Minnesota: Senate judges order count of 23 rejected ballots

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

(02-10) 14:00 PST ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) --

The judges in Minnesota's Senate trial on Tuesday ordered that 23 previously rejected absentee ballots be opened and added to the race, setting the stage for counting perhaps thousands more such ballots and giving Republican Norm Coleman a shot at erasing Democrat Al Franken's 225-vote lead.

The ballots belong to voters who sued to have them counted. They have been identified as Franken supporters, but Coleman's lawyers were encouraged by the order because they want another 4,700 rejected absentee ballots to be counted.

"It's basically what we've been asking for all along," Coleman attorney Ben Ginsberg said of the trial's first judicial order to count previously rejected ballots.

Franken's attorney, Marc Elias, also praised the order. "We're obviously pleased, having said all along that these witnesses should have their votes counted," he said.

The 23 voters "have provided unrebutted evidence that their absentee ballots were legally cast and should be counted," read the order signed by judges Elizabeth Hayden, Kurt Marben and Denise Reilly. The judges said they would determine later when the 23 absentees should be opened and added to the count.



Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/02/09/national/a121524S48.DTL

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. 225-23=202

Still a winner.

[hobbit709]

2. 225+23=248

It said they were Franken supporters.

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. Actually I was considering what Franken's lead would be if those votes went to Coleman

A worst case scenario.

[w4rma]

17. "They have been identified as Franken supporters" (nt)

[proud2BlibKansan]

19. Once again, in a worst case scenario, if these votes went to Coleman

Franken would still be ahead.

[tabatha]

3. 225 PLUS 23

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. Unless they went to Coleman

[Piewhacket]

13. At least Al is still ahead. Still, the stall is mainly about the stimulus.

I'm not so sanguine about the basis of all this delay by Mn judges.
This has been since Nov! The 'all deliberate speed' by
these judges is now looking like abuse.

[rwheeler31]

4. These judges are just stalling along with Coleman.

[trotsky]

6. Not true.

Each of the three judges on the panel was appointed by a different governor (DFL, Republican, "Independent" Jesse Ventura).

They are following Minnesota election law as closely as possible, just as the recount was performed.

[wellstone dem]

11. I know one of the judges

That judge is a person of high integrity, who will not stall, but will not rush.

[Chan790]

12. That's fine and dandy...

except that it's becoming exceedingly clear that Coleman's plan is to keep this from settled as long as possible even if just to deny Franken one more day in office...he'll drag this out until somebody puts the kibosh on the kettle and declares this over. Finished. Done. This isn't 2000 again...there is a clear result and one side is just trying to drag it out indefinitely.

He damned skippy should be rushing.

[elocs]

8. Do you have any idea what you are talking about?

Do you know anything about MN judges or its judicial and election process?

[monmouth]

5. As soon as the stimulus bill is passed Franken will be seated...You betcha...n/t

[elocs]

9. No, the judicial process that will be followed to its conclusion. This is MN, not FL.

When it is over there will be no doubts or questions about the legitimacy of Franken's win.

[cosmicone]

7. It also sets up a legal argument

where one has to sue to get one's absentee vote counted. Barring lawsuits by 4,700 people, the court can then reject them as lacking incontrovertible evidence of authenticity.

[monmouth]

10. I'm glad to hear that, just wish they'd speed it up. Poor Al...n/t

[robinlynne]

14. interesting thought.

[CK_John]

18. Coleman is just setting up an appeal to Fed Court. n/t

[skorpo]

20. Court to Coleman and Franken: ‘Streamline’

Source: Minnesota Independent

By Chris Steller 2/10/09 7:58 PM

With two words many observers have been thirsting for — “streamline proceedings” — the three judges in Minnesota’s senate election trial signaled late Tuesday they’ve finally had enough after 12 days of drip-drip-drip testimony on individual ballots. They ordered lawyers for Al Franken and Norm Coleman to say by 4 p.m. Wednesday which categories of rejected absentee ballots should be counted. A hearing on narrowing the trial’s scope from a current pool of 4,800 contested ballots is set for Thursday at 1 p.m.

See the 19 categories in all their glory after the jump.

The rivals for Minnesota’s vacant seat in the U.S. Senate must tell the three-judge panel whether they want counted all absentee ballots that were:

1. Returned by a non-registered voter in an absentee ballot return envelope on which no box in the proof of residence portion of the envelope is checked by the witness.

Read more: http://minnesotaindependent.com/26111/court-to-coleman-and-franken-streamline

---

This is a ray of hope in getting the contest done sooner rather than later.
I guess the judges are finally tiring of the Coleman team's tactics.

[pacalo]

21. Thank you, skorpo.

And welcome to DU!

:hi:

[bjobotts]

22. Coleman says he "knows God wants him to be the senator".How low can he go?

[peacetalksforall]

23. God will give Coleman the answer the Judges are looking for.

[peacetalksforall]

24. It is amazing to see how badly the Republicans want Coleman there to continue to be their

water boy.

[JI7]

25. it's more about not wanting Franken

i read before about how much they hate him. Franken getting into the Senate will be like experiencing the election results of last year again but maybe even worse since there will be a sense of gloating among Dems.

[dmr]

34. Impatiently waiting for 'Meet The Press' - Franklin on one side, Sessions on the other!

Ah, yes, I'm waiting for that day -

Remembering Al's radio shows - I can see why the pugs are disturbed even further than they already are!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[backscatter712]

26. 'Bout fucking time this process got accelerated.

Chiclet Teeth has been dragging this out for far too long. It's far past time the court got to the point where they can declare Franken the winner and order him certified and sworn in.

[NBachers]

27. Speed it up, dudes -

Hey Al, we're keepin' your seat warm for you.

[Piewhacket]

28. amazing coincidence...

how the tenor of the case changes when the senate
passes the stimulus after compromising roughly 100 billion
out of the most effective component, including education,
and state relief, and installing buckets of unstimulating tax cuts.

Mn judges better get this f& thing wrapped up soon.
Our country needs mr franken NOW!

[firedupdem]

29. Let this end soon....it's ridiculous at this point. Coleman should have

been long gone by now!

[Left Coast2020]

30. Plus dems need him for future close votes.

Having to rely on moderate repugs like Snow is insane. The Stimilus bill is going to get watered down because Snow, and the other two repugs have now gained some power. WE NEED FRANKEN AND WE NEED HIM NOW!!!!!!:kick:

[GreenTea]

31. Consider a donation to Al Franken's legal recount fund.

He truly could use it, as the republicans are doing all they can to steal Franken's and the democrats seat, a six year senate seat.

It would as you know make it 59 seats for the Dems.

We have just seen how important it is to have even one more Dem seat.

Let's not let the republicans steal this six year seat for their power grab (now and for 2010) the republicans are & will absolutely be doing all they can to steal that 6 year seat.

Coleman with the republicans behind him will lie cheat & steal to get this six year seat.

Help all of us out, if you can!

https://secure.alfranken.com/page/contribute

[DUlover2909]

32. I just sent him $25. I hope it helps.

I got a Christmas card from Al Franken. I was so surprised. I have it up on my fridge now. I wish others would donate too. He's the only REAL liberal I have seen running in the Senate. He's liberal all the way, not just sorta liberal like alot of people in Congress. Can anyone think of a more liberal Senator?

[cyclezealot]

33. Coleman will fight to his last breath.

I doubt the MN court will tame his need to delay. He's probably trying to keep Franken out of the Senate during the Stimulus debate. ?.. He's says his next step will be Federal Courts.. But, should Franken win, MN will probably issue an election certificate. ?.