MN Sen.: Calling all donors (Franken is out of legal fight cash)

[Omaha Steve]

Franken Act Blue RECOUNT fund: http://www.actblue.com/directory/query?query=franken&commit=Search

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/03/24/1862124.aspx

Posted: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 3:01 PM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
The Federal Election Commission essentially hit the reset button on funding for the never-ending Minnesota Senate race.

On Day 140, the FEC ruled that both Republican Norm Coleman and Democrat Al Franken can go back to the well and re-tap maxed out donors. Both sides lobbied for this.

"For instance, a person who gave the maximum contribution of $30,400 to a national Democratic or Republican party organization this year can now give the same maximum to a party recount and trial fund for one of the candidates," the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports. "The party organization can use the fund to help the candidate pay his expenses. Similarly, a political committee could give another $15,000 to such a fund even if it gave the maximum amount during the campaign."

And get this: "he candidates are believed to have raised at least $11 million combined since the November election to pay for the recount and trial. That's about one-fourth of what they raised and spent during the entire 2007-08 election cycle. Election law experts estimate that each of the six or more lawyers actively working on the case made about $500 an hour while in the courtroom."

[HelenWheels]

1. I just gave--again.

Why isn't the DNC helping out?

[spooky3]

13. That is the question I have wondered for many months.

And I have also donated multiple times.

I still haven't heard an answer.

[Dinger]

2. K & R

Please keep this kicked folks, please.

[TwilightZone]

3. Argh, what a waste of time, effort, and money.

Coleman should have taken his own advice and gone away quietly. One can only hope that even if he pulls out a miracle win here that his political career is dead.

[SoCalDem]

5. Not really..

He will be portrayed as the ULTIMATE fighter.. a little guy fighting the media, the courts, everyone...and all for the honor of representing "the people"..

[TwilightZone]

7. I'm not so sure.

Granted, this is anecdotal advice, but many of my relatives in MN have indicated that prevailing opinion is running pretty heavily against Coleman's efforts. We can only hope.

[billyoc]

4. K&R

Let's end this.

[Dinger]

6. Maybe coleman Should Take A Break Or A Vacation

They have small planes that can take him on a nice little trip to the Boundary Waters region. It's beautiful there. Maybe he'll clear his big fucking head and come to his senses.

[Undercurrent]

8. BIG K&R

:kick:

[Dinger]

9. Kickin' Again - Please Donate Or Help If You Can (nt)

[frebrd]

10. Here's Al's contribution page.......

I just contributed again.

https://secure.alfranken.com/page/contribute

Edited to add:

I use his page because I don't really need to get on another mailing list.

:)

[Omaha Steve]

11. Kick

[alfredo]

12. I gave then sent the link to ten people on my list.

[Mister Ed]

14. Kick for the evening crowd. n/t

[ohtransplant]

15. Done again - have been donating monthly since Nov.

K&R for Al

[frebrd]

16. K&R n/t

[barbtries]

17. i don't have any money right now

but i can kick the thread...ask again at the middle of the month. i be scraping til then.

[tavalon]

18. So is that how it works?

The person who runs out of cash first loses? Fucked up.

[KharmaTrain]

19. There's A Reason They Call This The Best Government Money Can Buy

While it'd be nice if Franken's lawyers worked pro-bono, the billable hours in this fiasco have to be staggering. Much of this cost was needless thanks to the delaying games by Coleman and his RSCC buddies. They're hoping to bankrupt Al...anything to keep him from taking his Senate seat...anything from the Democrats gaining that 59th vote. Money is no object.

In most elections, it's the person who doesn't show up with cash that doesn't stand a chance. That's where the system if really fucked up.

[myrna minx]

20. K&R. He can really use the help. n/t

[livvy]

21. Done. knr

[ThomWV]

22. Apparently all of the cows need to be double-milked before anyone is allowed to drink.