GOP May Block Attempt To Seat Franken

Despite Dem's 49-Vote Lead In Recount, Senate Republicans Say Legal Challenges Should Play Out First

(AP)  A top Senate Republican said Friday his caucus would block any attempt to seat the winner of Minnesota's close election until an anticipated court case is finished and an official election certificate is issued.

Pending the counting of hundreds of unopened absentee ballots, Democrat Al Franken holds a 49-vote lead over incumbent Republican Sen. Norm Coleman, whose term expires at noon EST Saturday.

Minnesota's other senator, Democrat Amy Klobuchar, has said the man with the most votes after the recount concludes should be seated while legal matters play out. Franken hasn't discussed his intentions.

The new Congress convenes Tuesday. A court challenge and possible appeals could keep the Franken-Coleman contest unsettled for several months. Hundreds of uncounted absentee ballots are due to be opened and examined Saturday, and the Canvassing Board had hoped to wrap up its work by Tuesday.

Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the incoming chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, told reporters Friday that Republicans would object to seating anyone before the already lengthy process is finished.

"I can assure you that there will be no way people on our side of the aisle will agree to seat any senator provisionally or otherwise unless there is a valid election certificate and all legal issues about who got the most votes is finally decided," Cornyn said.

If even a single Republican were to object to a bid to seat Franken, Senate Democrats would have to come up with 60 votes to call the vote. Counting two independents who align with them, Democrats will have 58 or 59 seats in the incoming Senate, depending on the resolution of the Minnesota race.

On Friday, counties were finishing sorting envelopes containing previously rejected absentee ballots that could still tip the race.

Election officials around the state have spent the week conferring with campaign representatives about 1,350 sealed ballots that didn't get counted Nov. 4 but which may have been excluded in error. Under a Supreme Court order, all sides had to agree that an absentee ballot was incorrectly rejected before it could be forwarded to the state for counting.

Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty said during his weekly radio show that the process may be flawed because the campaigns have so much power to keep ballots out.

"It seems odd that you would turn over somebody's legal right to vote to the campaigns," he said.

[actornaught]

This obstructionist move by the ''pubs is more of the same fuel that is causing lost seats, the main reason for congress''s low approval rating. So let them be, they''re drowning, and stuffing these rocks in their pockets.

[misha128-2009]

atest update after the erroneously rejected absentee ballots agreed to by both candidates were counted it''s Frankin leading by around 250 votes, reportedly Coleman is down to only legal challenges.

[vincan-2009]

All Franken has to do is zoom right over to the senate and take his place just the way Bush has done twice. Franken has won this election. If Coleman were ahead he would be in his spot in the senate in a blink of an eye. Go Franken go. Take your position in the senate and start doing the great job I know you will do to help President Obama move this country from doom to hope.

[wdrussell1]

This was a victory for the left, whether Al won or lost.
This is an ''in your face'' to wingnuts like Rush, Wiener, Hannity who don''t have enough between their legs to run for a top office.

[misha128-2009]

TexHillGirl ?

Posted by zzy-izzy at 10:21 AM : Jan 03, 2009

RowdynTex, et al changed ID''s

[newsjunky5]

Do those Senate Republicans still want to do away with the filibuster option like they did a few years ago?

[zzy-izzy]

TexHillGirl ?

[misha128-2009]

Posted by TexHillGirl at 09:30 AM : Jan 03, 2009

Sorry corrected

Have no fear after ALL the votes are counted the winner will be seated, in all likelyhood that will Al Franken by a greater margin after the erroneously rejected absentee ballots are COUNTED, more important Norm Coleman won''''t be seated reducing the Republicans by a critical "guaranteed" vote. Minnesota deserves some serious congratulations for their open and transparent recount process, much was broadcast on the web viewable by anyone interested.

Posted by misha128 at 09:50 AM : Jan 03, 2009

[louiville2]

HMMM Better than the happy republicans picking on the bones of the 4200 Dead Americans they KILLED in their IRAQ WAR!!


Posted by jerr11 at 09:58 PM

Here we go again DEMOCRATS voted overwhelmingly for the war in Iraq. If Clinton had killed Osama instead of worrying about W and R on keyboards we wouldn''t be here.

Another coward democrat unwilling to admit their mistakes.

[misha128-2009]

Posted by TexHillGirl at 09:30 AM : Jan 03, 2009

here a commie
.... there a commie
........ everywhere a commie commie

here a muslim
.... there a muslim
........ everywhere a muslim muslim

here an arab
.... there an arab
........ everywhere an arab arab

your bigotry and ignorance are showing clearly.

[louiville2]

I gotta pile on too! Look where that stolen election of 2000 got us!!!!

Death, hate, lost wars over lies, depression, outting CIA agents. That outcome good for you?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by stevex47 at 10:40 PM

Hmmmm maybe you should take it up with Clinton and of course you are suggesting Gore would have been better AHAHHAHAH The election wasn''t stolen get over it dweeb.

[omnibus66]

It''s amazing. The Repubs can''t figure out why they''re in that huge hole. But they just keep digging.

[nicknikon]

For "earache4:" Just because you''re a right-wing adherent doesn''t mean MN is nuts too. Just who do you think the "nobodys" are who make up the other 99 Senators? Texas has two "Nobodys" as Senators. One is a former "hanging judge" who looks good in a suit, but has nothing else going for him except he can be counted on to tow the Right Wing line. The other is a true political hack whose ambition for higher office is matched only by the fact that she also has nothing going for her except she looks good in a pant-suit.

No, IMHO, Al Franken is far LESS of a nobody that most of the other US Senators.

NickNikon

[nicknikon]

It''s time to remove all the special "rules" that allow the minority in the US Senate to block anything they wish. The Repubs have proven over the last decades to be -far- more obstructionist and blatantly political using these "rules" than the Democrats and it''s time these "rules" go.

There is NOTHING in the US Constitution that says the Senate needs 60 votes to move a bill to a vote, or that ONE Senator can block an appointment or a treaty. We must move out of the Dark Ages in the US Senate and permit majority rule so that we can at last move forward in this nation.

NickNikon

[irmcvet971]

Putting aside the bias, corruption and vote stealing. The real issue is how does someone like Franken, a nobody, get almost half the votes in any state. I''''d suggest proclaiming the whole of Minnesota insain and removing both Minnainsano Senate seats from the roles. What were they thinking when they cast a vote for Franken. Doesn''''t the Senate have enough clowns.

Posted by bern1l at 11:24 PM : Jan 02, 2009

So now you fascist do not want to allow America Citizens to run for office UNLESS approved by the "Party"? Gosh how far you and your party have fallen!! Suggestion! If you are going to start removing states because they didn''t support the "Party" and Southern Fascism, you can''t stop with this state. In fact you have NO states left outside the Fascist South. Sieg Heil Y''all.

[lewiston14]

This 2 party system has to go. It might of worked many years ago but now has become a burden. Vote straight pary lines no matter how good or bad a bill is and nothing ever gets done. Goverment need things done in weeks not months or years. Without the 2 party system everybody runs on their own abilites. No move majorty leaders, no more special teams and it would save trillions wasted on hot air. What worked then does not work now. Its a new world.

[smurfcrusher]

Why wouldn''t the Republicans continue their obstructionist ways?

In a sense, it''s actually a good thing the Democrats lack a filibuster-proof majority. It give the Republicans just enough political rope to cause another good political pasting in two years. haha!

[Bernie1l]

Let me see a c u m laude graduate of harvard...

And, he is a clown.

[mizzerz]

What were they thinking when they cast a vote for Franken. Doesn''''t the Senate have enough clowns.

Posted by bern1l

Let me see a c u m laude graduate of harvard, author, knows the issues backwards and forwards. That is better bio of any of my Southern Republican Senators

[mizzerz]

===YOu got the Democratic playbook wrong. We must count all the votes unless they move their primary up to January.===
Posted by mizzerz

Yep. If you break the rules, you pay the price - something that Repubs do not understand. I can see why you are confused at what happened with the two primaries and why they were discounted.


Posted by Rafterman1

My comment was a tongue in cheek comment on the inadequacy to allow Iowa and New Hampshire to choose our presidential nominees.