http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/electionussenate/ en-us Sat, 17 Jan 2009 18:02:03 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2166460/posts Anyone following the recount has no doubt heard the bluster and bravado regularly coming from the Al Franken campaign. However, in recent days, Franken and his Washington legal team have seemed awfully desperate for a campaign that is trying to convince people they are winning. They have now tried to shove Al Franken onto the Senate floor through three separate venues – only be to be rebuffed and delayed because their effort clearly violates Minnesota law. Why, if they claim to have a lead, are they so desperately anxious to put Al Franken in a Senate seat? Simple: They know... Town Hall http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2166460/posts#comment Sat, 17 Jan 2009 18:02:03 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2165921/posts A special judges panel held its first meeting with campaign lawyers today, a day after DFLer Al Franken and Republican Norm Coleman dueled over how broad Coleman's legal challenge to the U.S. Senate recount should be and how long it should take. After the closed-door meeting in St. Paul, attorneys for both campaigns said the three-judge panel is likely to issue an order later today saying when the trial will begin and what the schedule will be. They also said a hearing will be held Wednesday at which the panel will consider Franken's motion to dismiss Coleman's lawsuit. One of... StarTribune http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2165921/posts#comment Fri, 16 Jan 2009 19:30:29 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2164180/posts Al Franken filed a petition with the Minnesota Supreme Court … that’s a bit like a bank robber stopping on his way out the door to ask the teller for a receipt.” That’s how an e-mail appeal for funds from the campaign of former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman described today’s legal move by the Al Franken campaign that asked the state’s high court to order the governor to issue an election certificate. In another response, Coleman attorney Fritz Knaak told reporters that Franken has gone beyond the “epitome of arrogance … [by] asking to go above the laws of our... The Minnesota Independent http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2164180/posts#comment Wed, 14 Jan 2009 03:36:42 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2163289/posts FOX "The O'Reilly Factor"Video: "Minnesota Madness" Segment Aired Friday, January 9, 2008       Bill and two Republican guests(1) discuss Hollywood’s and George Soros massive donations to elected “Porn-o-Rama” Franken. This includes, a rare and calculated move(2), by George Soros who personally held a large post-election Franken fundraiser at his residence in New York City to support Al in the ballot recount/contest(3). I wrote about and published the list of Hollywood/high profile Franken donors three days before this news piece, not that this was new Soros Shadow Party news for anyone that has closely followed/been involved in this Coleman-Franken fiasco.... The O'Reilly Factor http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2163289/posts#comment Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:34:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2161898/posts - - Former GOP MN secretary of state says absentee ballots should not have been included in recount Former Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer is now criticizing the handling of the U.S. Senate election recount in the race between Democrat Al Franken and Republican Norm Coleman that ended with Franken on top. Kiffmeyer, R-Big Lake, now a freshman state representative from District 16B, did not speak publicly about the recount while it was ongoing, but is willing to talk about it now that the results are certified and the dispute has moved into the courts. Kiffmeyer, who from 1999 to... Capitol Report http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2161898/posts#comment Sat, 10 Jan 2009 00:23:56 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2161820/posts George Soros is the biggest sugar daddy of the Democratic Party, and naturally wants to ensure that the Democrats have a monopoly of power in America. Recently, I wrote an article for American Thinker on the role that George Soros has played in helping the Democrat Al Franken in his race against the Republican incumbent Norm Coleman for a Senate seat in Minnesota. However, there may be one other reason that Soros was determined that Norm Coleman in particular lose his seat. This was personal. Norm Coleman was the chairman of the Senate Governmental Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and as... American Thinker http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2161820/posts#comment Fri, 9 Jan 2009 22:27:47 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2161751/posts Send in the Clown It sounds like the plot of a 1990s straight-to-video Hollywood flick, but barring any dramatic developments – such as a successful court challenge by Republican opponent Norm Coleman – former “Saturday Night Live” cast member and comedian Al Franken will become the next U.S. Senator from Minnesota, likely on the strength of fraudulent votes. Franken’s fitness for office has been a matter of debate ever since he announced his candidacy in February 2007. Having made a career of “debunking” provocative statements made by famous conservatives in books like Rush Limbaugh Is a Big, Fat Idiot, The... Front Page Magazine http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2161751/posts#comment Fri, 9 Jan 2009 20:18:12 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2161083/posts The highly publicized vote recount in the Minnesota Senate race between Democrat Al Franken and Republican Norm Coleman is shining a light on Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, the state’s chief election officer. Ritchie is chairman of the Minnesota Canvassing Board, which on Monday certified that Franken received 225 more votes than Coleman did. Ritchie gave partial credit for his 2006 election to a liberal 527 group, the Secretary of State Project, which says its goal is to “ensure fair, clean elections” by replacing conservative secretaries of state with liberal Democrats. “I want to thank the Secretary of State... Frontpage Magazine/CNSNews http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2161083/posts#comment Thu, 8 Jan 2009 19:41:00 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2161007/posts Bond is the third Republican Senator to leave the chamber in 2010 -- following Sens. Sam Brownback (Kans.) and Mel Martinez (Fla.) down that path. Democrats are expected to heavily target all three seats. Bond's retirement ends a long -- and, at times, rocky -- career in Missouri politics that began more than four decades ago when he ran and lost a race for Congress. In 1970, Bond bounced back to be elected state auditor and two years after that was elected governor of the Show Me State. In 1976 he was defeated for re-election but in 1980 reclaimed the... The Washington Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2161007/posts#comment Thu, 8 Jan 2009 17:37:55 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2160505/posts Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin might have a tougher time than once thought if she were to take on Sen. Lisa Murkowski in a Republican primary next year. A Dittman Research poll shows Murkowski leading this year’s GOP vice presidential nominee in the hypothetical matchup, 57-33, according to KTUU-TV in Anchorage. The Hill, Washington, DC http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2160505/posts#comment Wed, 7 Jan 2009 21:55:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2159279/posts Dear Supporter, As you may have read or heard by now, today the Minnesota State Canvassing Board met and made their determination in the U.S. Senate Recount, effectively proving that the only declaration coming today is one of an inaccurate count. There are a number of problems with the total certified today, including double counted votes, over 650 potentially wrongly rejected absentee votes, resulting in the disenfranchising of Minnesota voters and jeopardizing the integrity of Minnesota's election system. Harry Reid and national Democrats have now publicly said they will try to seat Al Franken tomorrow when the 111th Congress convenes... Norm Coleman's Relection Campaign http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2159279/posts#comment Tue, 6 Jan 2009 00:12:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2159280/posts Sheldon Alberts on Roland Burris: 'I am the junior senator, according to every law book in the nation'So, let's review the file on Roland Burris, the fellow Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich appointed last week to replace Barack Obama as the next junior senator from Illinois. He has not held an elected office since 1995. He failed in three bids to become the Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Illinois, and once failed to become mayor of Chicago. Now, he has been appointed to the Senate by a no-shame governor facing corruption charges and allegations he hoped to sell the very Senate seat... National Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2159280/posts#comment Tue, 6 Jan 2009 00:12:27 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2157860/posts Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) threatened Friday to filibuster any attempt to seat Democratic Minnesota Senate candidate Al Franken next week. The newly minted National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) chairman said he had not whipped votes in the GOP caucus, but added that he could not imagine any members defecting and seating Franken without a certificate of election. Franken will not have that certificate as long as the election is challenged in the courts — a likely scenario, with Sen. Norm Coleman’s (R-Minn.) legal team already attacking the credibility of the recount process. thehill.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2157860/posts#comment Fri, 2 Jan 2009 23:55:24 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2157686/posts The top Senate Republican said his caucus would block any attempt to seat Democrat Al Franken until an anticipated court case over Minnesota's close election is finished and an official election certificate is conferred. Texas Sen. John Cornyn said Friday that Republicans would object to seating the race leader Franken sooner. A filibuster would require 60 votes to break — a few more than Democrats currently hold in Washington. StarTribune http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2157686/posts#comment Fri, 2 Jan 2009 17:45:31 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2157676/posts Denver Public Schools superintendent Michael Bennet is expected to be named Saturday as the future U.S. Senate replacement for Interior Secretary nominee Ken Salazar, according to two Democratic sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Gov. Bill Ritter is expected to name his U.S. Senate replacement pick on Saturday, ending a brief but frenzied period of speculation about who will take the seat of Interior Secretary nominee Ken Salazar. The selection would be preliminary, since Salazar is not expected to resign his U.S. Senate seat until sometime after Jan. 15, when he faces a confirmation hearing — and later... Rocky Mountain News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2157676/posts#comment Fri, 2 Jan 2009 17:26:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2149746/posts Minnesota State Canvassing Board review of challenged ballots in the U.S. Senate race HERE http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2149746/posts#comment Tue, 16 Dec 2008 20:01:59 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2149259/posts ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) The Minnesota Supreme Court is getting involved in the state's unsettled U.S. Senate race. The court said Monday it will weigh whether to stop the sorting and counting of wrongly rejected absentee ballots until clear instructions are handed down. Republican Sen. Norm Coleman petitioned the court to step in after the state board overseeing the recount recommended those ballots be considered last week. Coleman maintains there aren't clear guidelines for the recommendation and could lead to disarray among the 87 counties. AP http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2149259/posts#comment Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:07:25 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2147755/posts ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Democrat Al Franken got good news Friday in his bid for the Senate, winning favorable rulings from a state elections board on rejected absentee ballots and the tally in one of his strongholds. The Canvassing Board overseeing the race recount recommended that county election boards sort and count wrongly rejected absentee ballots. The five-member panel also urged that a recount in one University of Minnesota area precinct be based on Election Night tapes from a ballot counting machine. The recount there, where results favor Franken, ended with 133 missing ballots that could be counted if... Breitbart.com/Associated Press http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2147755/posts#comment Fri, 12 Dec 2008 19:42:25 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2143861/posts The recount has swung back and forth between the two men, with batches of uncounted ballots being discovered here and there as well as clerical errors changing the totals. With the recount virtually complete on Friday, Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie said Coleman led Franken by 787 votes. Local newspapers put Coleman's margin at about 200 votes, tallying ballots that had previously been challenged. http://news.google.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2143861/posts#comment Sat, 6 Dec 2008 03:42:30 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2143835/posts With all but one precinct re-counted in the Minnesota Senate race, Franken campaign attorney Marc Elias is claiming Franken leads Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) by four votes. The number from Franken's internal tally does not include the Minneapolis precinct where 133 ballots went missing. The Franken count includes the thousands of disputed ballots that both campaigns objected to during the recount process. Politico http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2143835/posts#comment Sat, 6 Dec 2008 02:36:58 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2143216/posts The U.S. Senate recount neared its final hours Thursday, buffeted by the kinds of disputes over missing ballots and challenged ballots that have become familiar in the month since the post-election drama began. Yet at day's end, with 99 percent of the ballots counted, the gap separating Republican Sen. Norm Coleman and Democrat Al Franken was only 36 votes larger than it had been at the start. Coleman now leads by 251, according to Star Tribune tabulations. As on Wednesday, the case of 133 missing ballots in Minneapolis held center stage. The city's top election official said she did not... StarTribune http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2143216/posts#comment Fri, 5 Dec 2008 03:58:19 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2142318/posts Al Franken’s campaign claims it now holds a 22-vote lead in the U.S. Senate race with just 138,000 votes left to be recounted. This figure contrasts with other tabulations, based on numbers from the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office, that show Coleman maintaining a 303-vote lead. The Franken numbers differ in a couple of respects from the SOS data. Most importantly the Democratic camp’s vote tally relies on the call made by local election officials in determining which candidate an individual intended to support. By contrast the other tallies don’t take into consideration the roughly 6,000 ballots that have been... minnesota independent http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2142318/posts#comment Wed, 3 Dec 2008 20:39:11 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2141852/posts Take it to the bank. Georgia Secretary of State - Karen Handel http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2141852/posts#comment Wed, 3 Dec 2008 01:54:32 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2141758/posts The polls close in ten minutes. Hopefully Georgia has held the line today. Poll traffic was reported as steady here Northeast Atlanta today... self http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2141758/posts#comment Tue, 2 Dec 2008 23:49:00 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2141624/posts Today’s Senate runoff between Jim Martin and Saxby Chambliss has drawn national attention in large part because of the possibility that a Martin victory would give Democrats 60 seats in the Senate, enough to close off filibusters. However, Sen. Jim Martin would become that 60th vote only if Sen. Al Franken became the 59th. And that seems highly unlikely. Franken has fallen behind by more than 300 votes in the Minnesota Senate recount (although the Franken camp claims the real margin is less than 80), with less than 10 percent of the votes still to be recounted. According to The... The Atlanta Journal-Constitution http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2141624/posts#comment Tue, 2 Dec 2008 19:49:14 GMT