Minnesota law prohibits final certification of a winner in the face of such a lawsuit

[LynneSin]

So PLEASE stop staying it's Harry Reid's fault. Geez, it's almost to the point that anything that doesn't go our way we'll just blame Harry Reid. I mean geez, I forgot to pack my lunch today - so I guess I'll start a thread blaming Harry Reid on that one too.

It's not like Franken is in DC banging on the doors insisting he be let in. They have to finish this race out in the courts and until then it is not official. And if you noticed - Coleman's senate door has been locked and his website has been shut down.

Blame anyone - blame Coleman. He's the sore loser that will leave Minnesotans without one of their voices in DC

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090106/ap_on_el_se/minnesota_senate
Coleman heads to court as last option in recount
By PATRICK CONDON, Associated Press Writer Patrick Condon, Associated Press Writer 1 hr 40 mins ago
MINNEAPOLIS – No longer a U.S. senator, Republican Norm Coleman was headed to court Tuesday, seeking to overturn a state board's certification that Democrat Al Franken won the U.S. Senate recount.

Coleman's lawyers had promised a legal challenge a day earlier, arguing that some ballots were mishandled and others were wrongly excluded from the recount. Coleman scheduled an afternoon news conference at the State Capitol in St. Paul to discuss his next steps.

Minnesota law prohibits final certification of a winner in the face of such a lawsuit, meaning the race could remain in limbo for several more months.

Franken declared victory Monday, but a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said in Washington the former "Saturday Night Live" personality would not be sworn in with new senators Tuesday.

_______________________________________

So it wasn't even Reid that said Franken would be sworn in

UGH!

[geardaddy]

1. Kicked and Rec'd

n/t

[napi21]

2. Several weeks ago one of the lgal beagels on TV said that

in history, the candidate that is the "declared winner" by the SOS has always won in the end. That was at the very beginning of the recount so nobody knew who it would be. That stuck in my mind and I really believe we will have Senator Al Frankin.

[WeDidIt]

3. Correct, the aboslute EARLIEST Franken could be certified is

Monday, January 12.

And that only holds true if Norm Coleman does not file a challenge prior to next Monday.

[stopbush]

4. Coleman and the RWNM could delay the seating of Franken for years

if they have the $ and the audacity. Wouldn't "finishing the race in the courts" involve appeals from Coleman if he loses, or appeals from Franken if things went the other way?

What if a very rich candidate loses in MN by a margin that doesn't trigger an automatic recount? He could easily pay for a recount and still come up 100,000 votes short. But, he's rich, so he threatens to sue based on whatever. Does MN fail to certify a candidate who won by 100,000 votes simply because the other candidate can afford to pay for lawyers and lawsuits?

Where does one draw the line for such an action being legitimate? At a 100,000 vote lead? How about 50,000 or 5,000? How about 225?

[LynneSin]

7. Yes he could - but that's the Minnesota Law

and btw, if Coleman did that he'd surely piss off Minnesota voters to the point that a republican couldn't even win dogcatcher

[Brazenly Liberal]

5. self delete dupe

[Brazenly Liberal]

6. Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou

That was bugging me, but I'm sick and just didn't have the mental energy to do any real work to refute it.

My brain feels like a tiny rowboat adrift on a sea of phlegm today. Oh, crap! Now I'm out of Kleenex.

[uponit7771]

8. It's not Reids fault of course, I would just like Reid to be as or more vocal on more important shit

[LynneSin]

10. But he was - he locked Coleman's senate door and shut down his website

that's all he can do.

He's behind Franken 100% but we have to work the process

[PurityOfEssence]

9. The saga of Landslide Al

It looks like he won, and if that's the final recount, it should stand up in court. If state law says that certification must wait until the suit is resolved, then that's what should be done.

Since Coleman's term is over, it sounds like he should not be voting or doing ANY business under the guise of being a Senator, and he should not be addressed as Senator. I think that's what should happen under the law, isn't it?

Nonetheless, the law must be our guide here, and Al will have to wait. I'm sure he won't have any problem with it; he's been very level-headed and polite throughout all of this.

I'm thrilled that he's going to be a Senator: he's smart and honorable.

[LynneSin]

11. Does this answer your concerns......

http://coleman.senate.gov/public/

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm?State=MN

[bdamomma]

12. Coleman being a sore loser, hey, let's move on huh?

isn't that what they said to us a few years back. What scum.

[Blarch]

13. Like Reid respects State laws.

:rofl: