Nate Silver is the latest person to discuss the Coleman camp’s strategy of attempting to muddy the waters (and to prolong processes that normally are done rather quickly). He guesses that Norm’s trying to make things look so icky that everybody just throws up their hands and says “Screw it — let’s have a do-over” as happened in New Hampshire back in the 1970s. However, as TPM’s Eric Kleefeld points out, those consarned critters on the three-judge panel overseeing Norm’s contest aren’t having any of Norm’s mud.

A flurry of motions (h/t The UpTake) is scheduled for the coming weeks.   Firstly, Norm Coleman, as the Contestant, must issue an answer to Contestee Franken’s counterclaims, and a response to Franken’s discovery requests, by 4:30 pm on January 19.  Next, there is the deadline for the disclosure of the identity of the expert witnesses [...]

Empty refrigerator Evan Halper of the LA Times has this sobering news: Reporting from Sacramento — State Controller John Chiang announced today that his office would suspend tax refunds, welfare checks, student grants and other payments owed to Californians starting Feb. 1, as a result of the state’s cash crisis. Whew – good thing none [...]

As mentioned here yesterday, the Franken campaign wants the Minnesota Supremes to rule February 5 on whether they can carve out an exception in state law to allow Federal legislative election winners to receive signed election certificates despite the existence of an unresolved lawsuit or contest.  Such exceptions, or carve outs, already exist for state [...]

Newspapers may be dying, but everybody with a TV or a radio knew all about the icky corrupt Democrats in icky corrupt Louisiana, post-Katrina. They know all about William Jefferson and his freezer money — and that he was a black (gasp!) Democrat (double gasp!). But what they probably don’t know about, if all their news comes from the radio and the teevee, is the hellacious corruptness of the Republican-dominated state next door, Mississippi, whose governor is former RNC Chair (and midnight Hong Kong yacht rider) Haley Barbour.

Well, the schedule for hearing the Coleman contest has been issued — and it’s a doozy: The discovery’s allowed to go on until February 16, and the trial itself won’t start until February 23! No wonder Al Franken’s asking the Minnesota Supreme Court to intervene so he can get his election certificate signed; they’re set to rule on his motion on February 5. He’s asking the Soops to set up a “carve out”, or exception to the “no cert so long as there’s a contest” rule, for Federal legislative branch seats similar to a carve out that already exists for state legislative branch seats.

Proving they have no political principles but their pocketbooks, several of California’s premier political consultants have banded together to extract more cash from the referendum process — and help export it to other states as well.

For the first time, an openly transgender Democrat has been elected an officer of a state party. Laura Calvo was elected Treasurer of the Democratic Party of Oregon.

I’ve been wondering how Norm Coleman’s been able to finance his near-constant series of legal actions.   So, apparently, does the Minnesota DFL party, the local branch of the Democrats.  Per the DFL’s press release: At a press conference this afternoon at the Minnesota State Capitol, Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez announced the filing of a [...]

A new study, out today from Freedom to Marry, shows that across America state legislators who vote for marriage equality get re-elected. More importantly, legislators who then seek higher office win after a pro-marriage-equality vote.