Possible fraud in Coleman-Franken recount

Politics in Minnesota, which describes itself as Minnesota’s Public Affairs News Service and is staffed by veteran Minnesota journalists and political operatives reported a short while ago:

At 7:22 p.m. last night, the Secretary of State's Web site was updated (after working hours) to reflect an additional 100 voters.

The precinct reporting was Mountain Iron Precinct One.

Every one of those 100 votes was cast for U.S. Sen. Barack Obama...and DFL Senate candidate Al Franken.

Mountain Iron is in legislative District 5A.

In 2006, 5A voted 74.3% for U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and 22.6% for then-U.S. Rep. Mark Kennedy. In 2004, 5A voted 65.9% for U.S. Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) and 30.2% for President George W. Bush. In 2002, 5A voted 69.9% for Fritz Mondale and 26.4% for U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN).

Isn't 100 new votes for Obama and Franken in Mountain Iron Precinct One statistically impossible?

[We're working on other recount stories for today's Weekly Report and we'll post at least one of them here later today.]

John Hindracker at Powerline has updated his “What’s happening in Minnesota?” post with this:

Hot off the press, the first apparent evidence of fraud.

Last night at around 7:30, a precinct in Mountain Iron, St. Louis County, mysteriously updated its vote total to add 100 new votes--all 100 for Barack Obama and Al Franken.

Mountain Iron uses optical scanning, so the Coleman campaign asked for a copy of the tape documenting the ballots cast on election night.

St. Louis County responded by providing a tape that includes the newly-added 100 votes, and is dated November 2--the Sunday before the election. (emphasis JinC's)

St. Louis County reportedly denies being able to produce the genuine tape from election night, even though Minnesota law, as I understand it, requires that tape to be signed by the election judges and publicly displayed.

Hinderacker is a well-respected and politically savvy Minnesota attorney who blogs regularly at Powerline.

I plan to keep following the Coleman-Franken recount, including this Mountain Iron incident which is very troubling to say the least.

If any of you pick up on breaking developments in the recount process, please give me a heads up.

Hinderacker's entire post's here.