Update Nov. 16th: It occurred to me today that since we have learned that 80% of Somalis may have entered the US fraudulently, the contested Senate race in Minnesota could be swung one way or another by really what amounts to illegal aliens.
See mention of Somali “hanky-panky” in this NY Times opinion piece.
Background to readers Nov. 10th: Since so many readers (likely new readers) are checking out this post, for background on where all the Somalis came from go here. You might also want to know more about Omar Jamal, we have written about him on a number of occasions here.
We told you previously that Somalis in Minnesota were divided over whether to support Senator Norm Coleman or his challenger Al Franken. Here is the latest on the controversy involving possible illegal activity at one polling place in Minneapolis. It’s a bit hard to figure out which side is the side of the good guys mostly because Omar Jamal (check back to the Somali Cyanide Death post to learn more) is in the thick of things.
With Norm Coleman’s lead over Al Franken continuing to slip, allegations about vote-influencing at the Brian Coyle Center — a story the Minnesota Independent broke — has resulted in a complaint filed Friday with the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. Omar Jamal of the Somali Justice Advocacy Center says interpreters may have tried to influence Somalis on how to vote some 500 times; he says the interpreters urged voters to cast ballots for Franken. MnIndy’s Molly Priesmeyer spoke with witnesses who told a different story — of a Coleman staffer, Mahamoud Wardere, who was allegedly telling Somali community members to vote for his boss. Franken’s campaign used that fact in its defense: no Franken campaigners were present, while this Coleman Senate aide was.
Secretary of State Mark Ritchie says he wants to “hold off” on counting Coyle Center votes until these allegations are sorted out.