Gov. Tim Pawlenty refused to grant a request from the Al Franken campaign to issue an election certificate for the contested U.S. Senate seat held until recently by U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman.

“I have a duty to follow state law and our statutes are clear on this issue,” Pawlenty said in a statement his office released early Monday afternoon. “I am prohibited from issuing a certificate of election until the election contest in the courts has been resolved.”

Here is the statute Pawlenty cited in his statement:

Minnesota Statutes 204C.40 CERTIFICATES OF ELECTION.

Subdivision 2. Time of issuance; certain offices.

No certificate of election shall be issued until seven days after the canvassing board has declared the result of the election. In case of a contest, an election certificate shall not be issued until a court of proper jurisdiction has finally determined the contest. This subdivision shall not apply to candidates elected to the office of state senator or representative.