Tag: Minnesota recount

NormDollar.com: Provide Norm Coleman with the Knock-Out Punch

{First, a cheap plug for my blog Senate Guru.}

This past Monday, the Minnesota Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Republican Norm Coleman’s appeal of Senator-elect Al Franken‘s victory.  Some estimates put the release of the Court’s decision at around two weeks from now.  Election law experts are unanimous in their expectation that the Court will affirm Senator-elect Franken’s victory, as the state Canvassing Board and the three-judge panel both have previously.

What is unclear is whether Coleman will appeal to a federal court after losing at the state level for the third time – and whether the federal appeal would or could delay the seating of Senator-elect Franken.  No doubt that Coleman would need to rely on funds from Washington D.C. Republicans to keep his appeal going to the federal level.  Republicans have to decide whether it is financially and politically worth it to continue funding Coleman’s appeals.  With the state Supreme Court’s decision expected soon, we can provide a knock-out punch.

Thanks to the “One Dollar a Day to Make Norm Coleman Go Away” effort at NormDollar.com, progressives across the country have provided Republicans with disincentive from funding Coleman’s endless appeals.  Due to Coleman’s obstinance, progressives have raised over $140,000 to put toward assisting progressive candidates for Congress against the very Republicans whose Party leaders and funders are keeping Coleman’s appeals going.

 NormDollar.com

Getting the NormDollar.com effort over the $150,000 mark in advance of the Court’s decision would provide a nice exclamation mark on Republicans’ hesitation to continue financial support for Coleman’s appeals.

If Republicans tell Coleman that they will not fund his appeals any longer, Coleman will be unable to continue his appeals, and we can finally get Senator-elect Franken seated.  A contribution to the “One Dollar a Day to Make Norm Coleman Go Away” effort will encourage Republicans to send that very message to Coleman.  (Adam Green offers further thoughts on the topic.)

Arlen Specter’s Impact on Al Franken

{First, a cheap plug for my blog Senate Guru.}

NormDollar.com Before Arlen Specter’s Party switch announcement yesterday, the Senate’s Democratic caucus stood at 58 members.  Senator-elect Al Franken represented Democrats’ 59th vote toward cloture, still short of reliably ending Republican filibusters.  But now, with Specter joining the Democratic caucus, Senator-elect Franken represents the big 6-0, which is why Republicans will redouble their efforts to delay Senator-elect Franken’s seating – and why we in the netroots must redouble our efforts to send obstructionist Republicans a message and also provide them with adequate disincentive from delaying Senator-elect Franken’s seating any further.

Since the “One Dollar a Day to Make Norm Coleman Go Away” effort started just a couple weeks ago, about $40,000 has been raised to remind the Republicans funding Norm Coleman’s endless appeals that, for every single day that they delay the implementation of the will of Minnesota voters, progressive voters will raise money to use against these Republicans on Election Day 2010.

Your support will strengthen that message!

Norm Coleman and his fellow Republicans recently scored a success in further delaying Senator-elect Franken’s seating, as the trial schedule adopted by the state Supreme Court for Coleman’s appeal is such that oral arguments before the Court won’t begin until June 1st, over a month from now.  Further, although Minnesota election policy dictates that Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty must prepare and sign Senator-elect Franken’s election certificate once the state Supreme Court hands down its decision, Pawlenty has hemmed and hawed as to whether he would follow state election policy accordingly.

With a D next to Arlen Specter’s name, Republicans will go full force to block Senator-elect Franken’s seating.  Please join us in eliminating Republicans’ incentive to delay Senator-elect Franken’s seating any further by taking part in the “One Dollar a Day to Make Norm Coleman Go Away” effort.  At right is video of the segment on MSNBC’s Hardball highlighting the effort.

NormDollar.com