Judge rules in Franken's favor

[NYCGirl]

Good news.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/scorecard/1108/Judge_rules_in_Frankens_favor.html

The Al Franken for Senate campaign is entitled to get access to the names and addresses of voters whose absentee ballots were rejected, a Ramsey County judge has ruled.

Judge Dale Lindman submitted his order after a hearing this morning in which attorneys for Franken and Ramsey County argued on the matter.

Ramsey County must turn over the “existing written information regarding the reason for accepting or rejecting an absentee ballot,” Lindman wrote. But, he said, under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, “(Franken) is not entitled to orally query election officials regarding their reasoning” for rejecting the ballots unless that reasoning has been reduced to written form.

The refusal to turn over the information is in violation of the Data Practices Act, the judge said, and the Franken campaign is feeling the effects.

“With each passing hour, the Franken campaign is irreparably harmed in its efforts to ensure that each valid vote is properly counted and to prepare for the procedures that will decide this election,” he wrote. “By contrast, the county of Ramsey will suffer no harm from providing information that, even absent plaintiff’s request, it must organize and maintain.”

The order is effective immediately, and the county must turn over the data by day’s end, Lindman ruled.

[David Zephyr]

1. Great news.

K&R.

[bluedeminredstate]

4. Hi friend!

I'm in love with Als - Al Gore, Al Franken, Al Camieri from second grade...
If I can't have Al G.'s love child, I'll settle for Franken's. I've loved Franken since the early days of SNL ("me, Al Franken...").
I have waited for the day that Wellstone's beloved seat was occupied by someone that doesn't ooze sleaze, and I hope that day comes soon. Chicklet teeth must go. Ever since the phony outrage over Wellstone's memorial service which put Coleman in office I have been pissed off. Chicklet's ouster would go a long way to making that right.
Go Al!!

:hi:

[David Zephyr]

10. There's a voice I needed to hear from. Hey baby!

Guess what?

You and I are about to slip out of that horrible parallel universe that we slid into together back in the beginning of 2001.

Are you ready, bluedeminredstate?

Can you believe it?

Eight years, but it's almost over.

Eight long years. But I got to know you. We've been through a lot.

I wish we could find that eight year old thread where you were thinkin' about having Al's love child. LOL.

Wow. What a long journey we've been through.

I am proud to know you. Very proud indeed. :hi:

[HEyHEY]

2. Cheney indicted, Obama wins, Stevens loses... it's all coming up DEM!

[riqster]

3. Another judge who rules based on actual law nt

[Richard Steele]

11. What a refreshing blast from the past. Back in my day, Judges did that all the time...

And we LIKED it!

[Tigress DEM]

15. Makes me proud to be an American!

[goclark]

18. Let's cross our fingers, have you noticed

how many judges are for Justice all of a sudden/

Jumping Ship with Bush maybe?

Finding a spine all of a sudden?

[riqster]

20. Well, rats DO flee sinking ships, granted

...but so too do all sorts of other critters. I know nothing more about this judge than this ruling, which was admirably legal in nature, so I may be projecting.

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. Well, it looks like to me, that Dems are learning from the recount era of 2000.

Leave no stone unturned. Good job, Franken!

[1776Forever]

6. That is GREAT NEWS! Thanks!

:woohoo: :applause: :woohoo:

[Cha]

7. Kick for Al

Franken!

[CatWoman]

19. nother kick for Al

:kick:

[99th_Monkey]

8. K & R ... You GO AL ... way to insist on every ballot being counted.

:kick:

[Uncle Joe]

9. Excellent!

Thanks for the news, NYCGirl.:thumbsup:

[DeepModem Mom]

12. K&R

[foxfeet]

13. K&R.

[Tigress DEM]

14. Can I get a "WHOO HOO!!!"

TAKE THAT! Nermal Coleman and your band of thugs!

[WillyT]

17. WooHoo !!! - K & R !!!

:bounce::woohoo::bounce:

:hi:

[Tigress DEM]

16. Kinda boring but I sent a note to the MN Judicial Branch

http://www.mncourts.gov/?page=164

Email the Judicial Center

CONTACT FORM

SUBJECT: Thank You! Judge Lindman!

Your ruling to allow the Franken Senate campaign to get access to the information that will help ascertain that all legal votes are counted is very refreshing.

Theoretically we are a country that is beholden to the rule of law and try very hard to make decisions that will help manage such chaos as a very close and contested Senate race without everyone losing their heads.

In the last 8 years when the Attorney General and various legal protectors in ranks below seemed to be more about winning at all costs and partisan politics, it is good to see there are still judges who take the law seriously and rule fairly.

Thank you.