Franken lawyer: No grounds for election do-over

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Al Franken's attorneys today said that there are no grounds for the U.S. Senate trial court to set aside the election, and that the court itself doesn't have the authority to do it anyway.

They were responding to a letter sent Monday to the court's three judges by James Langdon, an attorney for Norm Coleman, suggesting that the trial has shown ballot problems to be so serious that they may not be able to declare a winner.

According to a three-page letter by Franken attorneys Marc Elias, Kevin Hamilton and David Lillehaug, "Not only has this remedy been applied primarily when there is evidence of fraud or systemic irregularities ... but this court lacks the authority to set aside the election."

Elias has said, and the court has concurred, that the recount revealed no fraud or structural problems in Minnesota's election system.

The Franken lawyers add in their letter that the court's power extends only "to deciding which party received the highest number of legally cast votes, and therefore is entitled to receive the certificate of election."

After five weeks of hearing Coleman's case, the judges this morning began to hear the Franken team make its case by examining a series of voters whose ballots were rejected.

Franken is hoping to have the court accept some 800 absentee ballots, many from Democratic-leaning districts, that it believes were wrongly rejected and should be counted. The Coleman list of such ballots numbers over 2,000, many of them from Republican-leaning areas.

http://www.startribune.com/politics/nation...iD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU

[alienlovechild 75]

I wonder if Franken told a lot of "selected, not elected" jokes about Bush? The jokes on Franken now.

He's Al Franken and gosh darn it, people are lukewarm about him.

[Ban Hammer 13,332]

he's a comedian, he should be able to find some humor in this.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Chop Al Freaken's "logic":

• if I demand recount (due to my opponent being ahead), it's right
• for my opponent to play the same game is wrong/unreasonable

[Dan J 277]

Chop Al Freaken's "logic":

• if I demand recount (due to my opponent being ahead), it's right
• for my opponent to play the same game is wrong/unreasonable

A recount was pretty much automatic with the election being so close. The issue is over absentee ballots that were rejected for various reasons. Some valid and others mistakes.

Originally, when Coleman was ahead, he fought against counting any additional ballots. In Republican style, now that he has lost, he is fighting to get more counted. Of course, he only wants ballots for rural conservative counties to be added to the count.

[Scott & Lai 12]

Chop Al Freaken's "logic":

• if I demand recount (due to my opponent being ahead), it's right
• for my opponent to play the same game is wrong/unreasonable

A recount was pretty much automatic with the election being so close. The issue is over absentee ballots that were rejected for various reasons. Some valid and others mistakes.

Originally, when Coleman was ahead, he fought against counting any additional ballots. In Republican style, now that he has lost, he is fighting to get more counted. Of course, he only wants ballots for rural conservative counties to be added to the count.

Sounds like Gore

[rclouse 0]

Chop Al Freaken's "logic":

• if I demand recount (due to my opponent being ahead), it's right
• for my opponent to play the same game is wrong/unreasonable

A recount was pretty much automatic with the election being so close. The issue is over absentee ballots that were rejected for various reasons. Some valid and others mistakes.

Originally, when Coleman was ahead, he fought against counting any additional ballots. In Republican style, now that he has lost, he is fighting to get more counted. Of course, he only wants ballots for rural conservative counties to be added to the count.

Sounds like Gore

At first. Then he wanted the entire state recounted. Bush fought that, then the SC basically timed it out.

MN recounted the entire state, and Franken ended up on top. Coleman's just following W's lead.

[NickD 202]

Since it's my neighboring state, can only wonder if they will work this out within the next six years. Where can people call if they need help with immigration delays? Not sure what else these guys are good for.