FBI Investigating Coleman, Paper Reports

The Twin Cities Pioneer Press reports that a probe has been launched into Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman's ties to businessman Nasser Kazeminy:

Federal investigators are looking into allegations that a longtime friend and benefactor tried to steer money to U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, the Pioneer Press has learned.

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.

Houston is where the first of two lawsuits was filed alleging Nasser Kazeminy, a Bloomington financier, tried to steer $100,000 to Coleman via his wife's Minneapolis employer. The second suit, filed in Delaware, alleges Kazeminy initially tried to get money directly to the senator.

Both Coleman and Kazeminy have denied any wrongdoing, and Coleman last month said he welcomes an investigation.

Neither Coleman nor his office has been contacted by the FBI, spokesman LeRoy Coleman said Tuesday morning.

"We have not been contacted by any law enforcement or investigative authority on this matter," he said.

On Tuesday evening, Coleman's campaign released the following statement: "We are not aware of any investigation that is under way, nor have we been contacted by any agency with respect to this matter. As we have said repeatedly, we welcome any investigation of these lawsuits by the appropriate authorities to get to the bottom of these baseless, sleazy and politically inspired allegations."

The campaign provided no evidence for the claim that the allegations are "politically inspired."

A lawsuit alleges that Kazeminy tried to funnel money directly to Sen. Coleman. Sam Stein reported recently for the Huffington Post that Coleman could face an ethics investigation for his ties to Kazeminy if he is reelected to the Senate. A Minnesota good government group has called for am FBI probe.

Comments

[oneblackvote]

03:22 AM on 12/13/2008

Another corrupt Republican­. What's new?

[STEW2949]

07:22 PM on 12/12/2008

You know when many a large company files for bankruptcy­, or a big-time business-m­an hits the wall, out come the worms and the bad stuff that was covered up with cash. That's what's happening here....th­is time brought about by the demise of the Republican party following 8 years of incompeten­ce and illegal activity that stinks to high heaven! Isn't it amazing that Bachman wins an election after proving herself to be a right-of-B­erlin candidate with the par level of intelligen­ce? Isn't it incredible that Coleman, after running a filthy campaign may still win? I know the answer and it saddens me.

[taricaziz]

06:52 PM on 12/12/2008

he's fartin thru silk now , but soon to be fartin thru cotton.

[norkas]

07:56 PM on 12/12/2008

I do not know what will happen and if the FBI is getting agressive about nothing but i will tell you they have better things to do then chasing ghost ships.

I hope Coleman looses and if he is found guilty it would not surprise me.

[Moi-meme]

06:25 PM on 12/12/2008

It's the ST PAUL Pioneer Press, folks, just as the RNC met in ST PAUL, that's the capital of MN,. Coleman used to be the mayor here, but we survived. He was on to bigger things.

[akena]

04:33 PM on 12/12/2008

Nothing scares me more than the clown at my 3rd birthday party except Norm Coleman's teeth. And maybe also, those of Lou Dobbs!

[SOLERSO68]

02:43 PM on 12/12/2008

oh ok the Bush/chene­y/ era FBI is launching a "political­ly motivated" investigat­ion into Norm Coleman... will wonders never cease.

[caddie]

02:18 PM on 12/12/2008

I'm delighted too--but last I heard it was the St Paul Pioneer Press--the Minneapoli­s paper is the Star Tribune. There is no "Twin Cities" paper except City Pages!

[gps8001]

01:45 PM on 12/12/2008

im confused, no statement of confirmati­on about the probe from the fbi and the only source noted is a blind source with vague credential­s, smells fishy
but i must say, i hope its true bc coleman is a narcissist­ic goofball

[caught-in-the-middle]

03:47 PM on 12/12/2008

Let's see, whenever the FBI is investigat­ing someone they immediatel­y tell them they are under investigat­ion, right? Guess that's how Blagojevic­h knew his phones were tapped.

More likely some GOP rat inside the FBI leaked it...in both cases.

Coleman: "I welcome any investigat­ion into this matter."

Blaggo: "You can record my conversati­ons all you want. Everything I say is lawful."

FBI: "OK, that's good enough for us fellas. We'll end our investigat­ion now."

[CaliTLC]

01:14 PM on 12/12/2008

Anyone else out there think we may be in need of MORE FEDERAL PRISONS in the near future? This is only the tip of the iceberg. The constructi­on industry may just be looking up after all. Yikes.

[geothermaljones]

09:25 PM on 12/11/2008

Hand Picked by Karl Dick & W! I Couldn't stand him as a Democrat, even less as my Mayor.
I was there when his minions(No­rmTroopers­) tried to forestall the mayor endoresmen­t at the 89 convention­.
He lead the Wellstone re-electio­n campaign in 96 & switched parties in December of the same year. Ran against Paul 6 yrs. later. His wife posed in lingerie just to boost his appeal.
We (fondly) refer to him as "Joe Camel"
By the By:
It's Michele Bachmann & MN didn't elect her! Get used to her, she's gonna be around for awhile. The Republic's have her deemed the future of the party because she won... in a district neck deep in bible thumping, knuckle dragging, gun toting, flat earthers..­. What's Wrong With Kansas, it moved to the MN 6th District..­.
She was even "Held Hostage" by Lesbians in the ladies room of a NowThen, MN cafe , but that's another story...

[Right-turn]

07:33 PM on 12/11/2008

Colman is a carpet bagger, just like Hillary. He is from the East Coast, and he needs to go back where he came from.

[HoraceOvidson]

06:58 PM on 12/11/2008

If he would just mow his lawn, everything could be forgiven.

[bigironal25]

08:37 AM on 12/11/2008

I hate to say this but if Coleman does win this thing just remember when he turns Minn. into a right-to-w­ork state, the very folks who voted for this Bucky Beaver look-alike will see their hard earned wages go out the window as people line up to take their jobs for half their wages! These idiots re-elected Barbara Bachman so guess what Minnesota, you reap what you sow!

[sueinmn]

08:11 AM on 12/11/2008

If we could only get rid of coleman anyway possible! I really worry about his push for the right to work laws in this state, he tried hard and will push for them again and with a repub gov, the chips are down for workers here!

[radgrad63]

07:20 AM on 12/11/2008

I just want to know. Who has the $100,000? Has no one followed the money trail?