Norm Coleman Under Investigation

Yet another politician is being investigated on corruption charges. The latest FBI investigation involves Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, who's locked in a prolonged recount battle with Democrat Al Franken.

I've written extensively about the allegations, stemming from lawsuits in Texas and Delaware, that top Coleman donor Nasser Kazeminy improperly funneled tens of thousands of dollars to Coleman and/or his wife Laurie.

To recap:

A few days before the election, a lawsuit filed in a Texas district court alleged that one of Coleman's biggest donors and closest friends, Nasser Kazeminy, had routed $75,000 to Coleman's wife, Laurie. The suit was filed against Kazeminy by Paul McKim, a self-described diehard Republican and CEO of Deep Marine Technologies, a deep sea energy exploration company in Houston in which Kazeminy is controlling shareholder.

A second lawsuit, filed by minority shareholders of DMT in Delaware a few days later, alleged that Kazeminy ordered the payments directly to Coleman. According to the lawsuit, Kazeminy told a confidential source: "We have to get some money to Senator Coleman" because the Senator "needs the money." When McKim and DMT's CFO objected, three payments of $25,000 were then sent to Coleman's wife at a Minneapolis-based insurance firm, the Hays Insurance Co, even though Hays did no work for DMT and is not a licensed insurance broker in Texas, according to the lawsuits. Laurie Coleman is best known as an actress who's lived in Los Angeles, not an insurance broker. "These fraudulent and grossly improper payments cost DMT at least $75,000 and brought absolutely no value to the company," the second lawsuit stated. "These payments expose the Company to serious potential criminal and civil liability."

McKim told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that Kazeminy ordered him to funnel $100,000 of DMT's money to Coleman via Hays. "He said that the senator's wife worked there and she could get the money to him," McKim told the paper. "I was kind of stunned. I was really shocked he would come out and say that so nonchalantly." McKim approved three payments of $25,000 but blocked the fourth payment and was later removed as CEO.

In a Blagojevich-esque moment, Kazeminy reportedly told Deep Marine's CFO that Coleman needed the money because "US Senators don't make shit." The allegations are eerily similar to those that doomed New Jersey Senator Bob Torricelli and Alaska Governor Ted Stevens, who landed in hot water for accepting gifts/cash from campaign donors.

According to the Pioneer Press, "Agents with the FBI have talked to or made efforts to talk to people in Texas familiar with the allegations, according to a source familiar with the situation."

The Coleman campaign says that neither Coleman nor his office has been contacted by the FBI.

That may soon change. Coleman could very well win the Senate seat but see his legal travails remain.

Comments (9)

1. GASP!

   Perhaps the most un-shocking part of this is that some chump thinks 128K/year plus full benefits plus full pension plus free food, travel, healthclub is getting paid "shit". How out of touch can one be?

   Posted by crabwalk at 12/10/2008 @ 10:49am

2. Hmm. Is the Nation just posting this so it can remind readers that it's not just Democrats up for scandal charges? I see no conceivable reason to print an article that has no updates to the case. Seems this is more to take some heat off of the Blagojevich case. Their a bunch of criminals plain and simple. Let the Feds handle em and hopefully some justice is doled out. Let's see Mr. Coleman govern from behind bars.

   Posted by Cccomfo1 at 12/10/2008 @ 10:58am

3. i have a funy feeling that the FBI is chomping at the bit to be truly unleashed.

   looks like the neocon commisars have been purged as well, already...but again, can't wait to see who else goes down after the inauguration.

   there will be much weeping and gnashing of teeth...for a few...

   Posted by ibbleblibble at 12/10/2008 @ 11:57am

4. Hmm. Is the Nation just posting this so it can remind readers that it's not just Democrats up for scandal charges?

   Posted by Cccomfo1 at 12/10/2008 @ 10:58am

   When I saw this article I thought the exact same thing. There are crooks on both sides, likely in equal proportion. and I am sure there are many more who are just a little more careful than the ones who get caught.

   Good point Crab, I wish I made shit too. Then maybe my wife could stay home with the kids (which she wants to do).

   Posted by Extraneous at 12/10/2008 @ 12:27pm

5. Dont worry..frankin will steal the election and blame Coleman.

   Posted by YourJomamma at 12/10/2008 @ 1:15pm

6. The duopoly is deeply corrupt--both major parties are rotten to the core. Having viable 3rd parties is one crucial step toward fighting this entrenched corruption.

   Posted by werdna.123 at 12/10/2008 @ 1:34pm

7. Posted by werdna.123 at 12/10/2008 @ 1:34pm

   I guarantee a third party, or fourth or fifth, would be just as corrupt. Corruption has nothing to do with party affiliation.

   Posted by Extraneous at 12/10/2008 @ 3:44pm

8. a duopoly ensures more corruption.

   JOMMAMA, again, got any facts to back that up? Cockroach tried to peddle the "ballots in the trunk" myth. Are you buying into that fantasy as well?

   Posted by crabwalk at 12/10/2008 @ 4:25pm

9. JOMMAMA, again, got any facts to back that up?

   Posted by crabwalk at 12/10/2008 @ 4:25pm

   I think in Jom's mind if he's a Democrat he is corrupt. That is the rule.

   Posted by Cccomfo1 at 12/10/2008 @ 11:09pm