Minn. Supreme Court hears Coleman, Franken arguments over disputed US Senate seat

Minn. high court hears Senate case arguments

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Republican Norm Coleman is asking the Minnesota Supreme Court to toss out a lower-court ruling that gave Democrat Al Franken a victory in the state’s U.S. Senate race.

Coleman attorney Joe Friedberg argued before the high court Monday that counties were inconsistent in the way they decided whether absentee ballots were filled out correctly.

Franken’s attorney gets a chance to present his side after Friedberg finishes.

Coleman wants justices to instruct a trial court to open 4,400 rejected absentee ballots.

Franken, potentially a critical 60th Senate vote for Democrats, hopes the court sweeps aside the appeal and is demanding that he get the election certificate required to take office.

There’s no telling when Minnesota’s highest court will act.