Franken's Fate In Hands Of GOP Gov. Pawlenty

Politico:

The legal fight between Al Franken and Norm Coleman is headed to the desk of Gov. Tim Pawlenty -- a no-win predicament for a Minnesota Republican with his eye on a White House run in 2012.

Franken won big Tuesday when a three-judge panel allowed the review of no more than 400 absentee ballots in a race he currently leads by 225 votes. Coleman's camp says an appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court is coming; once that's done, the dispute lands in Pawlenty's lap.

Read the whole story: Politico

Comments

[DFL]

I heard the only reason pawlenty was re-elected is because some rich neo con from TX. sent him money to swift-boat his opponent.

[PhilipTaylor]

Coleman GET A JOB!

It is OVER! The Party of "NO" LOST AGAIN!

[mmerose]

Wow, this is scary. The most hopeful hint may be that Pawlenty "considers it a matter of state law." As governor, it seems it would have to be his place to follow the state Supreme Ct. ruling. If not, the line would seem to have been clearly crossed that he is subordinating his oath of office to the state to the national party.

What's MN's process to impeach a governor?

[donbrown]

I am originally from Minnesota and noticed the deafening silence about the collapsed bridge that killed a dozen people almost exactly a year before the Republican convention there.

Like all Republicans, Pawlenty had campaigned on a platform that cut taxes for infrastructure repair...OOPS.

Nobody dared mention it at the convention...not even the media.

At least the Daily Show had the cojones to do a report from the Larry Craig Memorial men's room at the Minneapolis airport.

[dimplesmile7]

Coleman the biggest sore loser in all of the USA. Minnesota politicians to eliminate in future elections Bachmann and Pawlenty! Don't let these people get back into office!

[SouthPrairie]

Ahhhhhhhhhh....gee, I thought--silly me--that it was the VOTERS that decided the fate of candidates.

How naive of me. I guess I forgot about the Grand Obstructionist Party, you know the party that does not give a cr@p about what the American VOTERS want. Yea, that party.

Just sayin.

[BoyInBOYCOTT]

Pawlenty will kill his political career in MN if he continues this stalling based on Cornyn's say so.
I know Minnesotans,(my home for 50 years) THEY take pride in their elections, and this GARBAGE Coleman is up to, they will RIP HIM TO SHREADS the minute the MN Supreme Court rules.

[Doofus]

It seems Gov Pawlenty is politically 'doomed' no matter what.
The GOP will tear him a new one if Franken makes it into the
Senate, and the Demos will if he doesn't. Since he's not ever
going to get much Demo support anyway, his best bet is to take
his chances with the Repo man, unfortunately.

[Doofus]

In fact, gang, let's all 'get proactive'
and figure out a way for Tim Pawlenty to
certify Al Franken's election *AND* put the
'responsibility' on Limbo or another Repo man.

[VOTER]

The Time Clock Is Ticking...­..........­....

It is survival time for Pawlenty, so let's see if he really wants his political
future to be lost with Norm's or if he is going to behave as a Governor
and seat SENATOR FANKEN.

[VOTER]

Sorry.....­..........­. Senator FRANKEN.

[JinMN]

and Pawlenty is still bitter he wasn't picked at VP.

[springsm]

So is Evan Bayh and he is doing his best to throw a wrench into Obama's plans...so maybe these guys should share notes.

[JinMN]

Ha ha probably right.

[JinMN]

No-please let it be over-seat Franken enough already-everyone knows Coleman lost except for Coleman.

[JRsNana]

Well I think it's pretty safe to say that Pawlenty won't seat Al Franken. He's got his eye on the prize and looking like a died-in-the-wool Republican obstructionist right now will go a long way with the base.
This could get very interesting.

[jerrycurls]

Can Pawlenty be impeached for this I wonder?

[kvet]

Norm Cloeman = Sore Loser Cry Baby....

Pawlenty ? = Obstructionist Traitor of Country and Democracy.....

[bannorhill]

Al Gore= Sore Loser Cry Baby

Pawlenty= following Minnesota election law

[Tropiholic]

didn't the bitter end come and go already?

[rich3324]

What's wrong with Minnesota? Why has it taken so long to clear this mess up?

[offred]

Minnesota's election system is not the problem. The recount has been open and above board. The problem is that the RNC is funding Coleman's lawsuit (and Coleman) in order to keep a 59th Democratic vote out the Senate.

If Coleman is going to drag this to the U.S. Supreme Court, he owes the people of Minnesota an update NOW on the FBI investigation of his friend Kazeminy. We shouldn't have to wait another six months for our second senator just to find out that Coleman is going to be tried for accepting gifts from Kazeminy.

[bannorhill]

Minnesota's election gives Coleman the right to drag it out. Frankin or Coleman might have been seated by now if the election law was different.

[offred]

See this for info on FBI investigation into whether money was indirectly funneled to Coleman through his wife's work:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=53584773155&ref=ts

[gurukalehuru]

What's wrong with Minnesota?
a. Too cold
b. too many damned mosquitoes
c. funny accent

Other than that, it's a pretty nice place.

[bannorhill]

Two seasons. Winter and the Fourth of July.

[jorge4u]

Playing the devil's advocate here...

What would it happen if Tim decided that Norm should be seated?

[plzchuteme]

The only way that could happen is if the MN.Supreme Court rules in favor of Coleman and by some miracle that allowed him to make up his current shortfall in votes.(not likely that he'll get a favorable ruling, and even if he did, would be able to make up those votes) Without appeal, Coleman could then be declared the winner. The results would have to be re-certified and then Pawlenty could sign off on them. If any or all of these fail to happen, there is no way that Pawlenty could do anything to have Coleman seated. I don't think Coleman or anyone else believes that he has a snowball's chance of overturning the results. This is all for the stalling effect.

[dave1111]

Lots of snowballs in a place like Minnesota?