Democrats Will Not Seat Franken Until Minnesota Courts Are Done
By Catharine Richert, CQ Staff
There will not be an attempt to seat Democrat Al Franken in the Senate until all legal challenges to his slim 250-vote lead over Republican incumbent Norm Coleman have been exhausted in Minnesota, Franken said Tuesday.
“We’re going to win the election contest,” Franken said to a group of reporters after giving Democratic senators a quick update on the Minnesota race during their weekly policy lunch. “After that, Senator Coleman may choose to . . . appeal to the Minnesota state supreme court. If they rule in our favor, then I imagine I’ll be certified. It won’t be very controversial. I’ll be seated. But no, we’re not attempting to be seated before that.”
According to an aide at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), Majority Leader Harry Reid , D-Nev., asked Franken to come to the Capitol.
Sen. Charles E. Schumer , D-N.Y., who was the chief fundraiser for Democratic Senate candidates in 2008, said he is very optimistic Franken will be seated.
“What Al said: We see the light at the end of the tunnel,” Schumer said. He would not speculate on whether there will be an attempt to seat Franken should the case be thrown out by Minnesota’s supreme court.
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