Previously having stated that Democrat Al Franken “only needs to steal 130 more votes to win” his race against Republican Sen. Norm Coleman for Minnesota's U.S. Senate seat, MSNBC's Joe Scarborough again raised the subject of “steal[ing]” votes on the December 16 edition of Morning Joe, which is at least the fifth time he has made such comments since the recount began on November 19.

After co-host Mika Brzezinski reported that Franken is behind Coleman by 188 votes, Scarborough asked MSNBC political analyst Pat Buchanan, “Buchanan, can you steal 188 out of 1,500? That's easy, right?” Brzezinski then asked, “You can find those in your trunk?” Buchanan replied: “You can get -- find them in your trunk up in the Iron Range. They've been lost up there.” Later, Scarborough said: “Now, I don't think -- and to my good friends at Media Matters -- I don't actually think Al Franken is going to steal votes, I just -- I ask the question.”

Brzezinski's and Buchanan's comments about finding votes in “your trunk” is a reference to the widely discredited rumor that 32 absentee ballots from Minneapolis were mishandled in Franken's favor during a pre-recount audit of votes. Indeed, as Media Matters for America has repeatedly documented, Republican Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has said there was no actual evidence of fraud during the pre-recount audit.

Scarborough, Brzezinski, and Buchanan have repeatedly made reference to the rumor when discussing Franken “stealing” votes:

• During the November 19 edition of Morning Joe, after Brzezinski noted that “Alaska's [Sen.] Ted Stevens [R] has lost to Anchorage mayor Mark Begich [D], whose win moves Senate Democrats within two seats of a filibuster-proof majority,” Scarborough stated: “All right. So, again, recapping: if Al Franken can steal enough votes in Minnesota, that's get -- that gets Democrats to 59” Senate seats. Earlier, Scarborough stated: “So, with Stevens losing, Democrats have 58 [senators and Senator-elects]. They've got this run-off in Georgia, which could get them to 59. ... If Al Franken steals enough votes in Minnesota, they get to 60. I'm not saying he stole any votes, I'm just saying, as a Republican from Florida, I mean, it's a close race. Steal some votes, you get over the top.” Brzezinski replied: “They're gonna find them in the trunk of a car.”

• During the November 21 edition, after guest host Andrea Mitchell gave an update on the recount, Scarborough said: “All right, so, Pat Buchanan, Al Franken only needs to steal 130 more votes to win that thing, and you've got to be thinking, ”That's child's play." Buchanan replied: “Look, you've got a station wagon up in the Iron Range that's hold -- got more of them in there, I'm sure, Joe.” Later in the broadcast, Scarborough similarly said, “Buchanan says Al Franken can steal 130 votes easily. He said he can usually hide 130 votes in the back of a station wagon.”

• On December 2, in response to news about the runoff election in Georgia, Scarborough said: “The Democrats get to 59, which means Al Franken will only have to steal about 200 votes either in Minnesota, or I think he's going to ask the United States Senate to steal those votes for him, to get him over the top, and that will put the Democrats at 60 -- a filibuster-proof 60.” Later, Scarborough said: “You know, and the problem is that even if Democrats win there [Georgia], Al Franken thinks if he lets Democrats in the Senate decide his race,” at which point Brzezinski said, “Well, I think there are some votes in the back of a car.” Scarborough continued: “They're actually going out to steal it for him, they will actually try to help Norm Coleman out because I don't think they want him up there. Just talking to Democrats saying you know what, we're fine with 59, let's keep the comedian in Minnesota.”

After Media Matters provided relevant transcript and and video for his November 19 and 21 comments, including that “Al Franken only needs to steal 130 more votes to win that thing,” Scarborough said on the December 9 edition of Morning Joe: “Can I have my Media Matters moment here, because it drives them crazy when I say this. How many -- how many votes does Al Franken have to steal to get elected in Minnesota? OK, there, I've said it. Now you guys can write another article. That's my little present to you.” He continued: “Now, for the record, Media Matters, I've never accused Al Franken of stealing votes. I just asked [MSNBC political analyst] Pat Buchanan, 'Hey, how many -- he needs 250 votes. Would those votes be hard to steal?' And, of course, Pat said, 'No, I've got those in the back of my station wagon, Joe.' ”

From the December 16 edition of MSNBC's Morning Joe:

BRZEZINSKI: And with Minnesota's Republican Senator Norm Coleman leading Democratic challenger Al Franken by 188 votes only, today the state's canvassing board will begin inspecting as many as 1,500 disputed ballots. That's a tough one.

SCARBOROUGH: Buchanan, can you steal 188 out of 1,500? That's easy, right?

BUCHANAN: A hundred and eighty-eight? You can get --

BRZEZINSKI: You can find those in your trunk?

BUCHANAN: -- find them in the trunk up in the Iron Range. They've been lost up there.

MIKE BARNICLE (co-host): Not in Minnesota --

WILLIE GEIST (co-host): Franken people say they're up by four votes.

SCARBOROUGH: Yeah, I bet they are.

GEIST: One, two, three, four.

BUCHANAN: In their areas up there, even those good Scandinavian folks would steal a few --

BARNICLE: They don't know how to steal up there.

SCARBOROUGH: Oh, wow. I think --

GEIST: They wouldn't do it.

SCARBOROUGH: Don't underestimate them.

BARNICLE: I've been to --

BUCHANAN: You've got a lot of new people up there.

BARNICLE: I've been to Minneapolis. They do not know how to steal.

GEIST: Hmm, I don't know what that means.

BRZEZINSKI: Both campaigns have pledged to abandon many -- well, all right. Fine -- many of these ballots that are in dispute. But fine. Just move things along, you know what I mean.

SCARBOROUGH: Yeah. Now, I don't think -- and to my good friends at Media Matters -- I don't actually think Al Franken is going to steal votes, I just -- I ask the question.

BRZEZINSKI: OK.

SCARBOROUGH: I mean, how hard is it to steal 188 votes? I mean --

BRZEZINSKI: It's a question. Can I --

SCARBOROUGH: Kennedy stole Illinois in 1960; Nixon stole Kentucky. They stole entire states. We're talking 188 votes.

BUCHANAN: I think they stole Texas in 1960. LBJ -- remember he won the famous election down there in '48?

BARNICLE: Yes, I do.

BUCHANAN: Beat Coke Stevenson by what --

BRZEZINSKI: I could --

BUCHANAN: -- 47 votes, or something?

BARNICLE: Forty seven -- “Landslide Lyndon.”

BRZEZINSKI: You have a certain glee to you.

BUCHANAN: “Landslide Lyndon.”

SCARBOROUGH: LBJ just -- that was just pure larceny.

BRZEZINSKI: I like the glee --

SCARBOROUGH: That was pure larceny.

BRZEZINSKI: -- in your voice.

BARNICLE: I think, if you send Pat and I to Minnesota, within two days after we were there, we would come up with 90 dead Swedes and we'd -- this thing would be tied.

BUCHANAN: Dead-even, right. How many --

BRZEZINSKI: You're a mixture of Santa Claus and the Grinch.

BUCHANAN: What you ask is: How many do we need? -- is what you ask.

BARNICLE: Yeah.

GEIST: Yeah.

BRZEZINSKI: Oh, my God.

GEIST: We'll find them. Give me a number.

SCARBOROUGH: That's right.

BUCHANAN: Make sure you give me the right number.

BRZEZINSKI: Speaking of numbers --

SCARBOROUGH: Well, that's the thing. You've got to give me the right number before the election starts, and I can take care of it.

GEIST: Speaking of numbers --

BRZEZINSKI: Speaking of numbers --

SCARBOROUGH: If you don't, then you have a Florida 2000 fiasco.

From the December 2 edition of Morning Joe:

SCARBOROUGH: A lot to talk about today: We are officially in a recession, so economists say.

JOHN HARWOOD (CNBC chief Washington correspondent and New York Times reporter): Stop the presses.

SCARBOROUGH: And it looks like it's going to be a long, deep recession.

BRZEZINSKI: Horrible.

SCARBOROUGH: Also in Georgia today, we're going to see if Democrats can get to 59 seats in the Senate, if Jim Martin beats Saxby Chambliss, which, I think, is unlikely. Saxby, a good guy, but Jim Martin, of course, has Ludacris on his side.

BRZEZINSKI: That's true.

SCARBOROUGH: The Democrats get to 59, which means Al Franken will only have to steal about 200 votes either in Minnesota, or I think he's going to ask the United States Senate to steal those votes for him, to get him over the top, and that will put the Democrats at 60 -- a filibuster-proof 60.

BRZEZINSKI: That's something.

SCARBOROUGH: But the dreams of a filibuster-proof 60 may end today if Saxby ends up winning.

[...]

BRZEZINSKI: And then there's the state of Georgia.

SCARBOROUGH: Oh yeah, Georgia. You betcha.

BRZEZINSKI: The state of Georgia votes in a runoff election today that could help decide the Senate's balance of power. Polls make incumbent Republican Saxby Chambliss a slight favorite to beat Jim Martin and block Democrats from inching closer to a 60-seat, filibuster-proof majority.

GEIST: Indeed. Indeed.

SCARBOROUGH: You know, and the problem is, even if Democrats win there, Al Franken thinks if he lets Democrats in the Senate decide his race --

BRZEZINSKI: Well, I think there are some votes in the back of a car --

SCARBOROUGH: They're actually going to steal it for him. They will actually try to help Norm Coleman out 'cause I don't think they want him up there. Just talking to Democrats, saying, you know what? We're fine with 59; let's keep the comedian in Minnesota.

BRZEZINSKI: Oh, God.

SCARBOROUGH: I like you, Al, but that's what Democrats are telling me.

BRZEZINSKI: OK. Chuck's here.

SCARBOROUGH: Let's ask Chuck Todd.

DYLAN RATIGAN (CNBC's Fast Money anchor): You reading the paper there? I --

SCARBOROUGH: Yeah, I was going to ask you a question, but let's bring in Chuck Todd first. NBC News political director and editor of MSNBC.com's First Read, Chuck Todd. Chuck --

TODD: 'Morning.

SCARBOROUGH: How are you doing, brother?

TODD: Hey, just dandy.

SCARBOROUGH: You agree with me that some Democrats in Washington wouldn't mind seeing Norm Coleman coming back, in all seriousness?

TODD: Ah, no, well, I have talked to very senior Democrats, so, you know, I'm not -- don't have to speculate on that. I've talked to very senior Democrats who are concerned.