Governor Rod Blagojevich set a March 3 special election primary and an April 7 special election for the successor to Rahm Emanuel, who resigned from the House of Representatives effective January 2 to become White House Chief of Staff.

Two things happened today that surprised absolutely no one:  The Minnesota Supreme Court smacked down Norm Coleman’s effort to add 654 extra alleged fifth-pile ballots to the recount, and, at 2:36 pm Central Standard Time, the Minnesota State Canvassing Board officially certified Al Franken as the winner of the 2008 Senate race.   There’s a seven-day [...]

The author of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which allows states to violate the full faith and credit section of the Constitution by not recognizing valid marriages performed in another state in addition to construing a federal definition of marriage, has called for its repeal.

As expected, the Minnesota Supreme Court has once again examined a legal motion by Norm Coleman’s legal team, studied it from every angle, and – once their bellies got over being so sore from laughing – bounced it back onto Norm’s head, smeared in Tabasco sauce. If you will recall, the petition that the Soops [...]

Back when it looked like the counting of the fifth-pile ballots would likely only provide 30-odd additional ballots for Al Franken, and thus keep his margin of victory to around 80 votes, the Coleman camp, and especially Fritz Knaak, were all belligerence and vinegar.  But when Al Franken picked up 176 votes and wound up [...]

Virginia GOPs are already calling Democratic gubernatorial hopeful and former head of the Democratic National Committee Terry McAuliffe “Chairman.” Will Obama’s choice of incumbent governor Tim Kaine to helm the DNC help or hurt Terry’s chances to be elected Kaine’s successor?

Here’s the big question:  With Al Franken the certain, though not yet certified, winner of the Minnesota Senate race, and with Box Turtle John Cornyn threatening to huff and puff if Al’s allowed to be seated with his fellow Senators on Tuesday, will Harry Reid be as tough-minded against Norm Coleman as he is against [...]

It’s the start of a New Year and — despite a fresh set of delaying tactics from the Coleman campaign — the beginning of the end of Norm Coleman’s tenure as a United States Senator. Still, Norm and his good buddy the Box Turtle Cornyn are going to do their darndest to keep Al Franken from being seated next week.

The first major United States city to elect a gay mayor swore him in New Years Day at 12:01am. Supreme Court Justice Virginia Linder administered the oath of office to Sam Adams, who said afterwards, “May 2009 be a very prosperous year for all Portlanders.”

Reasonable people can argue over whether or not the death penalty is a good idea. But to inflict it on someone who you have every reason to believe is innocent? That’s what Roland Burris apparently once tried to do when he was Illinois’ state attorney general.