By Robb Murray
MANKATO — It was a warm August, 2003 when the office opened.
The entire community was invited. Mankato city councilors were there, and the mayor. The upper floor of Mankato Place was abuzz over the mall’s newest tenant, newly elected Sen. Norm Coleman.
The man of honor gave a speech. There was applause.
On Friday, that tenant closed up shop. There were no dignitaries, no fanfare. Just a couple of moving guys hauling office chairs and desks out to a moving truck, and the office’s lone staffer, Gerald Woodley.
Woodley declined to comment on the move, but said the same thing was happening that day at other Coleman offices.
As lawyers continue to fight in court over the question of “Who really won the race between Norm Coleman and Al Franken,” the money ran out keep field offices open.
And even if Coleman wins, it is uncertain whether the Mankato office will reopen.
A Coleman spokesperson, contacted at the site of another office closure, said she’s unsure what will happen after the race is finally over.
“We’ll wait until the recount is over and he’s back in office (before deciding which offices, if any, will reopen),” a spokeswoman said. “Having a Mankato office was fantastic. It gave us a real anchor in southern Minnesota. And Gerald did a great job in that office, he knew everyone.”
The question of who will be the senator remains in limbo. A trial is under way to determine the legitimacy of rejected absentee ballots.
It could be weeks before that trial is over and winner is declared.
