As New Hampshire Senator Sununu Returns Contributions,
DFL Party Says Coleman Should Do the Right Thing, Return the MoneySt. Paul MN (October 9, 2007) New Hampshire Senator John Sununu said this weekend that he will contribute to charity $2,000 in contributions from convicted executives at VECO Corporation, a company under investigation by the FBI. The Minnesota DFL Party today called on Senator Norm Coleman to return $2,000 in contributions from former VECO executives Bill Allen and Richard Smith, who were recently convicted of bribing public officials.
“Senator Coleman should do the right thing and rid himself of his campaign contributions from convicted VECO executives,” said Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez. “Running for office with tainted money does not live up to Minnesota standards. Senator Coleman should take a cue from Senator Sununu and immediately return the money.”
Emphasis mine.
Norm Coleman received $6,000 from VECO Execs and employees — only 5 politicians (including President Bush and the entire Alaska Congressional Delegation) received more money from VECO than Norm.
I guess greasing the skids would be a little to easy when it comes to bribe money from a petroleum company, no?
Accepting contributions from people who were convicted of bribing public officials isn’t something Minnesota needs. Norm Coleman should announce this afternoon the charity(s) of his choice that will receive this money.
For more information on the crooked folks who bankroll Norman Bruce Coleman click here, here and here.
The Minnesota DFL, trying to desperately to earn credibility with media after a series of false attacks on Senator Coleman, has once again missed the mark with another attack.
The latest attack is regarding a contribution Senator Coleman received in July 2002 - almost five years ago.
I would take the concerns of the Minnesota DFL regarding campaign finance matters more seriously of they had returned the money they had received from Jack Abramoff-tanted sources:
“Minnesota Democrats also resisted returning donations from Abramoff clients. DFL spokesman David Ruth said the Agua band donated $9,000 in January 2003 to help pay for the five-day Senate campaign of former Vice President Walter Mondale after the death of Sen. Paul Wellstone. ‘We are not going to give it back,’ Ruth said, because the DFL has ‘no connection’ to Abramoff or the tribe.
Oberstar had one casual meeting in 2003 with Alan Slomowitz, a member of Abramoff’s lobbying firm, and the chairman of the Agua Caliente band, but nothing of substance was discussed, spokeswoman Mary Kerr said. She said Oberstar would keep $1,500 in ‘perfectly legal’ donations he got in 2002 and 2004 from the Agua band, as well as $1,000 each from the Mississippi Choctaw and Saginaw Chippewa.” Source: Star Tribune, January 5, 2006
PIM wrote in March that “[w]hen the [DFL] party does attack, it often misses its mark.” This latest attack from the Minnesota DFL is just another sad example.
What impact did this money have on Norm’s flip-flop on Arctic oil drilling?
exactly, Norm voted against drilling in the Artic wasteland
Michael —
John Sununu’s donations were received at the same time — I understand that the man who you will most likely be working for this time next year needs a courage infusion, but couldn’t he show the same courage, honesty and morality that John Sununu is showing and donate these dirty donations to a local charity?
Sean
BS… boys.
Uh, huh - Brodkorb - do you really think you have a favorable impact with your mini-Rove wannabee attempts here?
OK, now to Normy only voting against drilling in the Wildlife refuge when the vote didn’t matter. His usual modus operandi.
IF it really would have put the right over the top, we know he would have been a good dog: HEARING HIS MASTER’S VOICE…
Like Bush saying every side of several issues - there’s always a soundbite they can use, but it doesn’t change the reality of Normy’s positions & a hunting dog loyalties to the inept Bush machine…
Sycophantic Hunting Dogs are nice to have in the field, but we shouldn’t elect them to congress!!!
18 months from now nobody will remember..or care, except for you anal retentive types
I always find it amusing when the party of Norman Hsu, James Riady, Charlie Trie, and John Huang blast Republicans about accepting “dirty money.”
It is interesting to me that Mr. Melendez seems to lead the charge when speaking of bringing people together and dispensing with partisan politics. Yet when it would appear to suit his or the DFL Mr. Melendez resembles the pit bull that most would prefer to euthanize due to the hypocrisy. If either party believes that any political figure accepting contributions should have a crystal ball for what their contributors may do in the future that is illegal or distasteful, than we would not be in the quagmire we are with indecision and a lack of foresight in our congressional leadership.
All Senator Coleman has done is represent the people of Minnesota by voting for bills that benefit us, both in the short and the long term. When will the diminimus just go away….my heavens this was over 4 years ago and at that time these men were guilty of nothing. If the Senator had accepted a contribution from them now, you have an issue, but 5 yrs ago…..please.
Isn’t it time we applaud the hard work and the positives to which the Senator has accomplished! Then again maybe this is just a joke Mr. Melendez and the DFL are trying to tell us…..they are the party that believes that a comedian should be Senator!