Democrats Want To Seat Not-Yet-Elected Al Franken, But Don’t Want To Seat Legally-Appionted Burris
Hypocrisy.
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A top Senate Republican said Friday his caucus would block any attempt to seat the winner of Minnesota’s close election until an anticipated court case is finished and an official election certificate is issued. Pending the counting of hundreds of unopened absentee ballots, Democrat Al Franken holds a 49-vote lead over incumbent Republican Sen. Norm Coleman, whose term expires at noon EST Saturday.
Minnesota’s other senator, Democrat Amy Klobuchar, has said the man with the most votes after the recount concludes should be seated while legal matters play out. Franken hasn’t discussed his intentions.
The new Congress convenes Tuesday. A court challenge and possible appeals could keep the Franken-Coleman contest unsettled for several months. Hundreds of uncounted absentee ballots are due to be opened and examined Saturday, and the Canvassing Board had hoped to wrap up its work by Tuesday.
Whether or not Franken is, in fact, the junior Senator from Minnesota is yet to be seen. There are ballots yet to be counted, and legal challenges yet to be settled. Yet Democrats see no problem with seating him early.
The Democrats, however, are actually threatening to meet Rod Blagojevich’s perfectly legal (if ethically repugnant) appointment to the Senate with armed guards who would deny him his seat.
Just goes to show you how Democrats only follow the law when it’s politically expedient.
