Minnesota Independent

Tom Emmer drops 2,580 frivolous ballot challenges

By Andy Birkey | 12.06.10 | 8:01 am

Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer withdrew 2,580 ballot challenges over the weekend after the State Canvassing Board gave the go-ahead for the campaigns to evaluate those frivolous ballots. In the end, the Emmer team narrowed the number of frivolous challenges that it will send to the board to just 24. Meanwhile, as the recount process draws to a close, CNN has become the first media outlet to call the race for DFLer Mark Dayton.

Emmer talks recount plans, notes ‘questions’ about ballots

By Andy Birkey | 11.09.10 | 3:23 pm

In his first media appearance since election night, Republican candidate for governor Tom Emmer met with reporters at the Minnesota state capitol Tuesday to address the recount. He declined to weigh in on the state GOP’s allegations of incompetence and fraud, but he did frequently allude to reported irregularities in Hennepin County on election night.

GOP taking ‘aggressive approach’ to Dayton-Emmer recount

By Andy Birkey | 11.09.10 | 12:57 pm

The Republican Party of Minnesota is promising an “aggressive approach” to the recount between Republican Tom Emmer and DFLer Mark Dayton in the race for governor. On Tuesday, the GOP announced it has hired former Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Magnuson for the recount process. Magnuson sat on the State Canvassing Board during the Franken-Coleman recount. The local party is also collecting information from GOP activists on “irregularities,” while at least one national Republican has started a misinformation campaign directed at Secretary of State Mark Ritchie.

Senator Al: State Supreme Court rules Franken won Senate race

By Paul Demko | 06.30.09 | 2:50 pm

Minnesota’s interminable U.S. Senate race may finally be over. More than seven months after election day, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled today that Democrat Al Franken prevailed by 312 votes over Republican Norm Coleman. Franken will almost certainly now become Minnesota’s junior senator. The court, however, did not explicitly order Gov. Tim Pawlenty to sign an election certificate.

SCOTUS also-rans carried more campaign-donor baggage

By Chris Steller | 05.28.09 | 11:31 am

Barack Obama’s White House would rather not fight or switch when it comes to making nominations to the U.S. Supreme Court. So it wouldn’t be surprising if Sonia Sotomayor’s clean slate on political campaign contributions weighed in…

Franken calls on state Supreme Court to order issuance of election certificate

By Paul Demko | 05.11.09 | 5:41 pm

Al Franken won the U.S. Senate contest fair and square. That’s the gist of the Democrat’s 53-page brief filed Monday with the Minnesota Supreme Court. Franken wants the state’s highest court to affirm the ruling by a three-judge panel that he won the U.S. Senate contest by 312 votes and order that he be issued an election certificate immediately.

Coleman files appeal with state Supreme Court, cites ‘disparities’ in ballot tally

By Paul Demko | 04.30.09 | 4:28 pm

Norm Coleman filed his appeal of the U.S. Senate election contest with the Minnesota Supreme Court today, citing “deliberate and disparate treatment” of absentee ballots.

Two Supreme Court justices again recuse selves from Coleman-Franken fracas

By Chris Steller | 04.23.09 | 12:44 pm

As expected, the first order by the Minnesota Supreme Court in considering Norm Coleman’s election-contest appeal indicates that two justices are recusing themselves from the case. Chief Justice Eric Magnuson and Associate Justice G. Barry Anderson are again bowing…

Justices Magnuson and Anderson will not hear Senate contest appeal

By Paul Demko | 04.08.09 | 12:20 pm

Minnesota Supreme Court justices Eric Magnuson and G. Barry Anderson will recuse themselves from any appeal in the U.S. Senate contest. The two justices were part of the five-member canvassing board that oversaw the statewide manual recount and determined that Al Franken won the contest by 225 votes. Because of this conflict, Magnuson (pictured) and Anderson have removed themselves from previous hearings before the state’s top court. John Kostouros, the court’s communications director, confirms that they are expected to withdraw from any proceedings going forward.

Franken makes case to be seated before Supreme Court

By Paul Demko | 02.05.09 | 12:38 pm

Al Franken should be allowed to serve in the U.S. Senate while a legal contest over the results of the election is heard in state court. That was, in essence, the argument made by Franken’s lawyer in a hearing before the Minnesota Supreme Court this morning.