Posted on 11/27/2008 6:30:05 AM PST by ricks_place
ST. PAUL, Minn. - Minnesota's U.S. Senate showdown is veering down a path toward the courts and possibly the Senate itself after a panel's ruling on rejected absentee ballots dealt a blow to Democrat Al Franken's chances.
For the first time, his campaign on Wednesday openly discussed mounting challenges after the hand recount involving Franken and Republican Sen. Norm Coleman concludes. That includes the possibility of drawing the Senate into the fracas.
The state Canvassing Board denied Franken's request to factor absentee ballots rejected by poll workers into the recount. He sought to overturn the exclusions in cases where ballots were invalidated over signature problems or other voter errors. Coleman's campaign maintained the board lacked power to revisit those ballots.
Franken entered the recount trailing Coleman by 215 votes out of 2.9 million ballots. As of Wednesday night, Coleman was up 292 votes, including results from Nov. 4 and recounted ones.
All told, 86 percent of the ballots have been recounted. However, about 4,740 ballots have been challenged by the two campaigns that could fall to the canvassing board to rule on.
The ruling wasn't a complete victory for Coleman. The board left open the possibility of examining ballots that were set aside for errors outside of the voter's control.
Secretary of State Mark Ritchie estimated that 12,000 absentee ballots were rejected for various reasons some legitimate, some not. That represents between 4 percent and 5 percent of all the absentee ballots cast.
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
............and America Eyes his Strange Behavior!!!
What a complete POS!
Liberals get really unhinged when their attempts to lie, cheat, steal and game the system fail.
Al, just give up already!
Al Franken should be praying that he loses this recount, because he’ll make much MUCH more moolah as a ‘victim’ who was ‘robbed’ by going out on the lecture circuit, than if he ended up having to go to Washington and do some actual work as an elected official.
Harry Reid plans on resolving this issue.
Guess who will be the senator from MN
Conceding and saving his dignity must have been dismissed as a possibility long ago.
Is it also fundamental that every citizen's vote, Republican, Democrat, and third-party, be counted only if it is cast for a constitutionally qualified candidate? If the candidate is not constitutionally qualified should those votes be counted? Should those who cast votes for a constitutionally qualified candidate be deprived of the right to have their votes counted because those votes are offset it by votes for constitutionally unqualified candidate?
Do the citizens who have a "right" according to majority leader Reid to have their vote counted, have standing to indicate that right" in a court of competent jurisdiction? Is their interest too slight or of no greater than any other citizen's and therefore cannot be heard by a court?
Do you think the courts will behave consistently with respect to the issue of standing for those who cast absentee votes and those who have their votes discounted by votes for another, constitutionally unqualified candidate?
Does majority leader Reid mean that absentee voters will have their rights vindicated, that is, they will have "standing" to have their rights vindicated in the Senate of the United States which will pass on the Minnesota Senate contest? Will he also accord the same standing to those who voted for a constitutionally qualified candidate but who may have had their vote offset by a constitutionally unqualified candidate?what is your position, Senator Reid, if the matter of Obama citizenship ever goes to the House of Representatives?
Just how "fundamental" is a citizen's right to have his vote counted, Senator Reid?
Or does it just depend on whom he voted for?
LOL! There are a very few of them who do!
This begs a question I didn't see answered anywhere else in this article.
I've worked as an election judge in three precincts heavily weighed toward the Democrats. In every one I've seen the way ballots are treated. I've seen the way the rules require that treatment. I've also seen that "after the election" fraud would require a true conspiracy.
I believe fraud can occur in the process of voting. There are some rules such as "motor votor" that invite fraud.
Nevertheless, when it's all over, a recount won't locate 2 miscounted ballots...forget 292.
Oh, yes, and rejected ballots get rejected for a reason. If ANY judge ruled that rejected ballots should be unrejected, then he or she sure needs to serve as an election judge from that day forward. The one reversing the election day decision will be able to take my place.
How exactly would the Senate resolve the issue?
Refuse to seat Coleman?
Failed comedian.
Failed radio show host.
Failed politician.
Starbucks beckons.
Thanks Minnesota for this clown. You are tops. Just friggin’ tops. A state of pure idiots.
Actually both Franken and Coleman are from NYC as is Barbara Boxer, John Corzine, Carl Levin, Russ Feingold, and Bernie Sanders. New York City is overepresented in Congress
I wish suicide was an option!
Hey, hey, hey, be nice! I didn’t vote for Franken, and as you can see, a very slight majority have voted for Coleman. Blame the hopelessly liberal big city dwellers for nominating and voting Franken. Believe it or not, there are alot of conservative thinking people in our rural areas. Just not enough, though.
Dang, finally a Democrat who makes Al Gore look like a gracious loser...
ctually both Franken and Coleman are from NYC
So THAT’S why the Twin Cities are so screwed up. I moved away from the NYC area in ‘88 to Texas, then work brought me to Minnesota. And I’m wondering if I had moved back to NYC or Bleeping Joisey.
Alfranken lost the election. Now he’s just being a loser and soon to be a sore loser if he can’t be an election stealer.
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