Posted on 11/28/2008 6:26:06 PM PST by newbie2008
ST. PAUL - Hours after the Franken campaign failed to convince the Minnesota State Canvassing Board to intervene on its behalf, Senate President Harry Reid (D-Nev) supported Franken's attorney's statement that they are prepared to take the Minnesota election to the U.S. Senate for a decision.
According to comments published by Talking Points Memo, Franken's lead recount attorney, Marc Elias, said:
"There are a number of ways this can happen, whether it is at the county level, before the state canvassing board, before the courts of Minnesota, or before the United States Senate, we do not know," said Elias -- but they will see to it that every vote is counted."
Later Wednesday afternoon, Reid opened the door for Senate intervention into the Minnesota election processing, saying: "Today's decision by the Minnesota Canvassing Board not to count certain absentee ballots is cause for great concern." Reid made the statement in a release from his official U.S. Senate office.
Coleman Campaign Manager Cullen Sheehan responded:
"This is a stunning admission by the Franken campaign that they are willing to take this process away from Minnesotans if they fail to win the recount. It is even more stunning that the Democratic Senate leader would inject himself into the Minnesota election process. This says that Franken is fully prepared and armed to take this matter to the United States Senate and that the Senate will be receptive - even if Franken fails to succeed in winning the recount. This is a troubling new development. We call upon Al Franken to personally disavow his attorney's comments, and to commit to Minnesotans that he will not allow this election to be overturned by the leadership of the Democratic Senate. Al Franken owes it to the people of this state to reject any and all efforts to stop a Minnesota Senator from being sworn in on January 6th if Norm Coleman continues to be shown to have won this election after the recount."
Ahh...but here is the rub on that, the 1th amendment:
“The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.
When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of each State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.
This ame...”
Senators have to be directly elected by the people of the state they represent, and it lists the qualifications needed for a Senator, Reid will have a tough time declaring a winner when the 17th amendment states they must be directly elected by the people of the State..
We can probably be sure that McNutjob, Linsey Graham and Olympia Snow, among others, are more than prepared to collaborate - I mean cooperate - with Reid and the Dems.
What a load of crap.”
Can I QUOTE you if this ever goes to the Senate???????
There isn’t a position too obsequious McNutjob wouldn’t assume to please the Media and his buddies across the Isle.
If by some Miracle, McNutjob HAD won the election, it would have been thanks to Sarah Palin, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter et al and not to his own efforts. As it is, not even their exceptional efforts could salvage the campaign of this political mediocrity.
bttt
There isn’t a position too obsequious McNutjob wouldn’t assume to please the Media and his buddies across the Isle.
If by some Miracle, McNutjob HAD won the election, it would have been thanks to Sarah Palin, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter et al and not to his own efforts. As it is, not even their exceptional efforts could salvage the campaign of this political mediocrity.
Yeah you can quote me, your remark was a bunch of crap.
Neither McCain, Grahm or any Republican would validate Harry Reid voting Franken to the Senate if he doesn't win the vote in Minn.
Taking cheap shots like that only makes you look very very very foolish.
This is the correct operative provision of the constitution. Each house can decide “contests” over who is entitled to sit. If you look at any book of congressional biographies, you will see, over the 2 centuries, dozens of cases of “x contested the election of y, and after the house decided in his favor, was seated.” Or, X was elected, and though the seat was contested by Y, the Senate Seated X.”
Sorry, that’s the way it is set up. For example, in 2006, there was a lot of fuss over Flordia 13, and the D attempted to contest the elction of the R because of (false) charges of failed voting machines. The House seated the R, despite a D majority.
Let us agree, however, that we can give much derision and contempt for those who support the inexperienced, the retarded, and the mental cases who run....and who have support ONLY because their supporters value their vote and not their intelligence, competence, or wisdom.
Whooooooooooooboy did I mess that post up!
I failed to emphasize I was supposed to be commenting about the Reid Senate Democrats implying they would impose there power over the State of Minnesota’s electoral processes.
It was a serious error on my part to have left that of my post.
huh
Political Junkie Too:
I think that the Supreme Court would take the case if the Senate or House refused to seat a duly elected official who was not indicted or convicted of a felony.
Otherwise, the Republicans would have a good case to demand that Rep. Jefferson give up his seat, and the Rep. Hastings be ousted because of his impeachment (moral turpitude crime).
Don’t think the Dems want to open that door. Who knows? We might be able to get several Dems ousted as covert Communist Party members who had contact with the KGB and supported their operations. THERE ARE PHOTOS.
No need for the governor to appoint someone else, esp. someone who was not elected.
Why not?
It is a low risk venture for them.
Can you EVER see the Republicans even THINK about looking at such a door, let alone use it?
I think the current group of RINOs in Congress, psrticularly those I specifically mentioned are capable of anything. REMEMBER McCain’s commnets about Hillary - remember his history.
I don’t feel these are “cheap shots” and I think you are rather naive about the way this current group of RINOs operates.
One of the reasons we are in the position we are in now is due to the lack of backbone, guts, and intestinal fortitude among the Republican COngressional delegation and the national Republican leadership.
If MN declares Coleman the winner and Reid refuses to seat him, I think you will see Obama intervene. He will be afraid of a backlash against the RAT party, which would of course be completely deserved.
That will be the end of it. Hapless Harry will then seat Coleman.
It is a great country. Why even flaming idiots can become Senators and screw the American people!
I don’t feel these are “cheap shots” and I think you are rather naive about the way this current group of RINOs operates.
One of the reasons we are in the position we are in now is due to the lack of backbone, guts, and intestinal fortitude among the Republican COngressional delegation and the national Republican leadership.
They are cheap shots. And if either of us is naive it is you. Your little world is so narrow that if we followed your ideas we would have no more than about 20 - 30 % of the Senate.
The people you mentioned will not abandon Coleman. It might serve your little narrow world to think they would, but they won't.
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