Look, at least we're not the only state where democracy is a thing of the past: the Norm Coleman-Al Franken Senate election has been in the courts since freaking November 2008. Today the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled 5-0 that Franken had in fact won the thing, using the old and generally disregarded standard that "Al Franken received the highest number of votes legally cast," and is thus "entitled [under Minnesota law] to receive the certificate of election as United States Senator from the State of Minnesota."

Think that settles it? The Republican governor, Tim Pawlenty, has declined to sign Franken's election certification through several other court reversals for Coleman, and the defiant ex-Senator is expected to take his case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, or maybe Mars or Pluto. Ruling pdf here. Image (cc) AFLCIO2008.

Update: Coleman to speak at 3 p.m. We were very excited until we found out this was Central Time, an hour from now.

Update 2: Franken presser at 4:15 p.m. Tweets are delicious: "all Minnesotans ought to be ashamed today," "What am I doing at 3pm????? Why watching Norm (Coleman) EAT IT, that's what," "I CAN HAS TWO SENATORZ?!?" etc.

Update 3: Here is the state of Twitter-jabber on whether Coleman will appeal to SCOTUS. Pro: Franken pushed his press conference to 4:15 from 3:30 because his team got wind of a new challenge and wanted the extra time to prepare a statement; the national GOP has spent too much on this to give up now. Con: Local Republicans are bitching but talking about "moving forward." We can't guess, as we don't understand people who can spend half the year in sub-freezing weather and stay so cheerful.

Update 4: Coleman concedes, Franken will be Senator.