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

[quinniebear]

Hypocritcal Republicans! They weren't arguing to count every vote when it was Bush V. Gore in Florida. I wonder what kind of lies these people tell themselves in order to get through each day.

[Shashi0224]

So we're depending on a republican to do what's right? To reflect the true vote? Oy Vey!

[care4mypeeps]

Gov Pawlenty is in a suicide mission that will have both sides deeply vested in the decission that he will be forced to make to seat Al Franken as Senator of Minnesota. Tim Pawlenty is unaware of the backlash that will drag his chances down to acceptably receive the nomination to run for the Presidency in 2012.

This situation is like dynomite that has been lit and the direction it is thrown will be devastated by the impact.

My prayers go out to Norm Coleman because the dynomite is in his court.

[SangZe]

Too bad, Franken, you might have made a very fine senator.

[care4mypeeps]

Congratulations go out to Al Franken who has shown restraint and class during these attempts to sabotage the seating of Mr. Franken as Senator of Minnesota. The GOP is funding the mission to keep Mr. Franken from being seated so the Republicans in the Senate can keep up their Obstructionist behavior and bug the American People to death.

No longer hidden are the scare tactics the Republicans use to keep the American people silent.
The GOP walk lock step in line with the failed polocies of the past and think they are doing something great.

I am embarrased for the GOP because of their arrogance and lack of depth perception to notice
that they have been on the wrong page for a long time and have no intentions on turning the page.

[taricaziz]

Coleman would have 10 days to appeal the panels ruling, if in favor of Franken. But I think it will go to the SCOTUS, and they will order Coleman seated.

[publanski]

Why would they order Coleman seated. He lost the election.

Oh, yeah, based on precedent, the SCOTUS will seat the loser.

[Shashi0224]

SCOTUS likes the losers because they are the republican candidates who can't win any other way.
Just count the remaining 400 votes and seat the winner.....why is that so difficult? By the time this is decided, it will be time for re-election!

[jjgg5]

This is truly scary . I don't live in Minnesota. Are the people of that state vocalizing their discontent with this shameful process that is so pathetically political?

[MyUserName]

Personally, I think Stuart Smalley should return to SNL :-)

[jjgg5]

Do you not value your state's election process that the majority vote winner gets the post?

[tomasedison]

Norm is the horse's rear end
but who among us didn't know that ?

[theone718]

If it was the other way around, and Pawlenty was a Democrat I would ask him to seat Coleman. Why? The law has run it's course and anything after that is posturing.

[katlade]

Why doesn't Coleman do an Al Gore and concede for the interest of Minnesotans? He is carrying to much baggage.

[Wuud52]

Republicans only want people to "Do the right thing for their constituents" when the "right thing" benefits them.

[roshni]

Because the GOP is paying for his personal legal bills and he is in a ton of trouble.

[kasinca]

Republicans against winner winning is stupid. How pathetic can they be?

[unhhockey]

Pawlenty is only the second goofiest-looking Republican behind Piyush.

[nicole473]

Franken WINNER

Coleman LOSER

Any questions?

[joebloe]

My question would be: if the MN SC rules in Franken's favor, will Pawlentey defy the legally recognized power in his state and ignore a court order? I would imagine the SC will order the cetificate to be signed regardess of any potential US SC fight.

[wiseapple]

He will call in a specialist from the 'privatized' conglomerate- Past Incompetant GOP Gubmint Employees (PIGGE's) - - Katherine Harris- to make the call!

[piquet]

What are we in...April now? and this is still not settled. SOMEBODY grow freaking pair in that state and make the call!...

[MathIsTruth]

The US Constitution only grants one body in the federal government to be the judge of Senatorial elections, and that body is not in any part of the judicial branch.

Only the US Senate may judge Senatorial elections.

The US federal court system ought to reject any appeals based on lack of jurisdiction.

[nicole473]

Please cite your source before one of the sore losers knocks you down. :)

[joebloe]

Uhhh, that would be the Constitution of the United States

[MathIsTruth]

Will do:

US Constitution, Article I, Section 5:

"Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members"

[liberalsrheros]

i'm not disagreeing with the senate having jurisdiction over seating. but voters have rights and that gives the courts jurisdiction on whether voters are being disenfranchised,no?

[joebloe]

But that doesn't preclude the MN SC from ordering the election certificate to be issued. The loser can then seek redress in the US SC.

[MathIsTruth]

The voters certainly have the right to sue to force changes in Minnesota voting laws.

But let's put it this way. If the US Supreme Court were to say that Coleman should have won the election and the US Senate says Franken won, it is clear that in the eyes of the Constitution it is Franken who won.

Thus, if the voters of Minnesota (which would include both Franken and Coleman) want to protest the election results with the hope of altering who is the declared winner, they should bring their case to the US Senate, not federal courts.

[quasar]

Coleman's has vowed to keep Franken from being seated. What's the name given to people who do that? Proxy? Goat? Traitor? Seriously.