When Does Franken Get Seated?
Apr. 6th, 2009 09:48 amLooks like the New Republic took this issue on recently. I doubt that Coleman serious thinks he can pull this out but the Republicans want to keep the margin for a filibuster proof (in theory) Senate from narrowing any further so round and round we go. Maybe if they get it to the Supremes in DC, they can still get a Bush v. Gore type decision. All hell would break loose then. :)
Hey Al, What the Hell Took You So Long!? - The New Republic - 01 Apr 09
"Minnesota is one of the only states in which a certificate of election isn't issued until any and all legal challenges to that election are dealt with. (For instance, although Mary Landrieu's election victory in Louisiana's 1996 U.S. Senate race was challenged in the state courts by her opponent, Louisiana still gave her an election certificate--which is what allowed Senate Dems to seat her provisionally, until her opponents legal challenge was resolved.) So, even though Minnesota's state canvassing board certified that Franken led Coleman by 225 votes on January 5, Coleman's legal challenge prevented Franken, under Minnesota election law, from actually getting an election certificate.
And with Senate Democrats at that very moment refusing to seat Burris because they said he lacked a valid certificate, there was no way, according to a senior Senate Democratic aide, that they could realistically try to seat Franken, who also lacked one, without Republicans filibustering, and not illegitimately. Hence the delay while we waited for Coleman to exhaust his legal challenges."
Hey Al, What the Hell Took You So Long!? - The New Republic - 01 Apr 09
"Minnesota is one of the only states in which a certificate of election isn't issued until any and all legal challenges to that election are dealt with. (For instance, although Mary Landrieu's election victory in Louisiana's 1996 U.S. Senate race was challenged in the state courts by her opponent, Louisiana still gave her an election certificate--which is what allowed Senate Dems to seat her provisionally, until her opponents legal challenge was resolved.) So, even though Minnesota's state canvassing board certified that Franken led Coleman by 225 votes on January 5, Coleman's legal challenge prevented Franken, under Minnesota election law, from actually getting an election certificate.
And with Senate Democrats at that very moment refusing to seat Burris because they said he lacked a valid certificate, there was no way, according to a senior Senate Democratic aide, that they could realistically try to seat Franken, who also lacked one, without Republicans filibustering, and not illegitimately. Hence the delay while we waited for Coleman to exhaust his legal challenges."