orrin hatch

U.S. Sen. Al Franken introduced legislation Thursday that would encourage states to examine untested rape kits for DNA evidence. The bill would also provide for more health workers trained to administer rape-kit exams, particularly for Native American women.

It’s standard political rhetoric to claim you speak for many. During hearings this week, both the Senate Judiciary Committee’s longest-serving member (Orrin Hatch of Utah) and its newest (Al Franken of Minnesota) boasted that their questions for Judge Sonia Sotomayor represented the concerns of “millions” of their constituents. Indeed, the U.S. Census counts 2.7 million [...]

Minnesota’s U.S. senators had a second crack at questioning Judge Sonia Sotomayor this morning. As the lowest-ranking member of the Senate Judiciary committee, Al Franken had planned on having the last word, but Republicans asked for (and were granted) a third round. “I thought I was going to be the only thing between you and [...]

Senate Republicans advise Norm Coleman to make a federal case out of his election contest, if that’s what he wants to do. But one legal expert says he’d only be wasting his time.