The Minnesota Supreme Court today rejected Democrat Al Franken's petition for an election certificate that would put him in the US Senate without waiting for a lawsuit to be resolved. Franken is ahead of Republican Norm Coleman by 225 votes. Coleman's ongoing lawsuit argues some uncounted absentee ballots were wrongly rejected.
Franken sued to force Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Secretary of State Mark Ritchie to sign an election certificate, arguing that federal law required it. But the state Supreme Court disagreed. In their ruling today, justices said states aren't required to issue such certificates by the date that Congress convenes. (More Al Franken stories.)