Harry Reid (WDCpix)

Harry Reid (WDCpix)

Senate Majority Harry Reid is drawing a new line in the snow, naming a date by which he’s pledging to have Al Franken seated as Minnesota’s next senator: April Fool’s Day. Democrats will invoke the Senate’s privilege to seat members to the body regardless of where former Sen. Norm Coleman’s court battle stands at that time, Reid told reporters.

Republicans said Reid must hold off until Coleman exhausts legal options for undoing Franken’s election recount lead and threatened to filibuster any effort to seat the Democrat. Reid offered advice: ”Norm Coleman should have a five-minute conversation with (Sen.) John Ensign (R-Nev.),” … John Ensign wound up as a real hero in Nevada (after bowing to Reid rather than pursuing a recount in their 1998 Senate contest).