Will Senator Franken take his rightful seat this week?

[cali]

As I understand it, April 8th is the end of the road for Normie. So when will Senator Franken be sworn in?

[ThomWV]

1. Depends on the Governor of MN and Harry Reed - so the answer is no.

What, do you think a Republican is going to sign off on a Democrat's election if he has an excuse not to and of course there is no chance that Harry will grow balls in April that he did not have in March.

[Dinger]

5. Shit, I Think Al would Have A Better Chance Under pewlenty Than reid (nt)

[lisa58]

2. Colman is going to take it to the Supreme Court...

...so no.

[tekisui]

6. I think the SC would deny to hear it quicker than they would if it

were a birth certificate case. It is a question of politics, and purely the realm of the Senate.

[AlinPA]

7. I doubt the SC would pass up a chance to help a fellow republican to be seated.

It's an easy 5-4 or 6-3 for them.

[tekisui]

9. But, it isn't their place to say.

Coleman really has no real goods for a SC appeal. Bush v. Gore was a huge mistake, and I hope the Court will leave it as an anomaly, not a precedent.

I really don't think the SC will touch this.

[AlinPA]

10. I hope you are right. (I believe you and I discussed this in other threads earlier)

[TheBigotBasher]

12. The Bush v Gore

judgement stated clearly that it was not to set a precedent. They knew it was a freak decision to help their pal.

[bdamomma]

3. the repigs will bring this all the way to the Supreme Court

I hope the SC slaps them down, they need to seat Senator Franken and stop stealing elections.

[AlinPA]

8. The SC is mostly republican so we lose there.

[cali]

17. I doubt it.

this is a case I expect the SC will choose not to hear.

[Dinger]

4. When He Is Seated, He Ought To Have Four And A Half Months Added To His Term

I'm just sayin'.

[mn9driver]

11. Here's what is going to happen this week:

1. The three judge panel is going to "consider" 400 absentee ballots and count the ones that they determine meet the standards of MN state election law.

2. After they have counted these ballots, Franken will still be ahead, and if Coleman declines to appeal the judges' decision, an election certificate would be issued and signed by the Governor and the MN Secretary of State. The US Senate would then seat Franken.

3. If Coleman appeals the decision (which he has already announced his intention to do), the appeal will go to the MN Supreme Court and be placed on the docket ahead of most, if not all, existing business. Coleman has ten days in which to file this appeal, and you can bet that he will use every single one of them.

The MN Supreme Court will rule on the validity of the decision of the three judge panel. Most observers expect that the MN Supreme Court will uphold the decision in an expedited fashion, perhaps in as little as one or two weeks.

4. Once the MN Supreme Court has ruled (presumably in favor of leaving the election results as finally determined by the three judge panel), an election certificate should be issued and signed by the Governor and MN Secretary of State. This completes all of the provisions of MN election law.

If Coleman then appeals to the Federal Courts, the legal process could continue, BUT an election certificate may still be issued while that happens, since MN election laws will have been satisfied. No one knows what our sometimes very partisan Republicon governor will do. If he refuses to sign because of a pending Federal appeal, then the ball really ends up in Harry Reid's yard.

This thing could drag out for quite some time, especially if our US Senate leadership continues to allow it.

[ThomWV]

13. Please address this question about your item number 3

What is to stop Harry from seating Franken during that 10 day window? The Constitution does not require any certificate from the Governor and in fact says it is the Senate itself that shall be the judge of its elections, not the Governor of any state.

[mn9driver]

14. The election certificate will not be issued until all appeals have been completed.

This is MN state election law, and the clear implication is that this applies to STATE appeals, since it is the business of Minnesota voters.

The US Senate can of course seat Franken if they choose to do so, but Reid has already said that he is going to let the MN state process play out. Once Coleman tries to drag it into the Federal Court system, AND if Gov. Pawlenty decides to refuse an election certificate on that basis, Reid will have a decision to make.

Personally, I've have seen very little evidence that Reid has the stones to do the right thing, so I expect Minnesota could be without its second Senator for quite a while longer.

[AlinPA]

19. re: your #2 and #4 - You actually believe Pawlenty would sign?

[librechik]

15. Does the right ever stop being assholes?

no

[Nikki Stone1]

16. Why are the Republicans so afraid of Franken?

And why are the Dems not forcing this issue?

[ThomWV]

18. Didn't you know, Republicans are scared to death of anything that is not a Republican.

Cowards.