Norm Coleman Wants To Use Campaign Funds To Pay For Donor Scandal Lawsuit

WASHINGTON — Former Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman has asked the Federal Election Commission for permission to use his campaign funds to pay for legal bills in two lawsuits that target a top donor.

In a letter to the FEC, Coleman lawyer Ben Ginsberg writes that Coleman's legal team has been forced to respond to allegations in the lawsuits, monitor litigation and deal with media inquiries.

The lawsuits target Nasser Kazeminy, a friend of Coleman's and donor to his campaign.

A former CEO at Deep Marine Technology, a company owned by Kazeminy, has alleged in a Texas lawsuit that Kazeminy funneled $75,000 to an insurance company that employed Coleman's wife, Laurie. Shareholders of Deep Marine Technology in Delaware have filed a lawsuit with nearly identical allegations.

Coleman and his wife have denied any wrongdoing.

According to the document filed with the FEC, Coleman's lawyers have been preparing him to serve as a witness in both lawsuits.

The FEC does not generally allow personal legal fees to be paid with campaign funds, but it has made exceptions when a candidate or campaign can show that legal costs are tied to the candidate's position.

Ginsberg argues in the FEC filing that Coleman was singled out in the lawsuits because he was a senator and "for no other reason whatsoever."

News of Coleman's ties to Kazeminy broke just before Election Day. Coleman trails Democrat Al Franken by a narrow margin after a statewide recount. A special court has declared Franken the winner, but Coleman has appealed to the Minnesota Supreme Court.

(This version CORRECTS to show that the lawsuit was filed in Texas instead of Minnesota.)

Comments

[lapdogs]

He wants to be stubborn about the outcome - - let him pay for it out of his own pocket.

When he has to do that, Coleman will quickly go back home where he belongs and Al will be seated.

[JakeMontero]

Why has Smiley not been seated?

[IcedTee63]

Does anyone see anything wrong with this ?

[tailgateshirts]

So hes gonna use the money he funneled illegally into his account... to pay for his lawyer fees....

[TaxDayMan]

So he can "fight" ballots found in trunks of cars! Why is this different than Florida 2000?

[madisonhack]

Sounds like you are talking out of two sides of your own mouth. It is exactly like Florida 2000 - a Republican that didn't have the votes to win an election is trying to steal one, and use illegal money to pay for it.

[IDIKO]

WHAT A MAN , HE LIKE PLAYING TO THE GALERIE. shame! ! shame!!!, he thinks he is indispensable, what a sorry sight. This man has no intergrity.

[TruEngineHearing]

Republicans can't stay out of court. It's like their candy store. They're always accusing dems of using the courts, yet it is the repubs who go to court more often than to the bathroom.

[stinamond5]

Former Sen. Coleman tried to make a big deal out of Kofi Annan"s oil for food, yet it's okay to use campaign funds to fight an investigation? Wonder if anybody has checked the usage of the recount donations? There is no honor,integrity or value to anything this man does.

[Mogamboguru]

Coleman is such a sore loser - If I would mind him, I would pity him...

[JiminNC]

Ginsberg argues in the FEC filing that Coleman was singled out in the lawsuits because he was a senator and "for no other reason whatsoever."

Except for that pesky "may have broken the law" detail.

[southdakotajack]

Sure hope the FEC tells Normie that it will take about a year to investigate the circumstances of his request and to issue a ruling. That would send a chill into the legal billing. Lawyers get real lazy when the money is in doubt.

[PhilipTaylor]

Who pays Coleman to Campaign?

Banking Interests:

Securities & Investment $1,256,646
Insurance $701,240
Misc Finance $610,833
Commercial Banks $508,770
Business Services $412,311
Misc Business $408,811
Lobbyists $407,038
Real Estate $1,137,015

Lawyers/Law Firms $1,066,135

Republican­/Conservat­ive $928,087
Leadership PACs $647,983

Health Professionals $642,165
Pharmaceut­icals/Heal­th Products $435,267

Retail Sales $550,900

Misc Manufacturing & Distributing $502,355

Pro-Israel $478,299

Food Processing & Sales $428,970

Electric Utilities $348,711

Oil & Gas $329,250

[TheThinkerCometh]

Go to this site to support the Progressive Change Campaign Committee's "Give a Dollar a Day to Make Norm Go Away": https://services.myngp.com/NGPOnlineServices/contribution.aspx?X=EjMWbGdwzawSctQo5b28qonrR4zZ72jHJx%2bkZkPSHMY%3d

He shall concede in shame one of these days.

[madisonhack]

No he won't...he doesn't have any shame and the money keeping him out there isn't his own. He's now working for the Grand Ole Party of obstructionists who won't allow a duly elected official (Franken) to be seated. Time for Minnesota to do the right thing and dismiss all of his motions with prejudice and get this over with.

[dadw5boys]

Jesse Ventura called Coleman a waste of space !!!!!!

.

[kwinter]

On this, I can agree with Jesse Ventura 100%!!!

[mypicasso]

Coleman is such a screw up!

[Annie22203]

Talk about trying to buy an election