Franken to Meet With Reid Today
- By Shira Toeplitz
- Roll Call Staff
- Jan. 21, 2009, 12:38 p.m.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is scheduled to meet with Democratic Senate hopeful Al Franken late Wednesday afternoon, according to a Franken aide.
Reid is expected to update Franken on Senate business, including the forthcoming economic stimulus package and Democrats’ legislative agenda. In turn, the aide said Franken is expected to brief the Democratic leader on his ongoing fight to become the next Senator from Minnesota.
Franken currently leads Republican Norm Coleman by 225 votes in the recount, although Coleman has contested the results under state law — a litigious process that could take weeks or months to complete. The recount trial before a special three-judge panel is scheduled to begin Monday.
While Franken’s campaign lawyers prepared their case against Coleman in Minnesota, the former “Saturday Night Live” star was in Washington, D.C., for the presidential inauguration. He attended the ceremony courtesy of Senate Democrats, who gave him two tickets in another section separate from the Democratic Conference. Franken is scheduled to return to Minnesota on Thursday.
Coleman, the incumbent who stood for a second term in November, also is in Washington today, according to spokesman Mark Drake.
“Senator Coleman will be out in DC this week for meetings with colleagues, fundraising folks and other supporters,” Drake said in a statement. “In making the case for why he will win, Senator Coleman will also discuss how double counted votes, ‘missing’ ballots, and a lack of uniform standards regarding absentee ballots have given Al Franken an artificial lead.”
