A three-judge panel in Minnesota has declared Al Franken the winner of the contested US Senate race there. Norm Coleman is expected to appeal. (Photo: AP) Three judges soundly rejected Norm Coleman’s attempt to reverse Al Franken’s lead in the U.S. Senate election late Monday, sweeping away the Republican’s claims in a blunt ruling Coleman promised to appeal. After a trial spanning nearly three months, the judicial panel dismissed Coleman’s central argument that the election and its aftermath were fraught with systemic errors that made the results invalid.
"The overwhelming weight of the evidence indicates that the Nov. 4, 2008, election was conducted fairly, impartially and accurately," the panel said in its unanimous decision. The panel concluded that Franken, a DFLer, "received the highest number of votes legally cast" in the election. Franken emerged from the trial with a 312-vote lead, the court ruled, and "is therefore entitled to receive the certificate of election."
Speaking to reporters outside his downtown Minneapolis condominium, Franken, flanked by his wife, Franni, said he had "no control" over what Coleman does next but said he would urge his opponent not to appeal, which would delay his certification. "I am honored and humbled by this close victory," he said. "And it’s long past time we got to work"…
It’s when I read things like this that I shudder and remember the Bush years. At other times, I am remarkably free of the constant drone of America gone sour that pervaded my consciousness for those eight years. This Coleman/Franken thing is such a blast from the recent past. Endless legal wheelings and dealings with no concern for the impact on the country. Like the silly claims of Presidential powers or the memos of Mr. Yoo, things are twisted and turned for political gain. It’s hard to imagine that Coleman or his handlers actually think he could win. Rather, the point seems to be to keep Franken out of the Senate for as long as possible. It just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. And then there’s Senator Saxby Chambliss from my State trying to keep us building obsolete fighters from a former era – such silliness from people passing themselves off as adults…
It would be simpler if we could attribute such silliness to just the politicians and their ignorant, easily-fooled constituents. But the problem we face with Republicans is the amount of money some of their fat cats are willing to spend on such antics and the amount of encouragement they get from FoxNews and Rush Limbaugh and their ilk.
The money to pay for Coleman’s appeal all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court does not come from Minnesotans but from the big moneybags of the party.
Today’s tea bag party is another example. It’s a stunt paid for by wealthy Republicans aided and abetted by all the free publicity and encouragement donated by FoxNews.
Of course, the success of such antics depends on the gullibility of the American people who can be led to vote against their own best interests. If Obama keeps on making so much sense, and the economy really does improve, at least some of those people may start to realize the Republicans are just frauds.
By the way: I love the new term AstroTurf movement to refer to these fake grass roots movements, which aren’t really grass roots at all but funded and carefully orchestrated by moneyed interests.