Franken not ruling out asking for postponed recount
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (CNN) - Democrat Al Franken's campaign made yet another attempt Monday to have certain rejected absentee ballots thrown into the mix when the recount officially commences Wednesday. They've now taken their argument straight to Secretary of State Mark Ritchie's canvassing board.
Last week, Franken attorney Mark Elias said the campaign filed a lawsuit with Ramsey County asking for data on rejected ballots. However, the county has set this Wednesday to hear the case - in other words, too late for their decision to make a difference since the statewide hand recount will have begun that morning.
When first laid out last Thursday, Elias gave the example of an elderly woman who's absentee ballot was rejected because, according to the Franken campaign, her signature did not match the one on file merely because she had had a stroke. It was the only example given to reporters after numerous prodding.
That story turned out to be inaccurate, and its taken the campaign four days to offer any other reasons as to why, in their minds, a rejected ballot should ever be counted.
Asked what the campaign plans to do if at their Tuesday meeting the canvassing board decides they will continue with current plan and not count rejected ballots, Franken spokeswoman Colleen Murray said they're taking it one step at a time but added that they have not ruled out anything, specifically, asking for a postponement of the recount.
The Coleman campaign fired back with a press release saying the Franken campaign "intends to stop recount vote."
“The Franken campaign’s decision to demand that the State Canvassing Board accept rejected absentee ballots was a blatant admission they do not have the votes to overturn the re-election of Norm Coleman,” Knaak said. “However, their public statement that – failing to succeed in this desperate and unprecedented act tomorrow – they will ask the State Canvassing Board to stop the recount is breathtaking in its far-reaching scope that could leave Minnesotans without a senator in January. Minnesotans will not stand for this obvious effort to win through a legal system what the Franken campaign could not win through the ballot box.”
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Oh Brother,
Al's turning out to be quite a whinner, I think this is really funny Al, what a comedian .The whole thing is a joke,and you're a funny guy.
Franken needs to give it up and accept he lost. He is lucky he ever made it as far as he did.
name a winner already
Al Franken- Always the comedian.
Funny, usually instructions on a ballot are pretty clear. Also very clear on an absentee ballot as to warning not to follow will result in not counting the ballot.
But I am surprised a candidate would demand to count all rejected ballots as well!
Whatever happened to "Rules are Rules" Obama fans?
Here we go...The Dems will now try to "steal" this election just like Bush supposedly did in 2000. They want it both ways. Franken is a joke and a troll. I can't believe anyone took him seriously. I hope he loses.
Al Franken even if he manages to steal this election will be the biggest loser that he is in D.C. You in the land of 10K lakes must be so pround of the moron.
CNN! Lap-top per Child... You had better not, Try to Spy; on Toto's of the World...
You've got to admire his tenacity.
More typical CNN corporate media bias. Al Franken, United States Senator. Sounds fantastic.
Coleman needs to appear holding up the Citizen Kane newspaper headline, "Fraud at the Polls". Coleman was a Democrat in 2000, you'd think he'd show a bit more sensitivity but such events always reveal the character of the man. Gore cared enough for the country to finally concede; the fact that Bush (or his handlers) were completely ruthless laid out how they would govern – had Gore won (officially) Bush would have torn the country apart to cripple him, just as he did as president. Coleman setting up the predicate of 'fraud' in case he loses shows how little he cares what will happen if he does.
It's still strange – and sad – to me that Al Franken is a couple hundred votes away from being a Senator. Is this the best the dems can do? I know things are bad right now, but that does not justify the knee-jerk near election of an unreasonable former celebrity. Put a viable candidate on the ballot next time...someone with a shred of decency and objectivity!
Give it up Franken.....
Because I'm good enough...I'm smart enough...and doggone it, people like me.
GO FRANKEN!!
Dunno, but this whole idea of "rejecting ballots" is really screwy to me. We need a common system throughout the country that ensures that every vote that is cast, after verifying ID, is counted.....period.
I know that goes counter to some folks' ideas, but I think it's pretty important for a democracy, huh?
"When first laid out last Thursday, Elias gave the example of an elderly woman who's absentee ballot was rejected because, according to the Franken campaign, her signature did not match the one on file merely because she had had a stroke. It was the only example given to reporters after numerous prodding."
This is not an EXAMPLE, it is a HYPOTHETICAL.
That is, unless the Franken campaign somehow has access to abesentee ballots, right?
Franken is too Karl Rove for me. Send him back to SNL.
No wait, SNL has been funnier since he left.
Search "Franken" and "homphobia" on google. This guy has "issues" as we say....
This a joke, Franken - right? Better yet, Franken is a joke, right?
Why do Coleman's responses always sound SO much more desperate if they're sure they've won?
The story turned out to be inaccurate? I think this is what CNN meant to write:
"Franken's Campaign lied and fabricated the story to get commonly rejected absentee votes counted."
I voted for Obama, and I have no problem saying that if this was a Republican, the word "inaccurate" would have been replaced with "lies and fabricated" instantaniously.
Seriously, Franken owes taxes in 17 states. I would be in jail.
Al Franken is a joker and a thief. No need to report anything about him. Democrats shelter such people
An open and transparent voting process is the very basis of defending the freedoms with which this country has been endowed. I am aware that vote suppression has long been an honored dodge offered up by candidates who fear that a free and open vote counting process will somehow reduce their chances of winning. Sadly this has been the GOP mantra for decades. Each of those rejected ballots should be enumerated on a list with the reason for rejection appended for each name, and the list published in the major newspapers of the state. The panel established to monitor the recount should rule on each rejection. Then, and only then, will this recount have any validity. I wish that we would follow the example of the rest of the world and mandate a run-off election decided by less than .5% of the votes cast. That would probably solve the problem.
Franken is right. It's absurb how local county government determine absentee ballot eligibility.
Signature, permanent address vs mailing address and all the details obscure voter rights.
A.F. BETTER PRAY THAT JESSIE V. DO NOT HAVE TO MUCH INPUT ON THE RECOUNT. WE WILL NEVER FORGET SOME OF HIS COMMENTS ABOUT OBAMA'S RUN FOR THE PRESIDENCY. WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT A PRO WRESTLER WITH A STEROID BRAIN COULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON A SHIFT IN POWER IN THE US SENATE. ONLY IN THE U. S. OF A.. "GOD HELP US"!!!!!!!!!. HIS CHANGE IS SOLELY BASED ON THE "DANABALL GENERATION" MENTALITY.
Is that so the democrats can find more votes left in cars, closets, or empty voting boxes? We already have enough left wing zealots in the Senate.