After an initial silence, the national GOP is now commenting on Norm Coleman’s loss yesterday in the Minnesota election trial, and Coleman’s determination to appeal.
NRSC chairman John Cornyn just sent out an e-mail giving Norm his support, and declaring that the protections of the constitution, and of the enfranchisement of every voter, are at stake.
“Unfortunately, those fundamental principles are under attack in Minnesota,” Cornyn writes. “Since Senator Norm Coleman was first ahead by hundreds of votes at the end of election night, the Democrats have aggressively worked to change the rules of the game after it’s been played.”
Full e-mail, after the jump.
Dear Friend:
The strength of our democracy is built on a fair and accurate system of elections. Our Constitution provides for Due Process and for Equal Protection in order to better guarantee the enfranchisement of every voter.
Unfortunately, those fundamental principles are under attack in Minnesota. Since Senator Norm Coleman was first ahead by hundreds of votes at the end of election night, the Democrats have aggressively worked to change the rules of the game after it’s been played.
Last night, they succeeded in convincing a three-judge panel to issue a fundamentally misguided ruling that disenfranchises over 4,000 Minnesota voters. They did so by imposing a different, and stricter, standard for votes to be counted rather than following the rules that were in place in Minnesota on Election Day.
In doing so, Constitutionally-valid Due Process and Equal Protection concerns have been raised…and as of yet, have not been resolved. Which is exactly why Senator Coleman is appealing this decision to the Minnesota Supreme Court: the votes of over 4,000 Minnesotans disenfranchised by this court’s opinion deserve to be counted.
It’s frankly shocking that many of the same Democrats who so loudly decried voter disenfranchisement during the Florida recount in 2000 have so quickly run away from that principle when it no longer fits their political agenda.
Nonetheless, Republicans, and the NRSC in particular, remain committed to a full and fair resolution of this election contest and stand firmly behind Senator Norm Coleman.
Your strong and continued support is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Senator John Cornyn
Chairman
National Republican Senatorial Committee
