The Minnesota U.S. Senate race could get more costly for Norm Coleman. While still trying to convince the courts that there are votes out there that could send him back to the Senate he is also going to have to come up with some bucks. The Ramsey County court clerk’s office in a preliminary ruling has said that Al Franken could collect up to $94,000 from Norm Coleman to cover court costs.
However, the amount could change pending a more precise accounting of Franken’s court costs for the appeal of the Minnesota Senate election to a three-judge panel.
Also, if Coleman, a Republican, or Franken, a Democrat, objects to the clerk’s decision they can ask that three-judge panel for a review.
Coleman’s lawyers argue that payment should be delayed pending the outcome of their appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court.
But a Franken attorney says that state law says the winning side in a trial can be quickly awarded court costs and that there’s no requirement that appeals be exhausted.