Discouraging words for Franken and recount from Cornyn and Pawlenty

Chris Steller — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:31:55 +0000

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, made explicit Friday morning a vow he strongly hinted at earlier this week that Republicans would block any effort to seat Democrat Al Franken before Sen. Norm Coleman’s expected court challenge to the statewide Minnesota recount is resolved. Warning of “damage to the Senate,” Cornyn told reporters that seating a recount winner would be “a recipe for chaos.”

Also Friday morning, Gov. Tim Pawlenty questioned the Minnesota Supreme Court order under which the rival campaigns can veto the counting of votes on any of about 1,350 absentee ballots that election officials have determined should have been counted.

The court is expected to rule soon on Coleman’s Dec. 31 demand that the process for counting wrongfully rejected absentee ballots be halted and rejiggered to let the campaigns propose a new round of rejected ballots to be reconsidered.

Meanwhile, counties must turn in any ballots the campaigns have agreed may be counted to the secretary of state’s office by the end of the day, with opening and tallying of those votes planned for the weekend, barring a new Supreme Court order that blocks it. The State Canvassing Board could then certify a winner early next week.

Minnesota Independent » cronyn

Discouraging words for Franken and recount from Cornyn and Pawlenty