Minn. Recount Trial Goes to Judges

Former senator 'not ruling out' state, federal appeals

(NEWSER) - Norm Coleman is leaving himself the option of taking the case of Minnesota’s disputed Senate election all the way to the US Supreme Court, Politico reports. The Republican is not “at this point” expecting to go that far—after all, that’d be after the Minnesota Supreme Court and federal appellate courts—but said today he’s “not ruling out anything.” More»

(AP) - The Minnesota Supreme Court today rejected Democrat Al Franken's petition for an election certificate that would put him in the US Senate without waiting for a lawsuit to be resolved. Franken is ahead of Republican Norm Coleman by 225 votes. Coleman's ongoing lawsuit argues some uncounted absentee ballots were wrongly rejected. More»

(NEWSER) - Norm Coleman expects a decision on the US Senate race in Minnesota within weeks, and hopes “they’ll do the right thing,” but has not decided whether to challenge a decision, Politico reports. “I’m not ruling it in or ruling it out,” he said. Coleman is currently behind Democratic challenger Al Franken by 225 votes in what the incumbent had called “the race that never ends.” More»

Washington is latest stage for Minnesota combatants

(NEWSER) - As Al Franken’s lawyers asked a Minnesota court to dismiss Norm Coleman’s challenge to election results there, both Senate hopefuls traveled to Washington today meet with party leaders, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. “The race in Minnesota is over with,” Harry Reid said after conferring with Democrat Franken about committee assignments. “Reports of my defeat are greatly exaggerated,” said Coleman after meeting with GOP senators. More»

Wants absentee ballots reconsidered

(NEWSER) - Former Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman is abruptly reversing strategy in his court action challenging the results of the US Senate race he narrowly lost to Al Franken, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Coleman now wants all 12,000 absentee ballots rejected during the recount to be reconsidered—the same ballots he argued should be tossed when he was ahead in the recount. More»