ST. PAUL (AP) — The mishandling of some court exhibits has set back Republican Norm Coleman's lawsuit challenging the Minnesota Senate recount. Coleman's attorneys planned to begin introducing copies of thousands of rejected absentee ballots Tuesday, examining them individually over about six days. They want a three-judge panel to add the rejected absentees to the recount, and say the ballots could be key to Coleman overtaking Democrat Al Franken.
But Coleman's representatives had written notes on some of the copies, and Franken's attorneys objected. The judges agreed. They said the Coleman team must subpoena the original envelopes. That process could be lengthy.
Judge Denise Reilly warned them to "have some backup witnesses" ready Tuesday. |