Unanimous Ruling Against Coleman Likely

Minnesota’s Senate contest seems poised to end at long last, the Minnesota Independent reports. Election-law experts are sure that the Minnesota Supreme Court will shoot down Norm Coleman’s appeal, and it will probably be unanimous in doing so. “What he’s asked the Supreme Court to do is to ignore Minnesota law,” said one law professor. “There didn’t seem to be a single justice for whom this works.”

Once that ruling comes down, Coleman will be essentially out of options, unless the US Supreme Court or a US District Court agrees to take the case, and both are seen as unlikely. The big question seems to whether the Minnesota court explicitly orders Gov. Pawlenty to sign the election certificate, which seems likely. Pawlenty probably wouldn't defy a court order, but he might balk at putting Al Franken in office if he's given wiggle room.
(More Norm Coleman stories.)