Posted on 12/01/2008 2:09:15 PM PST by lewisglad
Al Franken’s (D) campaign may ask the Democratic-led Senate to intervene on his behalf to allow some disqualified absentee ballots to be counted in his quest to unseat Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.).
Franken attorney Marc Elias made the case to reporters Monday that as many as 1,000 absentee ballots were improperly disqualified and that the Senate or the courts may need to step in to resolve the issue.
“No recount can be considered accurate or complete until all the ballots cast by lawful voters are counted,” Elias said of the recount that became necessary when only about 200 votes separated the two candidates on Nov. 4.
Minnesota's Board of Canvassers ruled last Wednesday that it would not revisit the improperly disqualified ballots. The bipartisan board ruled unanimously that it did not have the authority to order that the ballots be reviewed and counted.
Elias said that of the 12,000 disqualified absentee ballots in the race, “as many as 1,000” ballots were improperly excluded, and should be counted. He added that the campaign would appeal to the Board of Canvassers, courts or the U.S. Senate to ensure those ballots are counted. Last week, Elias had indicated that the campaign would not directly appeal the board’s ruling.
The U.S. Constitution allows each congressional chamber to be the "Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members."
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) called the Board of Canvassers’ decision to not count the absentee ballots “a cause for great concern” last week, fueling speculation that the Senate would explore the legality of the Minnesota recount’s results
“If ultimately there is no remedy before the canvassing board or before the courts, then that is certainly an option,” Elias said of the Senate’s potential intervention in the election results.
“The Franken campaign has made it clear that the recounted votes and will of Minnesotans matter little to them, and that they intend to take their campaign to change the outcome of this election on to the United States Senate,” said Coleman campaign spokesman Mark Drake. “Al Franken should personally reject this strategy outright, and honor the right of Minnesotans to choose who their senator should be — and not allow lawsuits and the strong-arm tactics of the majority leader of the United States Senate to intervene in this process."
According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune's recount tally, Coleman leads Franken by 282 votes with 86 percent of the recount complete. In total, 5,623 ballots have been challenged, with the Franken campaign having challenged 67 more votes than Coleman's campaign. The Franken campaign said it would announce withdrawn challenges later this week.
The Franken campaign maintained that Coleman only led by 73 votes, citing its tally, which includes determinations of a voter's intent made by neutral observers. Those determinations are not final until certified by the Board of Canvassers, and are not included in the Secretary of State's official tally.
If that's so, there wouldn't be much of an issue about discerning intent, only about determining eligibility. I was responding to the text in front of me.
Another rendition of SoreLoserman!
If this assclown gets (s)elected to the Senate by it own members, the people of the state of Minnesota richly deserves him for making it this close.
At 92% of precincts recounted, Coleman is up 270 votes...as
of today. Of course, that doesn’t count if you are Franken.
I have said it repeatedly, and will add it here too... Am I the only one who finds it truly interesting that nearly all improper ballots, questionable ballots, and generally screwed-up ballots are cast for the Democrat candidates?
Doctored “hanging” and dimpled chads in Florida, non-marked ballots in Minnesota, the same song plays on...
I do not know who wrote this article, but the writing is a good example of poor journalism. The assertion that 1,000 absentee ballots were improperly disqualified should be the main subject of the reporting.
I would think that the readers would like to know on what basis is this claim of "improper" disqualification being made? What constitutes or separates proper ballots and improper ballots? Why is Franken so determined to get those particular ballots examined? Where did they come from? The readers would like to see a plain English discourse on what this charge is all about. Or, do we have too many disordered minds at work here?
1974, when the duly-elected Senator from NH, Lou Wyman, had the seat stolen. A new election was ordered months later and the Dems hijacked it (we got the seat back in 1980). They also tried to steal the OK seat in a close race, too (and would’ve tried the same with the ND seat, but didn’t).
I know I get disgusted with MN all the time too, and I have never even been there. Still, there are so many dumb voters in all states that it is not particularly promising to single any of the states out. Most states are stupid and will be so henceforth. Look at DE with its Biden, IL with its Durbin and Obama, MA with its EMK and would-be JFK, the list of fools is endless.
Some people vote only for President. Going further confuses them even more.
MN fell off the deep end in 1948 when it sent HHH to D.C. But in retrospect, HHH is a near saint!
The American people would never even know about such a power grab. They don’t even know what constitutes “a power grab.” Some 80 percent thought the Republicans kept control of Congress in the 2006 elections. They are just people looking for “fairness”.
No,Comrade...that's not *exactly* how it works.Not only must the voters *themselves* be lawful (and I'm surprised to hear you,a RAT lawyer,acknowledge this) but those lawful voters must have cast lawful *ballots*.You see,*that's* the problem that your client has here.
It won’t happen....but it would be rather amusing if even his lib compatriots in the Senate didn’t want him!
It happened more recently than Reconstruction, at least for House seats ... ask Bob Dornan (CA) or Woodie Jenkins (LA).
Please don't lump all of us Minnesotans together. I personally don't feel like I deserve Al Franken as my senator. I certainly didn't vote for him, nor did any of my friends or family, except for one goofy brother-in-law who's orginally from Iowa. :)
>>These are the votes of those too stupid to mark a simple ballot properly.<<
Which is why he thinks they will put him over the top!
It's OK to look at it that way for Gov and other state government positions. But in Congress, the people they elect effect every US citizen equally. So if Smalley steals it, we ALL pay -- not just the people of MN.
Speak for yourself, please. Thanks.
See my #38, please. Thanks.
I’m not particularly happy about the election results either - but what you have posted is a blatant whitewash and slander of those who voted with you. This type of bull will not help whatever you think your cause is.
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