Certificate signed, Franken heads to D.C.

ST. PAUL, Minn., July 1 (UPI) -- His election validated and certificate of election signed, Al Franken is set to head to Washington next week to be sworn in as Minnesota's junior U.S. senator.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, in Washington until Tuesday, took the election certificate with him in case he was ordered by the state Supreme Court to sign the document immediately, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported Wednesday. He brought the document back to St. Paul, where he signed it.

The Minnesota Supreme Court Tuesday ruled Franken garnered the greatest number of votes in November's U.S. Senate race against incumbent Republican Norm Coleman, and Coleman didn't prove a lower court committed enough errors to rehear the case. After the ruling was announced, Coleman conceded the race to Franken, author, comedian and former "Saturday Night Live" writer and performer.

In Minnesota, Pawlenty signed the certificate at the Governor's Residence, then delivered it to Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, who co-signed it and made Franken's win complete.

Franken is expected to be sworn in early next week.

Franken was assigned to the Judiciary Committee; the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee; the Indian Affairs Committee, and the Special Committee on Aging, the Pioneer Press said.

He joins fellow Minnesotan Sen. Amy Klobuchar on the Judiciary Committee.

With Franken, Senate Democrats have the possibility of having a filibuster-proof, 60-vote majority, since the chamber's two independent members tend to side with Democrats.