Posted on 11/30/2008 5:41:51 AM PST by TLI
ST. PAUL, Minn., Nov. 29 (UPI) -- A statement by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., makes it more likely the Senate could intervene in a Minnesota election, an analyst says.
The Minnesota U.S. Senate contest between incumbent Republican Norm Coleman and Democratic challenger Al Franken is undergoing a recount, with the candidates separated by less than 300 votes out of 2.9 million cast. But a controversial decision by the state's Elections Canvassing Board could end up throwing the election into the lap of the Senate itself, a scholar told Minnesota Public Radio.
"Ultimately, the Senate has complete authority to determine who was elected," Washington University political scientist Steven Smith told the broadcaster, citing the canvassing board's decision this week to disallow disputed absentee ballots that Franken had urged be counted.
The board's move was "a cause for great concern," Reid said this week, and those comments may indicate his willingness to start a Senate investigation of the Minnesota recount, Smith said. And if so, it's possible that Franken's argument regarding rejected absentee ballots could be reconsidered by U.S. senators.
Under the constitution, the Senate is the final arbiter of its membership, MPR noted.
I don’t have my copy of the Constitution handy, but WTF?????
Well this is exactly what the Rats want. They are the deciders you know. Obama will soon be changing that pesky constitution thing to make it more Progressive.
I think the SCOTUS is going to have a busy year...
With id
WTF
WRONG.
The 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution:
The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.
When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.
This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution.
If that is the case then this race is over.
If they do it will be the best thing to happen to the Republican party in years.
State constitution?
If it must be thrown in to the lap of someone, shouldn’t that lap belong to the Minnesota State Legislature?
We need to repeal the Seventeenth Amendment for many reasons.
Un-be-freaking-lievable. Coleman wins the election, wins the recount, so Reid and his Senate cohorts will give it to Alfranken? All that’s missing is Rod Sterling with the Twilight Zone theme playing in the background.
I think that the best the Senate could do is deny Coleman his seat. They can’t install Franken if he isn’t certified as winning the race.
It will be painful but it will be a game changer.
Article I, section 5: "Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members..."
It seems we are falling farther away from a Constitutional republic with each passing day, doesn’t it?
Stare Decisis: They’ve ignored the “qualifications” part of that for about 40 years now...
In gore vs Bush they said it should be decided locally.
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