Sen. Richard Burr

Norm Coleman’s campaign sent another e-mail plea for money today, this time linked to a new video featuring nearly a dozen Republican leaders also asking for cash to help the former U.S. senator regain his seat. The e-mail cites Democratic opponent Al Franken’s use of the title “Senator-Elect” to draw donations and quickly ramps up the rhetoric:

“… Al Franken and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid are getting more desperate — and more dangerous — with every passing day.”

The video and the Coleman campaign’s e-mail intro to it, after the jump.

The video crams quickie testimonials from nine senators and two others into 108 seconds. Flashing by, one after another, seated in front of the same American flag are Sens. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.; Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn.; John Cornyn, R-Texas; John Thune, R-S.D.; James Inhofe, R-Okla.; Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska; Bob Corker, R-Tenn.; and Richard Burr, R-N.C., along with House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Michael Steele, chairman of the Republican National Committee.

Briefly, some lines. Cornyn: “We want him back.” Thune: “Norm is high quality.” Inhofe: “A little bit of money right now could make the difference.” Graham: “Anything you can do to help Norm to make sure he can tell his story to the court is much appreciated.” Burr: “We need 42 Republicans.”

Here’s the video:

Here’s the text of the Coleman for Senate e-mail plea:

Dear Friend,

As Norm continues his legal challenge to make sure that every vote is counted fairly, accurately and honestly, our support continues to grow.

Our party’s most influential leaders have rallied to Norm’s defense in this short, 2-minute video.

But as our support grows, Al Franken and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid are getting more desperate — and more dangerous — with every passing day.

Just this week Franken began to call himself “Senator-Elect”… even though Minnesota state law prohibits anyone from taking office until all legal challenges have been concluded!

Reid is even more blunt, telling reporters that “Norm Coleman will never ever serve [again] in the Senate”… even though a fair, accurate and honest accounting of every vote has yet to be determined!

Franken, Reid and their liberal allies see their filibuster-proof majority slipping through their fingers. And there’s no telling what they’ll do next to try to negate the will of Minnesota voters for their own partisan gain. That’s why we can’t let up the fight — not even for a minute!

As Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina says, “Anything you can do to help Norm financially to make sure that he can tell his story before the court is much appreciated.”

And looking to the future, Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina states, “We need to start the trend of growing the Republican minority so that we can be the majority in the United States Senate. Norm can accomplish that with your help.”

I urge you to take a few moments right now to watch the video, and then contribute $15, $25, $35, $50, $100 or more — up to the legal maximum of $2,300 per person — to help make sure that Norm’s case is heard before the court, and that every vote is counted fairly, accurately and honestly.

Thanks so much for all that you’ve done — and hopefully will continue to do.

Sincerely,

Cullen Sheehan
Campaign Manager, Coleman for Senate

Al Franken (Photo: Aaron Landry) and Norm Coleman (Photo: WDCpix.com)

In separate e-mails sent almost simultaneously this evening, Al Franken and former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman offered takes on President Obama’s inauguration as diametrically opposed in style as the Senate contenders are opposed in their rival campaigns. Franken’s is an unadorned, even bland two-paragraph statement about the honor he felt at attending the inauguration and the need to work together to face our challenges — with no mention of the vicious election contest. Coleman’s, by contrast, is titled “The Difference Between Obama and Franken” and caps off slams against Franken and the State Canvassing Board with a plea for cash, replete with links to the contribution page at his campaign Web site.

But earlier in the day Coleman’s blog carried his own bland statement, and on Monday Franken issued his own fundraising plea. Full texts of both e-mails and both earlier messages after the jump.

Norm Coleman message, datestamped 5:11 p.m., Jan. 20, 2009:

Dear Friend,

Today marks an historic occasion for each and every American, from all backgrounds, all political philosophies and all walks of life.  We all wish our new President well, and we will support him when we agree with him and be the voice of the loyal opposition when we do not.

Unfortunately, the kind of change that President Barack Obama brings to Washington is worlds apart from the kind of change that Al Franken is seeking here in Minnesota.

Barack Obama won a majority of our nation’s votes fair and square.
Al Franken had to change the rules of the game to overturn our victory.

Barack Obama was elected based on the principle of one person – one vote.
Al Franken’s lead exists because some votes were counted twice, while others weren’t counted at all.

Franken’s coordinated attempt to silence voices must not stand.  But it might, unless I hear from you soon.

Click here now to contribute $15, $25, $35, $50, $100 or more — up to $2,300 per person — to the Coleman for Senate Recount Fund.

The amount you contribute is important, but even more critical is your immediate reply.
In less than one week, a three-judge panel will begin to consider our legal challenge to Franken’s outrageous power grab.

We can’t be a day late or a dollar short in providing them with all the information they need to see that the latest results of the Canvassing Board are patently unconstitutional and inherently undemocratic.  With George Soros raising millions for Franken’s Recount Fund, I need your generous continued support.

Please let me hear from you soon.  Can I count on you to go my website now to get the latest news on our legal challenge, and to support our recount fund with your best contribution?

Yours truly,

Norm Coleman

Al Franken message, datestamped 4:59 p.m., Jan. 20, 2009:

It was a great honor to join so many hopeful, excited Americans in Washington today to witness the inauguration of our new President. Franni and I congratulate President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and their families on this momentous occasion, and like all our fellow citizens, we celebrate with both incredible joy and the solemn recognition of today’s place in our nation’s history.

Today, President Obama made clear what we all know: the challenges we face are significant, and change won’t happen overnight. But today, we are one nation united and ready to get to work, with a President ready to lead us. Like so many others, I have been inspired by our new President to look towards the future with optimism, and with the knowledge that there is nothing we can’t accomplish together. The next few years will call for bold action and courage on the part of our leaders and our citizens. And I know that, with all of us working together, we will meet that call.

Al Franken

Today marks an extraordinary moment in the history of our country. Watching Barack Obama be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States will forever be etched into the minds of so many of us as one of those moments for which you remember where you were and what you were doing when it happened. This is a great day for all Americans to come together for the good of our country. Laurie and I join the millions of Americans in congratulating President Obama and our thoughts and prayers are with he [sic] and his family as he assumes the office of the President of the United States.

Read Knaak’s full statement and the entire e-mail after the jump.

Here is the full statement Coleman attorney Fritz Knaak gave to reporters late this afternoon (go to MPR’s Polinaut blog to hear the rest of the nine-minute phone-in press conference):

We thought that we’d seen the epitome of arrogance yesterday, but today Al Franken has topped even himself. In the wake of the immediate denial of yesterday’s publicity stunt, calling on the governor and the Secretary of State to issue Franken a certificate — he didn’t win then and he hasn’t won now — today he’s asking to go above the laws of our state with his latest move. Al Franken knows he can’t win in court abiding by the rules of Minnesota elections. So he’s coming up with every desperate move he can — and his Washington legal team as well — to take this out of the hands of the law here and not to have to go to trial against our election contest. Franken knows the case made in our election contest is strong. Double-counted votes, newly discovered ballots, missing ballots, and inconsistent standards regarding rejected absentee ballots are serious issues that will get their day in court. Al Franken wants his Democratic supporters in the U.S. Senate to seat him in a blatant political power play. The people of Minnesota and the votes cast by 3 million Minnesotans in this election deserve better than that. Minnesotans cast their votes. And when this election contest phase is complete, we have every hope and expectation they can be confident in the result as they send Sen. Norm Coleman back to work for them.

And here is the text of an e-mail that went out early this evening:

From: Team Coleman
Date: Tue, Jan 13, 2009
Subject: Breaking News

Dear Friend,

After weeks of running roughshod over the constitution [sic] and denying the most basic of protections to voters, yesterday Al Franken asked the state of Minnesota to certify him as the winner of the election for U.S. Senate — even though state law expressly prohibits it until the contest is resolved! And when both Governor Pawlenty and the Democrat Secretary of State immediately turned down his request, Franken filed a petition with the Minnesota Supreme Court!

If you ask me, that’s a bit like a bank robber stopping on his way out the door to ask the teller for a receipt.

Nonetheless, the outcome of our contest is far from over, and we won’t rest until every vote has been counted fairly and honestly.  As it stands right now, more than 25 precincts have had more ballots cast than they have voters! And thousands of likely votes for Norm have been challenged and thrown out at the urging of Franken’s legal team!!

Click here now to help us prevent more legal shenanigans by Franken and his army of lawyers. Your immediate contribution of $20, $25, $35, $50, $100 or more will help us stop their mischievous actions and protect the sanctity of your vote.

Thanks for all you’ve done for Norm — and will hopefully continue to do for him — as we wage this battle to prevent Al Franken from ignoring the will of Minnesotans and the laws of the state.

Sincerely,

Cullen Sheehan, Campaign Manager

P.S.    Please don’t set this e-mail aside with the best of intentions. Help us stop Al Franken from denying Minnesotans a fair election!

Paid for by Coleman for Senate ‘08
www.ColemanforSenate.com

Contributions to Coleman for Senate 08 are not tax deductible for federal income tax purposes. Contributions from corporations, foreign nationals and federal government contractors are prohibited. Not printed at government expense. Federal law requires us to use our best efforts to collect and report the name, mailing address, occupation and name of employer of individuals whose contributions exceed $200 in an election cycle.

Read the e-mail after the jump.

Dear Minnesota Voters:

You likely know that the recount in the Minnesota senate race is ongoing. Our own
Al Franken is trailing by a very few votes. And, as we have learned, many absentee
ballots are being disqualified.

In order to ensure that all overseas Democratic votes are counted, we urge those of
you who have reason to believe that your ballot was not counted to call your local
election office. Ask if your absentee ballot (state or FWAB) is being counted and
if not, why not. Remember how too many of you ran into the self-certifying issue
when you sent in your ballot for the Nov. 4 election! If you are sure that your
ballot was counted, do not call (we don’t want to inundate or rile local officials
with unnecessary calls). But if have any doubt at all, do call.

Ask to speak with the person in charge of overseas voting. Be sure to get the name
of the person you are speaking to. Be polite but firm. You have a right to know if
your ballot will be counted. Please do not identify yourself as a Democrat. You
are a voter, period!

If you learn that your ballot will not be counted, send an email immediately to
[email obscured] with all the details of your conversation including
your voting address and full contact information (phone and email).

Go to http://www.votesmart.org/voter_county_election_offices.php where you can get the phone number of your local (county) election office.

Please do it NOW.

The Minnesota Secretary of State’s Web site spells it out in even greater detail.