Court Clears Way for GOP Lawsuit in Minn. Recount

Al Franken's request to block Coleman case rejected
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 23, 2009 2:14 AM CST
Court Clears Way for GOP Lawsuit in Minn. Recount
Republican Norm Coleman, along with his wife, Laurie, greets supporters after announcing he is suing to challenge the results of the Senate recount during a press conference early this month.   (AP Photo/Dawn Villella)

A panel of Minnesota judges has rejected Al Franken's request to dismiss Norm Coleman's lawsuit challenging the recount in the state's Senate race, reports the Minneapolis Star Tribune. A trial that may last for weeks is set to start Monday to weigh Coleman's claims of widespread irregularities in the recount that gave his opponent a squeaker-thin 225-vote lead.

The judges also rejected Franken's request to limit the trial's scope to recount technicalities. Coleman's lawyer called the decision "a stinging defeat for Al Franken." Franken's lawyers said they were looking forward to a swift trial so that "Minnesotans can have two senators representing them as quickly as possible." (More Minnesota stories.)

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