Franken Wins Court Ruling: Coleman Concedes Race

After 8 months of futile court battles on the part of Norm Coleman, Al Franken has finally won his senate seat. In the court ruling today, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of Al Franken. With such a unanimous ruling, Coleman figured that the U.S. Supreme Court would not look at this case and so he decided to quit.

Doesn't really matter to Norm though. The GOP was paying for his fight. They spent almost 1 million in fees to help out Norm that could have gone to 2010 election battles. What a waste of money.

The real trouble is in the mail for the GOP. Dem Senator Byrd just got out of the hospital, Senator Kennedy can make small trips to DC, Penn Senator Specter switched parties, and finally Al Franken will be getting seated sometime this week or next giving the dems 60 seats. A filibuster proof majority that the GOP only dreamed of.

My oh my have the tables have turned.

Franken Will Probably Win... Again

Coleman's never ending attempt to keep an elected official out of court continued with the Minnesota State Supreme court hearing oral arguments today. It, AGAIN, doesn't look like Coleman has a snowballs chance in hell of winning the court battle or being senator.

Rick Hansen: "There's no question that Coleman's side got much tougher question than Franken's side, and based upon oral argument I would not be surprised to see a unanimous decision in favor of Franken in a relatively short time frame (within two weeks -- maybe sooner). I counted at least three of the five Justices who were much more willing to accept Franken's arguments than Coleman's arguments, and who asked Coleman's side much more difficult questions."

There is no reason for the court to overturn the lower court. If it did, don't expect to see Franken in the seat until next year while the appeals process works its way up to the supreme court. 

Then there's this little nugget over at DailyKos:

"Furthermore, I have been unable to find any independent expert who believes Coleman will win in the Minnesota Supreme Court. In fact, I have asked the Coleman camp if they know of any expert and they not given me any names.

The thing about experts is that they can, of course, be wrong. But when they all say the same thing you have to wonder."

Yea, it does make you wonder.

Franken Won. Minnesotans Want Coleman to Concede

From the great state of Minnesota:

"63% of voters in the state think that Coleman should just concede the race himself.  That includes almost all of Franken and Dean Barkley’s supporters, as well as a third of respondents who voted for Coleman last fall.

59% express support both for Pawlenty certifying Franken as the winner and for Franken being seated immediately."

Time for Coleman to go. If the repub party wants a future in Minnesota, then Coleman should concede. 

Franken Wins! (Again)

The three-judge panel presiding over the Minnesota senate recount appeal has unanimously ruled in favor of Al Franken. From the analysts I have read, the judges did a good job on their opinions. They were pretty conservative in their judgements and made a successful appeal that much harder for Coleman. 

Coleman will most likely continue to fight, his legal team expenses being paid for by national repubs, in order to keep the 59th dem senator from casting a vote in the senate. 

The problem is the national repubs might be hurting Minnesota state repubs. The state repub party could be hurting themselves down the line with this drawn out circus.  

Victory for Franken (But Its Not Over)

Today the Minnesota court has rule that only 400 ballots, of the almost 1000 that Coleman and Franken had asked to be recounted, be recounted in the election. Almost ensuring that Franken will maintain his lead and thus be named as the freshman senator from Minnesota.

Does that mean its over for Coleman. Oh, hell no. His lawyer is already shouting appeal:

“If the court does not reverse its decision, it will give us no choice but to appeal that order to the Minnesota Supreme Court.”

Why the long drawn out process. At this point in time Coleman doesn't give a rats ass about the citizens of Minnesota. Its all political for this one. The GOP is better served not having Franken in DC because that means the dems would stay at 58 senators and not 59. 1 shy of the glorious 60 needed to end GOP's fillibustering.

What happens at the end of this long line? Well, some say that once the Minnesota Supreme Court rules, (most likely in Franken's favor), the state could give Franken a certificate and let him temporarily represent Minnesota awaiting any further appeals.

At the end of the day, Coleman sees the writing on the wall. He has a new job and is dealing with his other legal problems. It seems his wife has getting paid by an insurance company to do nothing. Fishy stuff.

Coleman's Court Victory Throw's Franken's Seate Seat in Doubt

Today, a Minnesota court ruled that another 4800 absontee ballots, initially rejected due to clerical error will be potentially reinstated. Coleman has to argue each one on their validity to be reinstated. This does not bode well for Franken. There are enough ballots there to topple Franken's lead. 

Does it mean Franken or Coleman will win. There is no telling. While I can't stand the thought of Coleman winning, I due agree with putting absontee ballots back into the mix. The ballots were wrongly rejected and I have to be consistant that every vote counts.

On the brighter side, a large chuck of the early voting absontee ballots went for Franken. I am not sure if these are early ballots but I do believe the last time wrongly rejected absontee ballots were reinstated, it definitely put Franken ahead. I hope/pray it continues.