Republicans Ready to Take Franken to Supreme Court

If Al Franken wins the election recount case that is currently before the Minnesota Supreme Court, the Republican Party is ready to fight for their candidate, Norm Coleman, all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

"The United States Supreme Court has said we need uniform state standards in elections. This is about the constitutional rights of Minnesota voters," Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said.

Cornyn said the case should go to the nation's highest court, if necessary. "This is about the legitimacy of elections." The senator chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee and answered questions this morning at a breakfast sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor.

Both Coleman and Franken face massive legal bills as the recount case continues through the appeals process that Minnesota state law allows. Because of that, Cornyn said that the Republican National Senatorial Committee had committed $750,000 this week to help Coleman with his legal expenses. Both candidates have set up recount funds to raise money to pay for their campaigns' court cases.

Franken was declared the winner of the 2008 Minnesota Senate race by a three-judge panel last month, but Coleman has appealed that decision to the Minnesota Supreme Court. If Coleman continues his appeals, the final resolution could ultimately be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Cornyn said he had spoken with Coleman this week. "I'm proud of Norm for his resilience and his willingness to go forward," he said.

Franken's team is raising money for their legal bills, too. USA Today reports that Franken's daughter sent a fundraising pitch out to her father's supporters on his birthday today, telling donors that the perfect gift for her dad would be whatever fits in his recount fund. "Remember last year when I told you that finding the right gift for dad can be tricky?" Thomasin Franken wrote. "Well this year, it's not really tricky at all."

The Minnesota Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case on June 1st.