• Home
  • Blogs
  • Political Hotsheet
Political Hotsheet
June 11, 2009 10:15 AM

What's Next For The Minn. Senate Race?

Posted by Anthony Salvanto
(AP )
A Minnesota court awarded Al Franken about $95,000 in legal fees from Norm Coleman Wednesday, but we still await the big decision from the State Supreme Court on the Senate race. While we do, here are a couple of things to keep in mind.

First, if the State Supreme Court’s decision favors Norm Coleman, remember that won’t in itself give him the Senate seat. If the rejected absentee ballots that Coleman wants reconsidered are actually opened up, it isn’t known whether the votes would help Coleman’s numbers or Franken’s. Depending on what the court orders, such a ruling might only send the race back to the Secretary of State’s office to begin a process of reconsidering them.

And if Franken prevails, watch to see if the court also directs the governor and secretary of state to release an election certificate. Although Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty has said he'll sign one if ordered to, there’s been much speculation over whether he would issue one after a court ruling for the Democrat Franken, especially if Coleman subsequently appeals or files new lawsuits.

By state law, any election certificate needs to be issued by the governor with the secretary of state's co-signature.

Anthony Salvanto CBS News Elections Director
Tags:
Al Franken ,
Norm Coleman ,
Minnesota Senate
Topics:
Senate

More from Political Hotsheet and Politics on CBSNews.com

Add a Comment
by beolson June 25, 2009 11:33 PM EDT
It is a sad travesty that what used to be the world's most outstanding and respected democracy cannot resolve an election in over 7 months for a U.S. Senate seat in Minnesota.

In another country which we both disrespect and fear, the population goes to the streets over its elections and we watch on television and listen to our rabid AM Right Wing ideologues, mesmerized, while the Republican war mongers among us scream for stronger, ?more forceful? action.

At the same time, regarding our own election we just shrug our shoulders and go on without representation while those same screaming Republicans delay and obstruct our own election process at every turn because they cannot accept defeat and a 60 vote Senate. Hypocrite is the only term that can describe them.

At least Al Gore put what he thought was the greater good of the nation ahead of his personal ambition in 2000. It is sadly ironic that we would probably be better off now as a nation had he fought on and won. We might still have the twin towers and the 3000 lives lost on 9/11. Even if 9/11 had still occurred I suspect our subsequent course would have been far different, our world reputation stronger and still respected, Afghanistan stabilized and Al Qaeda more significantly weakened if not defeated. Iraq would still be a UN issue and thousands of Americans and tens of thousands of Iraqis would still be alive.

Maybe we go not deserve what we have been entrusted with as a result of the blood shed by our fathers and forefathers. Our own Presidential election of 2000 was decided by 5 politically motivated supreme court justices...which is not much different than the decision process using the Supreme Leader in Iran to make the call. Maybe it is getting to be time to take our country back, forcefully if necessary, from the corporations and concentrated money that have bought and paid for our present Congress our previous President and perhaps even our current President, although it is probably too early to tell.

Only time will tell but allowing the situation in Minnesota to fester is not a good sign.
Our democracy it at risk and we had best take notice and fix it?quick.

Bruce Olson, Houston, TX
Reply to this comment
by 33Atticus June 13, 2009 9:06 PM EDT
All the decisions made up to this point are in favor of Franken and support the fact that Franken won the Minnesota Senate election. How many hoops is Coleman going to make Franken jump through? Coleman?s desperate legal attempts to get the election certificate are revealing the fact he knows he lost and now he?s trying to find a loophole to steal the race ? just like other republicans in the not so distant past. In the legal processes to date, all decisions made by courts and committees were in Franken?s favor. He was just awarded $95,000 in legal fees by a Minnesota State Court. What does that tell you?
As for Sparticus501?s response: please get your facts together before writing a response. Also, use grammar and spell check ? they?re usually a part of your word processing program so you?re conservative brain won?t have to think for itself!
Reply to this comment
by Baronscarpia June 12, 2009 1:03 PM EDT
Isn't it fun watching a Republican desperately seeking the intervention of an "activist" judge...ANY "activist" judge into the affairs of another branch of government?

Can you say Norm "Loserman?"

Or maybe "Get over it - you lost?"
Reply to this comment
by antoniof123 June 12, 2009 9:52 AM EDT
Posted by Sparticus501 at 1:26 PM : Jun 11, 2009

Did you say the same thing in 2000 for Florida and did you stand up and make waves. I live in Florida and we felt the pain of that fake election when Bush's brother helped get the village idiot elected. One good thing Bush baby will never be president and screw up the country any more. Thank goodness the shrubs are done.
Reply to this comment
by Sparticus501 June 11, 2009 4:26 PM EDT
Frankin is stealing the election the Coleman won. Suddenly, in key Democrat districts, mysterious absentee ballots were "found" well after the election. One Democrat elections supervisor "found" ballots in her vehicle. Coleman one this election, Franken went to a bunch of liberal judges and bureaucrats and stole it, and now Coleman is fighting back. Franken and his minions are turning Minn into a corrupt Chicago like joke.
Reply to this comment
by prohb June 11, 2009 1:34 PM EDT
This is about power and politics for the Republican Party - pure and simple. Forget about the good of the people of Minnesota.
Reply to this comment
by actornaught June 11, 2009 12:36 PM EDT
It doesn't matter what the absentee ballots say, or that Coleman's public dignity is long gone.

It's all about the stall.

Just say "no"...
Reply to this comment

About Political Hotsheet

Stay up to the minute on the latest news and developments from Washington, from the White House to Congress and everything in-between with the best political reporters from CBS News and CBSNews.com.

E-Mail Political Hotsheet
Follow On Twitter

Add to your favorite news reader
google
yahoo
msn
HOTSHEET ON TWITTER