Posted on 02/16/2009 4:20:35 AM PST by rhema
Dealing a blow but not a knockout to Republican Norm Coleman's hopes, the judges in the U.S. Senate election trial on Friday tossed out most of the 19 categories of rejected absentee ballots they were considering for a second look, making it clear that they won't open and count any ballots that don't comply with state law.
On its face, the ruling looked to be a victory for DFLer Al Franken, whose lawyers had urged the judges to turn down 17 of the 19 categories and said Friday that they had very nearly done it.
"We are obviously very pleased with the court's decision ... there's a large chunk of ballots that have now been taken out of play," said Franken lawyer Marc Elias.
But Coleman's attorneys saw it differently, saying that the ruling leaves untouched about 3,500 of the 4,800 rejected absentee ballots they want the court to open and count, enough to make it possible for Coleman to overcome Franken's 225-vote certified recount lead.
Coleman lawyer Fritz Knaak said that those remaining votes -- along with the ballots of registered voters who were thought to be nonregistered as well as the ballots of voters whose signatures looked mismatched but weren't -- will eventually result in Coleman's return to the Senate.
The order "has a very limited impact," Knaak said. "We're disappointed that all 4,800 won't be counted, but we're very pleased that the 3,500 that do remain are still there."
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
Oh really? How did norm vote on drilling in ANWR?
You realize that Norm was a democrat who switched parties, right?
Norm Coleman: lifetime American Conservative Union rating of 73.00. Almost a 100 percent lifetime pro-life voting record.
Amy Klobuchar: ACU rating of 4.0. A 100 percent pro-abortion voting record.
Whose record do you suppose Al Franken's would mirror?
This is just too easy. When Franken wins, we make him the face of the Democrat Senate, along with Reid and his speedway to nowhere, Chris Dodd and his sweetheart Countrwide mortgage, and Roland Burris and his pay to play Senate seat.
It’s easier to make the case that they should not be in power than to make the case that the Repubs should?
Coleman’s a moderate Republican. He was a member of the Gang of 14 and he’s a member of the “Republican Main Street Coalition” which is trying to take control of the party away from the conservatives and move it to the moderates.
Amen rhema
Seeing that passage of the stimulus was inevitable, a Republican senator should have gotten up and said "I will vote for this trillion-dollar bill if the president will produce his birth certificate."
Again. Heh, heh.
No matter what way you slice it, Coleman’s a damn site better a choice than that brain dead Al Franken.
Maybe Norm’s not a “RINO,” but he’s certainly nobody’s idea of a conservative.
If true that Judd Gregg recused himself from the Porkulus vote before backing out from SecComm, then with Coleman and Gregg we get 40 votes.
And, without Roland Burris being seated - assuming the seat still vacant pending special election or delayed appointment - there would be one less Dem vote.
The rush to seat Burris is just now showing its true colors.
But not to worry - Harry Reid will investigate what happened there...
Go ahead and seat the DemonRat LardAss. He’ll implode in a year. Then recall him and run Michelle Bachmann for US Senate.
But this time—listen up RINO consultants—leave her alone to do her thing. Encourage her to call for investigation of the DemonRat quislings, traitors and jackals—especially that Muslim Raghead POS that’s in the MN delegation. That $#!+head should be in prison for his treasonous acts.
Boy, the ‘Rats sure have changed their tune since the Florida recount.
Agreed. You have a middle-key RINO acting more and more confident that he'll be seated. I say play along and hope for the best if no other reason than to see The Whale gurneyed in for nearly every vote.
Meeeeeeoooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwww...
Seriously thank you for saying that!
I thought counting ballots was good Marc?
Rank hypocrisy. F***.
He's pleased that some voters' votes won't count. 'Nuff said.
To be honest, the headline did not read "knockout blow" but read "no knockout".
"Coleman dealt blow, but no knockout "
**But Coleman’s attorneys saw it differently, saying that the ruling leaves untouched about 3,500 of the 4,800 rejected absentee ballots they want the court to open and count, enough to make it possible for Coleman to overcome Franken’s 225-vote certified recount lead. **
Let’s hope these turn out for Coleman.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.