Pawlenty: ‘A few more months’ to resolve Franken-Coleman standoff

While not surprising, this pronouncement is disappointing. Minnesota deserves its full voice in the Senate. The Governor is displaying partisanship, not statesmanship.

But lookiee here: Pawlenty is AGREEING with the MN SC that the end of the contest is when it’s been settled in the STATE courts. Not Federal, State.

He’s apparently decided that, regardless of what the RNC’s promising him, he doesn’t want to ensure his gubernatorial defeat in 2010 by telling Eric Magnuson and the citizens of Minnesota to pound salt. If he’s going to make a presidential run in 2012, he’s better off doing so as a sitting governor than as one who was tossed out on his ear. He barely won in 2006, and that was against a deeply flawed Democratic candidate who, had he made one final gaffe, would be sitting in the governor’s mansion now.

Furthermore, Minnesota’s going to lose a congressional district in the wake of the 2010 census. The logical candidate would be Bachmann’s, and that’s the one the state lege would pick to eliminate. But the governor has the final say — and if Republicans still control the governor’s mansion, that makes it easier for them to protect her heavily-gerrymandered seat.

Arrrgh. Make that “…had he NOT made one final gaffe….”

To Phoenix Woman: Actually, no — Pawlenty doesn’t agree that the process will be over with the Minnesota Supreme Court’s decision. Asked about the reaction from Minnesotans if the US Supreme Court ultimately decided the contest, Pawlenty responded:

“The district court process is going to be revealed some time in the next couple of weeks. Like I said, then it’ll go to the court of appeals, in all likelihood, or the supreme court in Minnesota, the state-based system. And that might take a month or two to decide.

“But then that federal court process is available. I’m not saying one side or the other will take it, but it shouldn’t all be on Norm’s back. It could very well, at that point, be on Al Franken’s back.”

Don’t hold your breath.

Never thought I’d LIVE to see the day when a Sovereign State’s Elected LEADER would decide to BACK his political party OVER THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE who elected him.

IF Minnesota’s own GOVERNOR PLENTY does NOT support his own STATE’S JUDICIARY … WHY is HE still IN OFFICE?

The People of the Sovereign state of Minnesota cast their ballots in a FAIR & HONEST election. Like ALL ELECTIONS, none is perfect; there are flaws –just as there are FLAWS in human beings.
BUT for the past TWO HUNDRED-PLUS years, THOSE FLAWS have always been considered to BALANCE OUT each other.
THAT IS, until recent elections THAT SHOWED THE PEOPLE voting AGAINST the Republican Party. NOW, the People get ROYALLY (republicanly) SCREWED by having their votes SET ASIDE and LITIGATED until hell FREEZES OVER!

BY WHAT RIGHT do these party HACKS interfere with the elective process –AND THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE elected/appointed/hired to DETERMINE those results?

RECALL THE GOVERNOR if he refuses to honor the MINNESOTA COURTS’ decisions.

Of course it is.

The Indy loses more credibility every time I visit.

Here’s a thought, if Franken is declared the winner in the current court process, Secretary of State Mark Ritchie should issue a election certificate, that would force Pawlenty’s hand. He then would have to make a clear decision, either sign on to the certificate, or, side with Coleman, and, then watch as his name is tied to Coleman’s in any continued challenges in the courts. Both the secretary of state, and, the govenor have to sign the election certificate, if Ritchie forces his hand, he will have to respond one way or another. If he wants a plitical future in Minnesota he will sign, if he backs Coleman’s futile attempts he will be seen as the political hack that he is.

Ritchie won’t issue and election certificate, and he probably wouldn’t sign one. He’s too by the book. Legally his hands are tied, the state law allows for an endless repeals process, and legally they can’t sign such a certificate anyway.

What needs to happen is for the state capitol to change that law, allowing Franken to be seated as soon as the recount is over.

I hope the Governor – and every other elected official – does what he/she/they can to hasten this process. It is undemocratic to obstruct and delay the process of Minnesotans getting their second federal senator. The broader public interest must prevail over the narrow partisan interest.

[...] Senate race will take “a few more months” until “we get a proper result.” Minnesota Independent reports that Pawlenty said he won’t sign an election certificate until the appellate process is over. [...]

[...] Senate race will take “a few more months” until “we get a proper result.” Minnesota Independent reports that Pawlenty said he won’t sign an election certificate until the appellate process is over. [...]