It’s a Trial Date Tango in Minnesota

[babylonsister]

It’s a Trial Date Tango in Minnesota
By Emily Cadei, CQ Staff


Minnesota Democrat Al Franken is urging a speedy trial to determine a victor in his U.S. Senate race against Republican opponent Norm Coleman.

Franken’s campaign filed a trial schedule request Thursday, rebuffing a less-expedited schedule proposed by the Coleman campaign on Jan. 14.

Coleman’s legal team suggested a multi-phased process to hear their challenge to the recount outcome, with hearings starting as early as Jan. 21, and trial dates beginning on Feb. 9, 16 and 23. That would mean the legal proceedings would likely stretch into March.

In Franken’s scheduling proposal, his legal team said the Coleman schedule “starts too late” and “takes too long.”

The trial, his attorneys wrote, “should take a maximum of three weeks,” and it should begin by Jan. 26. Minnesota law gives the court 20 days from the time an election challenge was filed to begin the trial. Coleman filed suit on Jan. 6.

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http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docid=news-000003011687

[elocs]

1. The bottom line here is that MN law provides a legal process that is available to both candidates.

In an election this close after a recount we would expect no less from Franken if he were the one behind by a few hundred votes. We would expect Franken to fight until the fight is over. When the legal process is finished in MN concerning this election, then Franken will be seated and sworn in as the new senator from MN. As Democrats we believe in following the law and not just when it is convenient or favors us.