Report: Norm Coleman Allegedly Funneled Money To Pay For House Renovations

Just this week it was revealed that Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman is under investigation by the FBI for his ties to businessman Nasser Kazeminy. Now a local Fox News station reports that Kazeminy allegedly funneled the Republican Senator money right when he needed money for a home renovation. Moreover, the interior designer in charge of the remodeling is a Coleman contributor and fundraiser as well.

While Coleman didn't agree to sit down for a interview, his campaign did agree to share billing records of the remodeling project. Original projections in 2006 estimated a cost of $328,000, but four months later, the construction cost was estimated at $414,000, over-budget by $86,000.

During that time is when, the lawsuit alleges, Kazeminy was trying to get money to Coleman.

According to the lawsuits, in March of 2007, Kazeminy said that "U.S. Senators don't make s---" and he was going to try to find a way to get money to Coleman.

"On the one level it could just be a coincidence, on the other level this could be one of the reasons he's getting that money from elsewhere, to try to make up for his, to be able to pay off a loan, pay off a line of credit," says Schultz.

Records provided by the campaign show that Coleman paid Wilsey in full for the renovation -- $414,000. In part, by refinancing his home in March 2007, for $775,000.

The Senator acknowledges, that like a lot of people in America, he now owes more on his home than it's actually worth.

What we know is this: the Senator had costly and over-budget renovations to his home at the same time a contributer was allegedly trying to funnel him money. But he's still criticized for walking away from reporters, while the questions aren't going away.

Coleman is locked in a tight recount battle with comedian Al Franken. Yesterday, more absentee ballots were found that, if the state agrees to count them, would go far in helping the Democratic challenger unseat his rival. The race could be decided on today, when the state canvassing board meets to decide the fate of those ballots.

Comments

[premier]

Report: Norm Coleman
Allegedly Funneled Money
To Pay For Dental Renovations*

* The Senator has cartoonish teeth

[Icantbelieveher]

Chiclets keep his breath fresh!

[EllisWyatt]

How does this help Franken? Coleman probably will retain his seat, and if he is indicted and forced to resign, does anyobody think Franken would get the job?

[BreakfastatTiffanys1]

Maybe this isn't about helping Franken, Superbus.

Maybe it's about stopping corruption?

[thegreatgiginthesky]

Stupidbus cannot help himself. He does not think that one can deal with events as separate issues.

[thegreatgiginthesky]

Who said it helps Franken? The news story is about Colemans alleged corruption which is being investigated. No one i claiming that this helps Franken win anything.

[nellie]

What will help Franken is counting the votes. This scandal is a separate issue.

[grizhead63]

His fellow Senate Republicans will give him a 'Stevens Standing Ovation' and the Congressionial Medal of Honor next session. Family Values pay off again!

[nellie]

That standing ovation was sickening.

[MNmommy]

For Pronto:

"But government ethics professor David Schultz says tough questions are fair game, when serious financial allegations are made involving a United States senator."

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=8055354&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1

[ricland]

It's reached the point where Coleman has to be hoping Franken beats him. All these allegations that are surfacing go away the day Franken becomes Senator.

ricland

[Puzes]

or do they? hopefully not.

[BPCentrisAmerican]

Smells like a Stevens repeat proformance.

[Pronto]

Operation Blago Diversion.

[MNmommy]

Wrong.

Operation Economic Collapse Diversion.

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

Yup.

[grizhead63]

Blago cant hold a candle to this slick pro...

[cobraxus]

quicksand would spit you people back up.Oh and keep calling him Barry.It makes you and your pagan god Rush Limbaugh sound like you're in the 5th Grade.

[Pronto]

When did I call him Barry? THINK before you type, please.

[nellie]

Auto loan vote diversion.

[EllisWyatt]

$414,000 in renovations on a house valued at $775,000? What did he do? Turn it into a fort with a moat?

[BassMent]

Exactly what I was wondering! For $414k, he should have been able to raze it to the ground and start over!

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/users/profile/BarrysConscience

YKWTD

[jetphixer]

Why does this smell like Bush 2000. Is there still some more lost votes?

[NoToGOP08]

How many teeth does Coleman have? Those are the lousiest dentures I've ever seen!

[borderorder]

It's tooth, like the rest of his breed.

[kellygrrrl]

between his teef and Blago's hair I feel like I'm watching a horror show

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

Politicians aren't hawwwt.

[nellie]

How is it that these ballots are showing up all over the place?

We really need election reform. With everything else that's going on, I bet it's not a very high priority for anyone right now. The irony is, everything else depends on election integrity. If only we'd had a clean election in 2000....

[MNmommy]

They aren't just *showing up* - the ballots in question today are absentee ballots that have been reviewed that were rejected without meeting any of the four criteria for rejection.

The question now, is, what to do about them.

[comacoma]

That's easy... count them.

[nellie]

Yesterday, more absentee ballots were found that, if the state agrees to count them, would go far in helping the Democratic challenger unseat his rival.

----------­----------

MNmommy, what do they mean by "found"? Do you know why are these ballots just now being acknowledged?

[CheshireCat2]

More ballots have shown up because they are now inspecting trunks at the northern borders.

[MNmommy]

BuIIshit.

[borderorder]

Having crossed the border on numerous occasions I can attest to the fact that your assertion is simply not true ... slightly humorous in a dittohead sort of way, but certainly not true.

[nellie]

More fiction.

Do you guys ever base any of your posts on facts? I mean, this made up stuff is really lame. And not even funny.

If it were funny, then maybe there'd be some excuse for it.

[MNmommy]

Can someone PLEASE explain why the FBI dragged their feet on this investigat­ion...

oh never mind, I know why.

Someone please take this carpet-bagging flip-flopper.

[Boringat]

Let's have a REAL comedian in the seat.

[dawlishgal]

We lived in MN during the '02 elections when Wellstone got killed, and Mondale replaced him in the race against Coleman. Near the end of the campaign, there was an article on the back of the front section of the Strib (I think on a Saturday) about how Coleman, as mayor of St. Paul, had aranged the sales of public buildings to campaign contributors for pennies on the dollar. I don't know how or why the story got buried and why it didn't resurface in his campaign for reelection. I do know that they people of St. Paul who originally elected him mayor have voted strongly against him in his subsequent campaigns for higher office.

I have tried to google the story and come up blank. Does anybody know anything more about this additional scandal?