John McCain and Sarah Palin weren't the only big winners at last week's Republican Convention. Behind-the-scenes, the convention was also a major boon for Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman and his political allies. Coleman helped bring the RNC to St. Paul--where he used to be mayor--and attended a dazzling array of fundraisers and closed-door parties for Republican donors. His longtime confidante, political consultant and lobbyist Jeff Larson, was named CEO of the convention's host committee, making a pretty penny off the week. "We're going to make sure our donors get in front of all the right people and the media, to get plenty of exposure," Larson said last month.

Coleman and Larson have an unusually tight relationship. Larson owns a townhouse in Washington, which also houses a branch of his consulting business, FLS Connect, and Coleman lives in the basement. Coleman had no lease until July 2008 according to National Journal, a year after he moved in, and now pays $600 a month for the one-bedroom in Capitol Hill, well below market value. Accepting an apartment from a Washington lobbyist for free or below market value is a violation of Congressional ethics laws. Watchdog groups like Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington have urged the Senate Ethics Committee to investigate Coleman's housing arrangement. Wrote the Washington Post: "Coleman appears to have a good friend in Larson and a great place to live in D.C. Now he probably needs a good lawyer." [See update below for Coleman's response.]

Coleman is locked in a tough re-election fight against comedian-turned-politician Al Franken, with polls showing a virtual dead heat. Coleman's campaign and political action campaign have paid FLS Connect almost $645,000 in consulting fees in 2007-2008, and Larson is the treasurer of his PAC. Two of Larson's clients, the Chamber of Commerce and National Federation of Independent Business, have begun running tv and print ads against Franken, knocking his support for the Employee Free Choice Act and accusing Franken of supporting tax increases while failing to pay back taxes.

The fact that Coleman resides in the same home as Larson's company has prompted questions about whether the Coleman campaign is coordinating campaign expenditures with Larson's clients in violation of federal election law.

Says Franken spokeswoman Colleen Murray: "Norm Coleman literally lives in the office of the consulting firm for both the Chamber and the NFIB, so I'm not sure his claim of no coordination passes the laugh test. But sadly it's not surprising - that kind of ethical lapse is business as usual for the Special Interest Senator."

UPDATE at 12:40 EST: I emailed the Coleman campaign on Saturday afternoon and asked for a comment for this blog. I gave them until Monday morning to respond. When I did not hear back, I decided to post this morning. After I posted, the Coleman campaign sent over this response from Coleman communications director Mark Drake:

"As the only admitted and proven law breaker in the race for the United States Senate, it's not surprising that Al Franken and his campaign want to shift attention away from his unethical behavior and violation of tax laws in multiple states. As is clearly required by law, there is absolutely no coordination of any kind at any time with our campaign and any group that purchases advertising in this campaign. These accusations, like all others by the Franken campaign, are desperate acts by a desperate campaign with a desperate candidate."

"The Senator paid his rent by check, and now Senator Coleman is paying his rent by direct deposit."

Comments (15)

1. Mr Berman, I know John Nichols might (since they are friends and he used to appear on his AAR show a lot...plus he tends to believe in such things)...

   but you don't REALLY think AL FRANKEN is going to beat Coleman to become a U.S. Senator, do you????

   Posted by Maskdelta at 09/08/2008 @ 08:58am

2. Posted by Maskdelta at 09/08/2008 @ 08:58am |

   Mask .. depends on the electorate's sense of humor!

   Posted by leftofcenter at 09/08/2008 @ 09:09am

3. Posted by leftofcenter at 09/08/2008 @ 09:09am

   Nawww. Al has too many strikes against him....one is "carpetbagger" (he hadn't lived in MN since he was a kid and quite BLATENTLY moved back there with his AAR show just to establish residency).

   Second is the fact he had to spend more time DENYING "who he was" than explaining to the voters who he was. i.e. old jokes and comments, the tax thing, etc.

   Third is...well...frankly....aesthetics. He ain't the perty'est sumbitch in the world and good or bad...that does play a part.

   Fourth, though least of all, is though a strong liberal, he was also an ARDENT Clinton defender and supporter...which plays against him in a state where Obama won the primary 66-32% over Hillary.

   Posted by Maskdelta at 09/08/2008 @ 09:24am

4. Shucks .. we could use a few more comedian in DC. That last one we hired .. Shrub, or Weed .. no that's right BUSH. Why he's barely funny at all anymore...

   Posted by leftofcenter at 09/08/2008 @ 09:34am

5. My directive to Rush!----Posted by 2HAPPY at 09/08/2008 @ 10:20am

   I think that works the OTHER WAY AROUND!

   ROFL!

   Posted by Maskdelta at 09/08/2008 @ 10:25am

6. Posted by Darin_the_Troll at 09/08/2008 @ 12:15pm

   Darin, if "everybody" knows that....

   tell HAPPY that Rush is an idiot....

   and see what he says?

   Posted by Maskdelta at 09/08/2008 @ 12:35pm

7. Al Franken knows there's nothing funny about the repug criminal syndicate as a whole, but the pratfalls of exposed "skipjacks" in the Land of 10,000 Lakes can be entertaining.

   Posted by Sorelish at 09/08/2008 @ 12:39pm

8. Mask, everybody knows Rush is an idiot. He must get his marching orders from somebody with an IQ above 100. Why not Happy? Posted by Darin_the_Troll at 09/08/2008 @ 12:15pm

   Happy says Rush is a genius actually. Had a whole discussion about it. Well genius is a bit of an overstatement but Happy thinks he is a smart guy none the less.

   Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/08/2008 @ 1:05pm

9. Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/08/2008 @ 1:05pm

   HAPP's a ditto-head, pure and simple. The kind of guy FRANKGRITS (old FG) used to rail against, but now sounds just like.

   How STRONG a ditto-head he is, remains to be seen. Could he...or WOULD he offer up 5 major issues he disagrees with Rush on? Would he offer up 5 things that Rush was WRONG on in general?

   Bets?....I'd say no. He curtails GUSHING over Limbaugh, but not much. I suspect in a "friendlier audience" (one that wouldn't point out the endless Limbaugh lies and contradictions easily found on Media Mattes).....HAPP would be even more sychophantic towards Rush!

   (And, btw, I seriously doubt that Darin/MBB will ever chastise HAPP for quoting or citing Rush....despite what he posted above!)

   Posted by Maskdelta at 09/08/2008 @ 2:21pm

10. Republicans fear Al Franken's mission to do what should have been done by 2005...impeach Bush/Cheney. I'll take it after the fact...I'd rather take them to jail. Since when is treason not treason?

    Posted by CanWeQuestionPalin? at 09/08/2008 @ 3:48pm

11. Posted by CanWeQuestionPalin? at 09/08/2008 @ 3:48pm

    Okay, now I'm sure....

    CONSHAME is back!

    heheh

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/08/2008 @ 3:50pm

12. Talk about a candidate filled with so much frustration who will resort to any LOW to get help, Al Franken is your man!

    Posted by RedRiver_. at 09/08/2008 @ 6:44pm

    you mean like the man who spread rumours that his opponent had fathered a negro child?

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/08/2008 @ 11:00pm

13. Don't underestimate Minnesotans Mask. I mean, they DID elect Jesse Ventura as governor after all! So an entertainment background is not necessarily a disqualifier. I say let the race play out, Norm has several other problems besides an ethical lapse!

    Posted by yutsano at 09/09/2008 @ 12:03am

14. Did not know Franken had any interracial appeal of any kind!

    Posted by RedRiver_. at 09/08/2008 @ 11:43pm

    thud.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/09/2008 @ 01:45am

15. Posted by yutsano at 09/09/2008 @ 12:03am

    That wasn't my only (or even actual) disqualifier, yuts.

    I noted four. "Carpetbagger", "letting the GOP establish his image first", "his looks", and "his support for Hillary in a strongly Obama Dem state".

    None of them by themselves is a killer, but with Coleman awash in money and able to portray himself as a "moderate Republican"...they add upto no Franken win.

    Plus, the Ventura thing was riding a tide of Reform Party excitement that just isn't there anymore. AND actually Ventura is a minor NEGATIVE to Franken and the idea of "electing an entertainer"...not a net plus.

    I think the Dems made a mistake in nominating Franken...but willing to be proven wrong in 7 weeks.

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/09/2008 @ 09:18am