Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has called on Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN) to concede in his recount battle against Democrat Al Franken.
Talking Points Memo reports (quotation marks inserted by me):
In a statement given to Election Central, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has called upon Norm Coleman to concede defeat in the Minnesota Senate race. Reid also reminded Coleman of his own calls early on in this process for Franken to concede and not waste taxpayer time and money:
“I believe that tomorrow the bipartisan state canvassing board will certify Al Franken the winner. After all, early on Senator Coleman criticized Al Franken for wanting a recount and wasting taxpayer money. I would hope now that it is clear he lost, that Senator Coleman follow his own advice and not subject the people of Minnesota to a costly legal battle.”
Franken currently leads by 225 votes in unofficial counts after election officials sorted through over 900 wrongly rejected absentee ballots this weekend. The Star Tribune reports that the Minnesota state Canvassing Board will certify a winner today.
The race isn’t over yet, however, despite any certification of a winner in the race. The Coleman campaign still has a case before the Minnesota Supreme Court to force the inclusion of additional absentee ballots in the recount process, some of which come from Republican-leaning districts. His campaign has also made it clear that they may contest the recount results after the certification is completed, as the Star Tribune article notes.
Coleman’s attorneys said that depending on what the court decides, they would be ready to file a legal action contesting the recount results as early as Tuesday. Recount attorney Fritz Knaak said that he believed 300 to 400 ballots would go Coleman’s way in a contest, including through the addition of absentee ballots so far excluded and the elimination of so-called “double votes” in Minneapolis.
“We are prepared to go forward and take whatever legal action is necessary to … remedy this artificial lead that we believe is being shown now for the Franken campaign,” Knaak said.
As things stand now, Franken will not be seated on Tuesday when the Senate convenes a new session regardless of what election officials decide today. Senate Republicans have promised to filibuster any attempt to have Franken added to the Senate roster until all legal challenges have been remedied. As long as they remain united on that front, Minnesota will only be represented by one Senator as Coleman’s term officially expired over the weekend.
Congress in Your Pocket
