Comments on: Franken Lead Increases in Minnesota Senate Race https://gregladen.com/blog/2009/04/07/franken-lead-increases-in-minn/ Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:45:30 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.8 By: Drake33 https://gregladen.com/blog/2009/04/07/franken-lead-increases-in-minn/#comment-533880 Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:45:30 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2009/04/07/franken-lead-increases-in-minn/#comment-533880 Scott,

The 3 State phases are: General Election, Election Contest, and the State Supreme Court Appeal. After that the Secretary of State will issue an election certificate “Certifying” the winner.

Then it gets’ murky. Republicans say that the Governor is not obligated to sign the election certificate until after ALL appeals are through. However, the Judges ruling on this election have “hinted” through their rulings that the STATE can and should issue a certified election certificate prior to any appeal to the US Courts.

This “puts” Pawlenty in an awkward spot. He either plays politics, refuses to sign off on the election, keeping Minnesota with one Senator, keeping the Democrats at 58, and needing 2 Republicans to switch over.

Or he signs off on a certified election. This is what I think he will do, despite recently saying that this election could drag out for *months*. …

We need the Judges to finish the case. They are clearly being diligent, thorough, and are going to make it very difficult for any other Court to overturn their decisions.

]]> By: Scott https://gregladen.com/blog/2009/04/07/franken-lead-increases-in-minn/#comment-533879 Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:37:42 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2009/04/07/franken-lead-increases-in-minn/#comment-533879 Can the Senate actually “seat” someone who hasn’t been “sent” by the State? That wouldn’t make sense. A given State isn’t obligated to send anyone to Congress, are they? Couldn’t a State simply boycott Congress? It would mean that State gets no voice in the legislative process, but that would be the decision they choose to make. But if the Senate can “seat” someone not “sent” by the State, presumably the Senate could seat anyone, either from that State or not. Surely that isn’t possible.

]]> By: MikeMa https://gregladen.com/blog/2009/04/07/franken-lead-increases-in-minn/#comment-533878 Tue, 07 Apr 2009 15:36:11 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2009/04/07/franken-lead-increases-in-minn/#comment-533878 At some point the governor might be compelled to act as was the case in Illinois with Burris where the SOS was forced to act.
Yeah Franken.

]]> By: Scott Belyea https://gregladen.com/blog/2009/04/07/franken-lead-increases-in-minn/#comment-533877 Tue, 07 Apr 2009 15:35:28 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2009/04/07/franken-lead-increases-in-minn/#comment-533877 Surely any election process in a single state which goes on this long can only be described (kindly) as dysfunctional …

]]> By: Jason https://gregladen.com/blog/2009/04/07/franken-lead-increases-in-minn/#comment-533876 Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:45:15 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2009/04/07/franken-lead-increases-in-minn/#comment-533876 So when will the Senate go ahead and seat Franken? Certainly no later than a ruling by the State appeals court. Pawlenty is certainly in no hurry to do his job and I am starting to think it will ultimately be up to the senate to seat him without the governor’s certification.

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