Franken puts Pawlenty in a jam

Politico ^ | 4/2/09 | MANU RAJU

[MinnesotaLibertarian]

The legal fight between Al Franken and Norm Coleman is headed to the desk of Gov. Tim Pawlenty — a no-win predicament for a Minnesota Republican with his eye on a White House run in 2012.

Franken won big Tuesday when a three-judge panel allowed the review of no more than 400 absentee ballots in a race he currently leads by 225 votes. Coleman’s camp says an appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court is coming; once that’s done, the dispute lands in Pawlenty’s lap.

If Franken’s ahead at that point, Pawlenty will have a choice: sign the election certificate that will allow Democrats to seat Franken in the Senate or play to the Republicans whose support he’d need in 2012 by withholding the certificate while Coleman challenges the election in the federal court system.

[Cboldt]

-- No, he is fighting voter fraud, used by liberals everywhere. --

I don't believe there is an allegation of fraud in the race. I know for a fact that allegation of fraud was studiously avoided in the presidential contest in FL in 2000, and Ohio in 2004.

If there is to be a serious fight against fraud, there first has to be a formal allegation that fraud was applied. Coleman hasn't made that allegation. This is just a counting contest.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Coleman won this election.

The problem is that there are no judges willing to stick their necks out and rule according to the law.

[MinnesotaLibertarian]

I agree about the tone of the article. I just thought it was worth posting because it shows the political pressure that Pawlenty is likely to face. I also agree that neither candidate is desirable, and I don’t really care if the seat stays vacant.

[Vision]

I don't believe there is an allegation of fraud in the race.

Weren't there precincts that had 100% turnout?

[LADY J]

Pawlenty should show that he's a Republican with some backbone.

Don't cave!!!

[Cboldt]

-- Weren't there precincts that had 100% turnout? --

I don't know the facts in detail, but wouldn't be surprised. My point was that in order to fight fraud (which I believe exists in this race), one of the parties in the election contest has to allege the election is tainted with fraud. Absent the allegation, there is an absence of "fighting the fraud."

[noah]

The decision is EASY. If ALL legitimate ballots and no illegitimate ballots have been counted and Franken has more votes, DECLARE FRANKEN the winner. Otherwise, APPEAL!!
unless the disputes are statistically insignificant.

[verga]

Weren't there precincts that had 100% turnout? There is at least one precinct that 125% turnout.

[MinnesotaLibertarian]

You’ve all made allegations of voter fraud. However, I’ve been following the whole recount process, which, by the way, the state has made very easy by leaving it open to the public and broadcasting it. There’s been no proof of voter fraud. If there was a serious possibility, the Coleman campaign would have sued on it. Their suits are based on whether absentee ballots were correctly rejected or not. This is crapshoot for them at best, seeing as many of those votes could easily be for Franken.

Bottom line, a lot of you immediately jump into conspiracy mode with nothing to back it up, much like the liberals did with Florida in 2000 and Ohio in 2004. I’m not happy about the results, but I believe that they’re probably accurate. We’ve elected crazier people to office (you know who I mean), and we’ve elected several people who are even more left-wing. I think the only reason the election was even this close was because of Dean Barkley. I know a lot of my liberal friends weren’t able to take Franken seriously and voted for him instead.

[y6162]

“Bottom line, a lot of you immediately jump into conspiracy mode with nothing to back it up”

pfft..count the votes, resist Franken to the last supreme court vote.

In the immortal words of Neidermeyer, “You’re all worthless and weak! Now drop and give me twenty.”

[manc]

were there not counties what had 100$ turnout and one county what had 125% turnout and then there was the ooppps just found these votes in a box

what on earth is going on up there in MN , with the way they vote?

I mean do they have both sides heard or do they just like to vote for crazies

or do they just not have one clue who they are voting for

or is it like a more of an independent Libertarian streak?

[MinnesotaLibertarian]

Weren't there precincts that had 100% turnout?

The whole state was 80%, the highest in the country. People here believe it's their duty to vote, even if they're disgusted with the options; how the hell do you think Jesse Ventura became Governor? In a smaller precinct, especially a rural one, 100% turnout seems quite plausible. Also, believe it or not, a rural district in Minnesota just as likely to have gone for Franken as Colmean, probably moreso. Republican strength in MN is all in the suburbs. I'm really sick of all these comments from out-of-staters who clearly do NOT understand the political culture up here. It's even worse than you could imagine! I've resigned myself to that. I like everything else about living here, so I've made my peace with it.

[Dead Corpse]

The recounts were mandated by law. It was the registering of tens of thousands of ACORN voters, the iffy canvassing process, and the arbitrary recount standards that gave Franken the lead.

No one really thought the lower Court challenges would be anything other than what they have proven to be... Partisan brinksmenship.

[Dead Corpse]

There was ample evidence of fraud. The State AG is a hack.

[Dead Corpse]

There’s been no proof of voter fraud.

Yes there is. Just because your buddy Mark Ritchie refuses to investigate it doesn't mean it isn't there.

[Dead Corpse]

There were a couple of precincts whose vote totals after canvassing were in excess of 100%.

Just because you've "made your peace with it" doesn't mean the rest of us are sanguine with the DLF machine stealing elections.

[nutmeg]

Also, believe it or not, a rural district in Minnesota just as likely to have gone for Franken as Colmean, probably moreso

I'm not criticizing you, just trying to learn about Minnesotans here... WHY would rural Minnesotans vote for a far-left nutcase like Al Franken? I just can't understand that...

I guess I'm under the illusion (?) that rural Americans (generally speaking) are fairly conservative traditionalists... pro-gun, pro-God, etc. Franken certainly doesn't fit that bill.

[MitchellC]

Here’s a friendly word of advice for the Dems: Drag this out as long as you can. Do you really want Franken on the floor of the Senate making all sorts of clownish pronouncements?

[nutmeg]

Interesting update on Franken vs Coleman in Minnesota...

[Dead Corpse]

Some of the “rural” Minnesotans are either mining range Union leftovers or Democrat Farm Labor/Union types. Without the continued promise of Union jobs or farm subsidies, the Democrats would lose most of their voting base here.