The race that won't end

Seriously, this is getting ridiculous.

It's been over 4 1/2 months since election day and Minnesota still doesn't have 2 senators. The Franken campaign rested its case and its lead has officially increased to about 250 votes from 225, but neither of those mean that the legal shenanigans are over. This week it was reported that top Republicans are pressuring Coleman to appeal to the Supreme Court if he loses using Bush v. Gore as precedent for an argument based on an Equal Protection violation.

In addition, Franken has asked the court to force Coleman to use some of the $5 million he has raised since election day to pay for the cost of the seven week trial and his (Franken's) lawyer fees if Coleman loses. This effort could pay dividends (no pun intended) if Coleman's other legal trouble blows up even more. Turns out that Coleman's donor list (with credit card info) somehow made it onto the web, but Coleman didn't inform supporters promptly, as is required by state law. He had hoped to avoid chilling donations in the run-up to what promised to be a brutal legal battle. That decision may soon come back to haunt him, as he could very well lose both the recount and now have this around his neck.