Franken wins. Coleman to appeal
The battle for Minnesota’s Senate seat is reaching its grand finale. Al Franken was ruled the winner by a Minnesota court yesterday:
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.”
That’s it, then. Franken will be the new senator, Coleman will have to find something else to do with his life.
Or is it?
Coleman legal spokesman Ben Ginsberg said the ruling denies many valid votes by applying a stricter standard to determining eligible ballots than local officials applied during the recount… Coleman’s lawyers have 10 days to file an appeal with the Minnesota Supreme Court.
Coleman will appeal. And who would not in his situation? The race is incredibly close. Not the true amount of votes but the votes that get counted decide the outcome of this election. Franken wants certain votes to be counted, others to be ignored. Coleman wants the exact opposite.
In the meantime, both say they want “every vote to be counted.” As long as “every vote” is for them, that is.
This thing will carry on for a big longer, but we can be quite sure about one thing: Franken will be Minnesota’s senator. The only question is when, not if, Coleman will (be forced to) give up.
