(1) ActBlue: Franken Recount Fund
- - 12.12.08: Raised $808,429; Details Major Donation Sources
12.05.08 F&C: Lawyers populate the Coleman-Franken Senate recount
“FlAttorney’s FR “Straight Talk” 2008 Presidential & U.S. Congress Elections"
TAB
Posted on 12/14/2008 2:20:32 PM PST by flattorney
The campaign is over, but Norm Coleman and Al Franken still want your money. The bitter U.S. Senate campaign between Republican incumbent Coleman and DFL challenger Franken was the most expensive race in the country this year, to the tune of $32 million ($10 million more than the next most expensive race). But with an equally bitter recount going on, and with hundreds of volunteers for both camps swarming the recount sites to oversee the proceedings, both campaigns still have their hands outstretched, looking for donations to help pay for the costs associated with the recount – feeding and housing volunteers, paying rent and utilities on campaign offices and other post-election bills that no one expected.
Franken’s campaign reported late last week that it had raised $2.1 million since Election Day, directly through his campaign office and through a joint fundraising committee with the Minnesota DFL Party. As of the end of November, the campaign and the committee had a combined $1.9 million on hand and had spent about $740,000 since Election Day.
A good share of that money was raised through ActBlue.com(1), a Democratic fundraising organization. The group’s website reports that Franken supporters have ponied up $696,773 through various funds linked on the site, ranging from $247,513 donated directly to the Franken Recount Fund, $50,781 to “Support Al Franken,” an effort launched by Hillary Clinton, to a single $4 donation to “Facebookers for Franken,” organizer unknown. “We’re thrilled with the support we’ve received for our recount effort,” Franken communications director Andy Barr wrote in a press release.
Coleman’s campaign reported raising $1.8 million for the recount, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, and had spent about $425,000.
However, both campaigns have continued to vigorously solicit donations since the last fundraising reports were filed with the FEC. Franken’s supporters raised $3,087 last week at an event at the Minnetonka home of former Minnesota state auditor Judi Dutcher. The get-together was billed specifically as a “Women for Franken recount event” and Franken, his wife, Franni, and their daughter, Thomasin, attended (along with 28 other people, according to ActBlue.com). Attendees were asked to contribute between $50 and $1,000 (“more if you can, less if you can’t,” the e-mailed invitation read). And if you couldn’t attend? Not to worry – the invitation included a link to contribute anyway.
Earlier, Franken’s recount effort enlisted the help of former Vice President Al Gore and billionaire philanthropist (and self-professed sworn enemy of the GOP) George Soros, who hosted a reception and dinner Nov. 20 in New York to raise money for Franken’s recount fund. “If you can’t make it, I hope you will contribute as much as you possibly can to help ensure a fair recount,” the e-mailed invitation to that event read.
For his part, Coleman has accepted donations to his recount fund from such political heavy hitters as former Massachusetts Gov. (and former GOP presidential hopeful) Mitt Romney, who contributed $5,000 from his Free and Strong America political action committee.
And both candidates are making it as easy as possible for supporters to contribute to the recount effort. Links to contribute to their recount funds are seldom more than a click or two away on the web.
As it did before Election Day, Franken’s campaign is relying heavily on “grass-roots” politics for the recount effort, Barr said. When it came to providing accommodations for more than 2,100 recount volunteers, the campaign put out an appeal for housing. “We were able to rely on that network to provide couches, airbeds and guest rooms for folks,” Barr said. Luke Friedrich, the Coleman campaign’s press secretary, said there are “hundreds of volunteers” working on the GOP side of the recount effort. “We’re being very conscientious about cost,” Friedrich said. “We have a budget and we’re sticking to it.”
Coleman’s campaign has rented at least one apartment in the Lowertown neighborhood of St. Paul to assist with the recount effort, according to Coleman campaign manager, Cullen Sheehan, who was spotted going into an apartment at the Cosmopolitan, 250 E. 6th St., carrying a 12-pack of Corona beer and a variety of other household essentials.
At last report, with the recount more than 99 percent complete, Franken was leading Coleman by 4,658 votes, according to the Minnesota secretary of state’s website. However – and it’s a big “however” – those totals do not include more than 6,000 ballots that have been challenged by the campaigns; at last count, Coleman’s camp had challenged 3,311 ballots and Franken’s 3,197. The numbers also do not reflect “missing” ballots and withdrawn challenges, which were traded by both camps all week. The challenged ballots will not be counted for any candidate until the challenges have been examined and determined by the state Canvassing Board.
The board will meet Dec. 16 to begin reviewing the challenged ballots, and has set Dec. 19 as its deadline to certify the results of the election.
“FlAttorney’s FR “Straight Talk” 2008 Presidential & U.S. Congress Elections"
TAB
It probably would have been less expensive for all parties involved if there had been a run-off election, much as what was held in Georgia.
Perhaps Minnesota law should be changed.
FlA & Co. Footnote
(1) Minnesota U.S. Senate Election Results
as of Nov. 19, 2008
Coleman(R) 1,211,590
Franken(D). 1,211,375
Barkley(I)..... 437,404
How did Al Franken get up by 4,000 votes?? The last I read it was Coleman by around 200.
Yeh..he’s a Joker alright...so is the majority of Senators.
If he frauds his way in there he can join his brethren and sisteren.
Coleman still has a slim lead. He also is filing legal action with the MN Supreme Court in an effort to put a stop to Franken's and the DemoRats ballots fraud attempts.
12.12.08: Coleman to Petition MN Supreme Court re: Uniform Ballots Standard (Legal Letters Attached)
TAB
12.12.08: Coleman to Petition MN Supreme Court re: Uniform Ballots Standard (Legal Letters Attached)
Franken's campaign reported late last week that it had raised $2.1 million since Election Day, directly through his campaign office and through a joint fundraising committee with the Minnesota DFL Party. As of the end of November, the campaign and the committee had a combined $1.9 million on hand and had spent about $740,000 since Election Day. A good share of that money was raised through ActBlue.com(1), a Democratic fundraising organization.
This is a bad joke that just will not go away.
I have absolutely no doubt that Ritchie is passing on sensitive information on the developments of this recount to the Franken campaign.
Good for Coleman.
Wow. Is this the last lap? December 19 will end the 2008 Elections?
I doubt it, but Coleman seems to putting up a competent fight and that in itself is praiseworthy.
The more court oversight there is, the less likely that Franken can get away with fraud. The Minnesota Supreme Court has a better reputation than the Florida one did.
If this were true, the counting would be over.
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