Franken: Minn. allows election certificate

[struggle4progress]

Source: AP

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Al Franken's legal team is arguing that Minnesota law allows the Democrat to get an election certificate to join the U.S. Senate.

In a brief Tuesday, Franken's lawyers say that's because state law specifically mentions such a certificate could be revoked if a lawsuit overturns the results of a recount. Republican Norm Coleman is pursuing such a lawsuit.

Last week Franken asked the Minnesota Supreme Court to overrule decisions by Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Secretary of State Mark Ritchie to deny Franken an election certificate until Coleman's lawsuit is settled.

Coleman has until next week to respond to Franken's arguments ...

Read more: http://www.kxmb.com/News/322197.asp

[comtec]

1. ABOUT...FUCKING...TIME! (nt)

[haw river]

34. BRILLIANT

Franken has an excellent mind

All one needs do is read his books.

Latest: Lies and the Liars that Lie is fantastic

He uses facts.

[Enthusiast]

47. I read Limbaugh is a big fat idiot

by Frankin. This election thing is taking far too long.

[SomeGuyInEagan]

49. I *might* have the only signed copy of it in my neighborhood ...

... I live in the MN House district that current MN Governor Pawlenty (a.k.a. "Timmy the Tool" or "the potential McCain V.P. running mate tossed under the bus to make room for Palin"). It's been a pretty red district, although we booted the incumbent MN House Rep (a Republican) this past November. Still can't get rid of Kline in the U.S. House, but looks like we'll have two DFLers in the U.S. Senate now! Hopefully Al can get Amy Klobachur to stop voting like she has been.

[Enthusiast]

53. Congratulations on the improvements!

We can only hope it continues.

[Lasher]

2. Makes sense and seems fair.

But legal matters don't always.

[Judi Lynn]

3. You'd think Pawlenty & Ritchie would have gone to the trouble to respond according to Minn. law.

What ELSE do they have to do? Are they too busy?

[progressoid]

4. Nope, they're going to drag this out for as long as possible.

Even if it harms them and their state. Idiots.

[mduffy31]

14. .

[jwirr]

15. There is nothing fair about plenty but Mark Ritchie is just being what

he is a Democratic secretary of state who knows he represents the whole state of Minnesota.

[BlueCaliDem]

26. Exactly. Ritchie can't bypass the Governor's authority, I believe.

His hands are tied.

Governor Pawlenty could've signed some kind of temporary certification until all lawsuits are over, but he chooses to side with the Grand Obstructionist Party and Normie against Al Franken, and deny Minnesota the power of two Senators.

I hope Minnesotans understand that the governor they elected, a Repub, no matter how "moderate" he seems, is a GOP shill and that they'll be sharp enough to vote him out for a Democrat next time. I hope they understand that because of Pawlenty's playing party-politics, they are weakened in the U.S. Senate.

[jwirr]

33. Northern Minnesota understands but I am not so sure of the south.

After all they elected bachmann.

[geardaddy]

37. The 6th is nuts.

I swear there's something in the water in St. Cloud.

[geardaddy]

36. Timmy the Tool

is not a moderate. He's a POS slime. He is a true reich-winger.

[geardaddy]

38. You also have to realize

that since Ventura was elected, third parties (namely the Independence party) have acted as spoilers in almost all state elections. Pawlenty won by a narrow margin and not by a majority.

[KamaAina]

41. We wouldn't even be in this mess if it weren't for the Body's campaign manager

Dean Barkley just had to throw his hat in the ring. Otherwise, Franken wins by a clear majority, and the Al Franken Decade would have begun on Jan. 5 as scheduled.

[geardaddy]

43. Exactly.

Here's a nice post right after the election...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[BlueCaliDem]

42. I can understand why Minnesotans think Independent. I hope Pres. Obama can help

show them Democrats are Democrats once again and convince Minnesotans.

I just can't get over how they could vote for Normie to fill liberal Paul Wellstone's seat. It just baffled my mine.

Wellstone was as liberal and free as they came, and then to turn around and vote for Normie? It just doesn't make sense.

Good thing, however, that Pawlenty didn't get a majority of the vote. I hope President Obama and a true Democratic congress will show Minnesotans they don't need to look to Independents for progressive leadership - although Jesse Ventura is hardly progressive. Then again, that's why Ventura lost his seat when they found out he was more republican than progressive, I guess.

[geardaddy]

44. Ventura didn't lose his seat.

He decided not to run for a second term.

[BlueCaliDem]

45. I meant it in a way that the polls didn't look favorably for him. n/t

[geardaddy]

46. Gotcha

He had such a thin skin. He couldn't believe that not everyone adored him.

[No Elephants]

40. All he has to do is follow the law then.

[radfringe]

5. I'll give Coleman a nod for "fighting on" however

there comes a point when "fighting on" become pathetic. Coleman has entered the "pathetic zone" and is reminiscence of the Black Knight from Monty Python's Holy Grail.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eMkth8FWno

[struggle4progress]

6. Just a flesh wound

[Soylent Brice]

7. is this the stake through the vampire's heart?

[Botany]

8. Sen. Al Franken

[gauguin57]

9. Minnesota needs two people representing them in the senate.

Let's get this friggin' settled! It's unpatriotic not to (hear that, Normie?)

[Broadslidin]

10. Please Somebody, put a tack on the Guv's chair....!

Might just bust his bubble.

[scytherius]

11. This is like a misery grenade for the Right

I can't wait til it goes off.

[Tempest]

12. Coleman's protracted fight can't be endearing him to the people

If I were a citizen of MN, I'd want representation now.

[scytherius]

17. Agreed

People routinely HATE it when politicians do that. As for me, I don't mind waiting a little as, even if it is not my candidate, I wanna see that the person for whom the people voted, wins. However, Coleman is crossing into the area of "let's change the rules" and that really pisses people off.

[Tempest]

22. He wants the court to review something they've already reviewed twice

Let's hope the third time is the charm and he gets the message.

[Skink]

13. Franken of course being the only Senator without a law degree.

[AlbertCat]

16. Franken of course being the only Senator without a law degree.

Yeah...but he's also the only Senator who can rightfully claim to act like a comedian. The others have no excuse.

[scytherius]

18. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAH! n/t

nt

[blackbart99]

19. Best line I've heard all week.....

" only one that can rightfully claim to act like a comedian....."

[Eric J in MN]

20. Bernie Sanders (VT) and Jon Tester (MT) don't have law degrees. NT

NT

[peacetalksforall]

25. Feinstein has no degree. At least that is what I've heard her say in some hearings. Heard wrong ?

[BlueCaliDem]

27. You're right. DiFi, but also Barbara Boxer have no law degrees. n/t

[Eric J in MN]

30. Website for anyone who wants to look up this type of stuff.

http://www.votesmart.org

Enter the last name of the politician on the top left.

[Alexander]

35. Not true. Senator Mark Begich doesn't have a degree at all.

[Justitia]

51. McCain doesn't have one.

[raysr]

21. Al is a great example

of how to fight for what's yours. Too bad other dems(Harry) don't know how to fight like that.

[Tempest]

23. Franken for Senate leader

Now that's something I would fight for.

[Blackhatjack]

24. When the MN Supreme Ct Issues It's Final Opinion It Will Be Devastating for Coleman...

When you have a losing position you usually do not push it to the highest possible Court for confirmation that your position is a loser, and thereby remove any doubt about future challenges you might like to make with better factual foundations.

I believe the MN Supreme Court has spoken clearly so far, and likely has lost patience with Coleman.

Look at it this way --- Coleman can go out with a written opinion by the MN Supreme Court excoriating him for wasting the Court's time and government's money. Loser.

[Eric J in MN]

31. Or he could appeal to federal courts and ultimately the US Supreme Court. NT

NT

[peacetalksforall]

28. I;ve always thought about how great he would be as a Senator. I imagine some

intense neogiations or a fight - and he cracks one of his lightening quips. It's often reality time when someone can break the tension. Hope he gets there soon. So sorry he didn't have a close up seat at the celebration yesterday. But, he's showing us the adult he can be because he's serious about contributing and work.

MN - help us keep the momentum. Norm has done enough.

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

32. I think he's going to be great. And you're right about his "lightening quips"

Case in point: I was standing in line to get a book signed by him after he had spoken at length at a Barnes and Noble. I had originally wanted him to sign one for me, but then I thought it was too tacky. When I reached Mr. (Senator) Franken at his table, in a self-conscious act, I pulled the post-it note from the book that had my name on it and handed him the other copy of The Truth (for my mother for Christmas).

Mr. (Senator) Franken looked at me quizzically and asked why I didn't want that one signed. I mumbled something about the book being for me and I thought it was silly that I asked him to sign it; meeting him was enough. Franken waved that off and encouraged me to give him my copy of the book to sign it.

The moment he opened the book in front of him, Franken started to look mock-haughty and said in a very loud voice "What kind of an ego-maniac would stand in line just to have me sng a book to him!" And then he held that look for a split second before he smiled at me (probably in reaction to me laughing).

The man knows how to read people and make them feel comfortable, especially when they need to feel comfortable.

[peacetalksforall]

48. You wrote -

"The man knows how to read people and make them feel comfortable, especially when they need to feel comfortable."

Just like his friend, Paul Wellstone. Big hearts there.

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

52. I never even thought about that, but you're absolutely right.

Ye gods, I miss Paul.

[K8-EEE]

29. Coleman advised Franken to "step aside" after the intitial count

And said HE would have "stepped aside" to save the cost of a recount and for the good of everyone etc....fucking hypocrite!

[No Elephants]

39. Why does Pawlenty hate democracy?

[w4rma]

50. If Dems in Minn. play your cards right, this whole fiasco will help get a Democrat in the governor's

office up there. I'll all for being patient if that's what it takes to whittle away at Republican credibility.