Al Franken Sent $95,000 By Republicans

WASHINGTON — In the last chapter of a stinging loss to now-Sen. Al Franken, Minnesota's Republican Party has sent the Democrat almost $96,000 to cover lawsuit costs.

Republican Party spokesman Mark Drake said a check was sent via courier Monday to Franken's campaign committee. It arrived Tuesday, the same day Franken took his oath for a seat held open during an eight-month recount and court fight.

Minnesota law required Republican Norm Coleman to reimburse Franken for some costs because the election lawsuit didn't change the outcome. The judgment excluded Franken's attorney fees.

The Republican and Democratic parties have each chipped in to help pay candidate legal bills.

The check included $872 in interest that accrued in the month since Coleman was ordered to pay up.

The Minnesota Democrat's swearing-in marked the end of an eight-month political and legal struggle and drew thunderous applause and a standing ovation in the Senate chamber. His presence gives Democrats 60 votes, enough to thwart possible Republican filibusters.

Get HuffPost Politics On Facebook and Twitter!

Comments

[Forester]

That should pay for a BIG victory party.

[GHENT007]

It dont get no better than this!!! go al !!!!

[AsUWish]

Oh so true...

Franken is going to straighten out "that there" Washington and Wall Street.

[Tropiholic]

less money for dental work Norman

[PepperzMom]

The O'Jays: "Money, money, money...mo­ney!"

[maisnon55]

what an insult, 95K.......­....good thing that the voters of Minnesota who were also victims will not forget losing a senator in Congress for 6 months, I am sure......­even repugs have to look at the amount of tax money that was used by an R and ANYONE who voted for Franken will have fire in his belly for having had to go through this......­...it will come back to bite them......­I HOPE that Coleman runs for governor, keep the memory fresh!

[flydoghead]

Please STOP the senseless TAPPING !!

[ChristianEcon.com]

Feels good to finally do something right, eh Republicans? Even if you did have to be forced to do it. Maybe you can turn over a new leaf.

[gallon]

Oh the imagery. If the GOP turned over a new leaf, wouldnt that leave them completely exposed?

[D-V-H]

Would that put their A$$ up their head?

[jbeeaz]

Get your facts str8t - - Ensign 'Family' paid $96K [reportedly] to the Hamptons - to ease their pain [?] - the GOP paid Al $96K [almost] AND it really pained them to do it! ROFLMAO

[VanillaCreme]

Keep your eyes closed and drink somemore kool-aid. $50,000,000,000; that's billion, to GM by the end of the year. The fleecing of America. LMAO

[rich misty]

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/meltdown/view/

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/bushswar/

[darkerKnight]

Is that not far less than George W. Shrub, the republican party, and the devil paid to start a war (of Haliburton in Iraq) and slaughter nearly 5, 000 of our best young men and women?

[Grunty1]

Indeed. By a factor of HUNDREDS.

[doctorwang]

Off-topic-
or, to use the hip new phrase that all you kids are using, - you're pullin' a Palin.

LMAO !!!!

[CarmanK]

Icing on the cake. The repugs should pay a whole lot more to the people of MN for denying them their representation in Washington, DC during these crucial times.

USURY IS IMMORAL AND UNETHICAL, how come it is not illegal in the United States???
Have you seen some of the latest Bank of america ads? It is revolting to think that they are going to buy their way out of "stealing" so much from American citizens.

[HC4BO]

That's LESS than Ensign gave to his MISTRESS ...

[reggieb]

well, get out your pencil and figure out the cost of the Mistress's services per visit or per "act" and then we can do some kind of numbers comparison for grins.

[discourse jockey]

I think most of us are feeling similarly about this. But please let's not overdo it with the schadenfreude -- it leads to the Dark Side of the Aisle.

[lifesucks]

They should have tapped Ensign's parents - they seem to be in the giving mood.

[reggieb]

There is just entirely too much "tapping" going on in the republican party as it is.

[roshni]

They should have consulted with Coburn. He would have advised them to keep paying for frivolous challenges.

[luvangelHussein330]

Cha-CHING!!!

[MaryanneAZ]

This news brought a smile to my face. That's what I call putting one's money where one's mouth is.