build their livelyhoods in dividing his country, with a few actors who transitioned to politics? You wouldn’t hear Arnold or Reagan blaming everthing on the liberals like you would the overblown talk show personalities Rush or O’Reilly. The same goes with the idiot Franken and Maher who only serve to stir up their liberal fan base by blaming conservatives.
Posted by: DBM | March 31, 2009, 8:52 pm 8:52 pm
Isn’t Coleman getting embarrassed by his actions. If he hopes to have any political future he needs to concede and start over. If he’s not embarrassed the rest of the USA is.
Posted by: Terry | March 31, 2009, 8:52 pm 8:52 pm
Regardless of who you like, or why you like them, what ever happened to couting each and every single vote – regardless if it was from an absentee or live vote?
Posted by: Jabadoggie | March 31, 2009, 8:56 pm 8:56 pm
Jabadoggie – This contest is no longer about counting every vote. It’s about only counting the votes that Coleman wants counted and Franken wants counted. Get it?
Posted by: Jim | March 31, 2009, 9:11 pm 9:11 pm
It’s pretty embarassing to the people of
Minnesota, when they can build a 8 lane
bridge faster than picking a Senator.
Posted by: spacerook1 | March 31, 2009, 9:20 pm 9:20 pm
When Al Franken first asked for a recount, Colman said that if it were him he would concede and not cost the State of Minnesota the money for the recount. What a hypocrite.
Posted by: ratnabhusana | March 31, 2009, 9:24 pm 9:24 pm
J Robinson: “Al Franken in the gorilla suit scene in Trading Places is the prevailing image here.”
With Coleman the guy in the suit…
Priceless.
Posted by: Jim | March 31, 2009, 9:24 pm 9:24 pm
Don’t particularly care for Franken, but think Coleman is about as corrupt and morally bankrupt as they come–based on personal experience with the family, not just media reports. He is not an asset to MN, so Franken can’t be much worse. This whole thing has just been a farce. As a Minnesota ex-pat,I’m embarrassed for both of them and for the state.
Posted by: Mickey7 | March 31, 2009, 9:35 pm 9:35 pm
As a Mn. resident and voter I believe Norm Coleman should have conceded in November. When he thought he had won he didn’t want a recount and now that he’s lost he wants the counting to go on forever. He didn’t do Minnesotans any favors when he was in office and he certainly hasn’t done them any good by protesting this election. Goodbye Norm and don’t let the door hit you in the backsides when you leave. This is what you get when you became a bush yes man.
Posted by: republicans r sore losers | March 31, 2009, 9:39 pm 9:39 pm
Coleman should have hired Bush’s lawyers from 2000
Posted by: Brady51h | March 31, 2009, 9:44 pm 9:44 pm
Jeff:”That would be the equivalent of the right voting for Rush Limburger. ”
Hah! Like Rush would ever give up his $100 million paycheck to walk his talk and run for office.
Posted by: jhw539 | March 31, 2009, 9:48 pm 9:48 pm
Coleman will go down as the Blago/Burris infamy
Posted by: Sareena Jones | March 31, 2009, 9:51 pm 9:51 pm
Jabadoggie:”Regardless of who you like, or why you like them, what ever happened to couting each and every single vote – regardless if it was from an absentee or live vote? ”
They have counted every vote that meets legal requirements, the rules agreed to by both campaigns prior to the counting. For example, a vote that was filled out by a guy’s girlfriend for him and sent in unsigned SHOULDN’T be voted, nor a vote by someone who doesn’t live in the state.
Posted by: jhw539 | March 31, 2009, 9:59 pm 9:59 pm
Franken may get the seat. Just one more democrat to pile on to the Obama socialist train. Call your representatives, regardless of party, and do your best to convince them to say “no” to his socialist policies. Then press for term limits.
Posted by: go_figure | March 31, 2009, 10:20 pm 10:20 pm
go_figure:”Just one more democrat to pile on to the Obama socialist train. ”
Yeah, isn’t this majority rule thing just awful? Just wait until 2010 when the last of the Bush Senators stand for election (well, the ones who haven’t announced retirement that is).
Posted by: jhw539 | March 31, 2009, 10:24 pm 10:24 pm
By dragging this process out through the courts the Republican Party shows how hypocritical they are when it comes to tort reform. And another thing: Are they going prolong every close election that doesnt go their way?
Posted by: Mark from atlanta | March 31, 2009, 10:28 pm 10:28 pm
It really is mind boggling how Coleman tried to get Franken to quit without a basic recount and now that the ballots are recounted and so much more, he will not quit himself. Such a hypocrite. Have to believe that Minnesota voters will long remember how Coleman refused to go denying them a senator for many months.
Posted by: hopesprings52 | March 31, 2009, 10:29 pm 10:29 pm
I get it! We keep counting until the Democrat wins. Ok, no problem.
Posted by: Terry | March 31, 2009, 11:28 pm 11:28 pm
In the meantime, when will the President finally release a copy of his original Birth Certificate on file in Hawaii? This will happen eventually, why not now?
Why does he continue to send lawyers into court to prevent its release?
Posted by: Terry | March 31, 2009, 11:31 pm 11:31 pm
“I get it! We keep counting until the Democrat wins. Ok, no problem.” – It is the Republican who seems to be using that strategy.
Posted by: Mark from atlanta | March 31, 2009, 11:39 pm 11:39 pm
Mark,
It’s April Fools, and Terry is playing the part of the FOOL. Birth Certificate, counting til a Dem wins…definite moonbat territory!!!
Posted by: BruhMan | April 1, 2009, 12:03 am 12:03 am
And Former Sen. Coleman, promised not to spend money, on the struggle. Another Republican lie.
Posted by: traveler | April 1, 2009, 1:50 am 1:50 am
Minnesota tax payers continue to suffer, under Colman’s recount of the recount, of the recount. Even the Republican Judge’s panel have told Colman, to give it up. Republicans fighting Republicans. Here we go again.
Posted by: traveler | April 1, 2009, 1:52 am 1:52 am
Coleman tried to get Franken to concede before a recount, even though the slight difference in votes mandated a recount by law (independent of what the candidates did). Now that the recount shows Coleman lost, he should take his own advise.
Posted by: Sylvia | April 1, 2009, 3:08 am 3:08 am
There ought to be some sort of sanction put on the Coleman Campaign if they lose their appeal. They have been allowed to drag this on and on past the point where there is a likelihood that they will win by delaying things. This is a Republican Party attempt to deprive the Democrats of one of the 60 votes needed to get a fillibuster proof majority in the Senate. The RNC should be required to pay all of Minnesota’s costs associated with the appeal and all of Franken’s court costs that will ensue after this Minnesota court ruled as it did and Coleman appealed. This is getting into frivolous obfuscation territory and also Minnesota should be forced to amend its laws to preclude this kind of extended grandstanding all for the purpose of partisan hardball, to the detriment of the people of Minnesota and the US. This is attempting to hamstring the legitimate functioning of the U.S. Senate and the RNC should be made to pay the costs as well as be sued over its misconduct here.
Posted by: JL | April 1, 2009, 5:50 am 5:50 am
There ought to be some sort of sanction put on the Coleman Campaign if they lose their appeal. They have been allowed to drag this on and on past the point where there is a likelihood that they will win by delaying things. This is a Republican Party attempt to deprive the Democrats of one of the 60 votes needed to get a fillibuster proof majority in the Senate. The RNC should be required to pay all of Minnesota’s costs associated with the appeal and all of Franken’s court costs that will ensue after this Minnesota court ruled as it did and Coleman appealed. This is getting into frivolous obfuscation territory and also Minnesota should be forced to amend its laws to preclude this kind of extended grandstanding all for the purpose of partisan hardball, to the detriment of the people of Minnesota and the US. This is attempting to hamstring the legitimate functioning of the U.S. Senate and the RNC should be made to pay the costs as well as be sued over its misconduct here.
Posted by: JL | April 1, 2009, 5:58 am 5:58 am
oops….sorry for the double post.
Posted by: JL | April 1, 2009, 5:59 am 5:59 am
Coleman need to grow up….he lost! MN. has another senator, Michelle Bachman. She is a reasonable person. (sarcastism)
Posted by: sngeorgia | April 1, 2009, 6:50 am 6:50 am
Great, just what Minnesota and the nation needs. Another far left wing lunatic. The only difference between this one and the one in the White House is, is that the one in the White House is a better comedian.
Posted by: Global Fraud! | April 1, 2009, 8:09 am 8:09 am
Just end this and make Franken the senator. Let that state full of lunatics get what they deserve. Minnesota seems content having the inmates runing the asylum and it keeps those ex-wrestlers and washed up comedians away from my state.
Posted by: Spread That Wealth | April 1, 2009, 8:53 am 8:53 am
Coleman will fight ’til the bitter end, and all the way to the US Supreme Court if possible. The national GOP Party is pulling his strings. They absolutely do NOT want to lose yet another senate seat, which would put the Democrats 1 step closer to a filibuster-proof 60 Senators. Trust me, the GOP will drag this out as long as it is politically and legally possible (and even beyond that if they think they can get away with it)…..
Posted by: SearamblerOne | April 1, 2009, 9:05 am 9:05 am
when is asking to count all the votes stealing something ? seems they didnt have any ? about counting votes found in someones trunk
Posted by: david reyes | April 1, 2009, 10:06 am 10:06 am
Minnesota gave us Jessee Ventura, and now Al franken? What’s in the water up there?
Posted by: Tom Beebe | April 1, 2009, 10:15 am 10:15 am
Given the close finish, I wonder how many from Minnesota now regret staying home because “my vote doesn’t count?”
Posted by: kseyetie | April 1, 2009, 12:06 pm 12:06 pm
coleman is a big snot nosed baby…he is only hurting minnesota
Posted by: T | April 1, 2009, 2:34 pm 2:34 pm
By Franken being even close to thid Coleman character says a whole heck of a lot about how fed up people are with Republicans… All republicans should buy some space on the moon and move there… Geesshhhh!!!
Posted by: Obamaall theway | April 1, 2009, 5:37 pm 5:37 pm
They had to vote for Coleman because they’re fed up with Republicans? Is that how they think up there? I guess next time to show they’re really fed up they’ll vote for a circus clown.
Posted by: Spread That Wealth | April 1, 2009, 11:55 pm 11:55 pm
this coleman is a pathetic example
of arrogance in this great country.
where is this man’s pride?
where is his family?
why haven’t they told him that this is a pathetic effort to show thie country that he is a poor loser? where is his dignity and pride? really, really a sad man…
get over it and move on…
Posted by: hemnebob | April 2, 2009, 9:19 am 9:19 am
Minnesota voted for Franken because they are too lazy to work!!! They love all the free government agriculture handouts!
Posted by: Jack | April 2, 2009, 1:21 pm 1:21 pm
If the Republicans persist in stymying the resolution of the Coleman-Franken vote controversy, and seek to tie up the second Minnesota Senate seat in litigation in an attempt to deprive Democrats of another critical vote in the Senate, then Democrats are justified in invoking the special parliamentary maneuver in the Senate whereby the 60 vote majority is needed to overcome a fillibuster. If the Republicans are going to play hardball, the Democrats are justified in also playing hardball. The Republicans are interfering with the official business of the United States, at a time when votes on key issues is critical to the survival of the country. If these un-American party ideologues have to put their party ahead of their country, then they need to be swept aside by whatever means the Democrats, who were elected by the MAJORITY of Americans to enact reform. The Republicans can either be reasonable or else be swept aside.
Posted by: JL | April 3, 2009, 7:25 am 7:25 am
Um, perhaps I’m being silly suggesting something, but why not have a run-off?
Posted by: MM | April 13, 2009, 10:23 pm 10:23 pm
It is not coleman who is dragging this out. It is the repubs at the top of the food chain. mcconnel and boehner. but it makes no difference, in 2010 the rest of the repub. house of cards will fall and america will be free of the neocon nazi rule we endured for the past 8 years under bush/cheney. the conservative movement is dead, long live the republican party.
Posted by: jimt | April 13, 2009, 11:10 pm 11:10 pm
I just read the Minnesota court judgement from Apr.13:
http://www.mncourts.gov/?page=3409 (Final Ramsey County District Court Order).
I am impressed by the picture of basic decency and integrity in the election and election workers, completely contradictory to the Coleman / Fox “news” cry of “fraud”. So many of these rumors (like the “ballots in the car trunk, every one for Franken”) have turned out to be have originated from the Coleman camp, and completely false. Minnesota can be proud of the cleanliness and integrity of their election.
Posted by: PKooros | April 24, 2009, 9:46 pm 9:46 pm
Minnesota, the US and the world gets what it deserves with this dimwitted dope from Saturday Night Live’s “the unfunny decades”.
Posted by: charlie | June 30, 2009, 3:30 pm 3:30 pm
Minnesota, the US and the world gets what it deserves with this dimwitted dope from Saturday Night Live’s “the unfunny decades”.
Posted by: charlie | June 30, 2009, 3:30 pm 3:30 pm
What the hell were the people from Minnesota were thinking ?? They could not find a better candidate than Al Franken?? This guy is a fruit case. Everyone who has seen Al Franken on every aspect know that the guy is a looney !! He got monies from the Hollywod cirlce to get enoght dough to run. Any, any candidate could have been better then Franken. I know Coleman dies not have a solid ground but for God’s sake he is far better than Franken. Well..perhaps he belongs in the Senate since they are nothing but liars and phonies,thieves of the wors kind. Franken will fit prefectly right on his enviroment.
Posted by: Frank | June 30, 2009, 4:16 pm 4:16 pm
Alprazolam.
Alprazolam online. Alprazolam.
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