I know that there is no good reason, but why would Norm Coleman bother to appeal now that the remaining ballots have been opened and added 87 votes to Franken’s count? He has no hope of overturning the case and the whole process will cost him (and his donors) money. He may even have to pay Franken’s court costs if he appeals. And his reputation isn’t going to improve among Minnesota’s voters. Is Coleman seriously willing to do all this just to delay by six months the day when Al Franken is sworn in as a U.S. Senator?
With Blanche Lincoln and Arlen Specter both saying that they will filibuster the Employee Free Choice Act, there isn’t even a pending piece of legislation that might justify excluding Franken for the remainder of this session. The EFCA is killed for this Congress regardless of Franken’s situation.
Any possibility that Coleman won’t appeal? At what point should the Democrats attempt to seat Franken even without a certificate signed by Pawlenty?
