Ethics have never been a barrier for Norm Coleman’s unbound ambition, but I have to admit that the National Journal’s article (seriously, read the whole thing, it’s stunning) about Norm Coleman’s extremely close ties to GOP operative Jeff Larson surprised even me. Jeff Larson is a behind the scenes political strategist who runs a political telemarketing group that has “profited handsomely” (according to the article) from his close relationship with Coleman:
Most curiously, Larson provides Coleman with a place to live in Washington. In July 2007, Coleman began paying Larson $600 a month in rent for a portion of a one-bedroom basement apartment in a Capitol Hill town house that Larson owns.
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Earlier this month, after National Journal questioned Coleman and Larson about the living arrangement, the senator said he discovered that his rent for last November and January had not been paid. In mid-June, Coleman covered the back rent with a personal check for $1,200 made out to Larson and signed by the senator’s wife. Last year, Coleman sold furniture to Larson to cover one month’s rent, according to Larson. And Larson held on to yet another month’s rent check for three months, cashing it a few days after NJ’s inquiries.
Okay, so this guy provides Coleman with a place to live, gets paid by Coleman’s wife (apparently the Senator doesn’t have a bank account of his own or a joint account under which he can sign his own checks, and occasionally accepts furniture as rent… anything sound sketchy yet? If that doesn’t sound like the typical landlord-tenant relationship it’s probably because it isn’t. See, Jeff gets paid in other ways as well, Larson’s St. Paul company “has been paid about $1.6 million since mid-2001 by Coleman’s Northstar Leadership political action committee and two Senate campaigns.” All these furniture based rent payments are starting to seem more reasonable…
But it gets stranger in that Coleman now lives in Larson’s townhouse when in DC… for free by all accounts. His previous apartment cost him over $1700 a month. Now why would Larson be so generous, well maybe some of these explain the situation:
- The above mentioned $1.6 million since 2001 that Coleman’s PAC and campaigns have given Larson’s company
- Larson’s wife being on Coleman’s payroll (under her maiden name…)
- The $50 million Coleman helped procure for the RNC convention in St. Paul; which Larson is the CEO and chief fundraiser for the local host committee.
The information and evidence in this article is so extensive that I don’t have enough room to list it all here. The ties here are stunningly interwoven; it will take a while to sort out where Jeff Larson ends and Norm Coleman begins… or where the money between the two begins and ends. This is just beginning…
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Breaking News: Things aren’t looking good for Team Coleman.
Team Coleman: Busted
Boring…
Come on, give me something unique and edgy. Reading articles from National Journal does nothing for me.
If I want to read the MSM, I’ll read the MSM.
The hypocrisy is astounding. On the same day ol’ Smokescreen uses some surrogates to (falsely) attack Franken’s accounting, this:
Norm Coleman’s Landlord
Gee – how cool would it be, if your landlord didn’t bother to cash your checks? I dunno; my landlords always cashed mine. Like, immediately. If not sooner. Then again, my landlord wasn’t ol’ Smokescreen’s landlord; a guy by the name of Jeff “Landlord” Larson.
“Late Fees” doesn’t appear to be in Landlord Larson’s vocabulary (at least as far as Coleman is concerned). Then again, I never did business with my landlord, and my landlord wasn’t Jeff “Landlord” Larson. And my landlord insisted I pay rent, each and every month. Ol’ Smokescreen’s landlord, Landlord Larson, apparently doesn’t. I guess that’s why Smokescreen’s landlord, Landlord Larson, wasn’t in any hurry to cash Coleman’s rent checks, even when paid late. I wonder if Landlord Larson even bothered to remind the ol’ Smokscreen that rent was due on the first, A COUPLA MONTHS AGO? But, hey! What’s the big deal, when you’re renting from a guy you do business with?
More, here: http://www.mnblue.com/node/1747
But, more importantly - a big ol’ h/t to Rachel!!!
Coleman is saving money. What is wrong with that? There are many non-traditional living arrangements in DC. Chuck Schumer has three Senator roomates like a bunch of college guys. DC is an expensive place to live.
Show me the conflict of interest here. Odd by our standards, yes. But I’ll still vote based on the issues, and that vote easily goes to Norm.
I knew Norm Coleman was a political whore, what I didn’t know was that he was a cheap political whore. Trading influence with his party and government for a room is a bit much. And how can you trust a guy who can’t even write a check for his rent… without it being months late or signed by his wife. No-Pay Norm is an embarrassment on so many levels, this just confirms this New Yorker needs to go.
Bush Republicans won’t care. To them, this is simply bidness as usual. And making the rest of America care is a tough call. We have been so conditioned to the illegal and immoral in No Integrity Land for the past eight years, nothing shocks us any more. Not even this. Norm Coleman is living the BushCo dream.
DantheMan, it is very common for Senators to room with a bunch of people. With that I take absolutely no issue whatsoever; what is problematic is that Norm isn’t paying this guy anything, it’s just a favor. Chuck Schumer splits that rent both because it’s the right thing to do and because taking it as a gift may be a violation of the Senate ethics rules.
“…because taking it as a gift may be a violation of the Senate ethics rules.” BINGO!!!
Oh, Matt, you’re values are so ‘yesterday’. I mean, if someone who Norm steered 1.6 Million in business to, helped to secure the Repub Convention - wants to save Norm $1700 a month in rent, by giving him an apartment for free, who are WE to question that?
If he wants to not see his wife but once every 18 months - and have a reputation for ass-grabbing - again - who are we to wonder about Senator Snake-Oil’s ethics.. I mean, ethics aren’t important any more. that’s so 90’s/Bill Clinton hate-speech thinking.
This all just goes to show that a politican who has the nerve to leave the self-proclaimed party of the “big tent” for the GOP land of liberty, self-reliance, and individualism will be shunned forever by the Blue. Norm has made two fatal flaws in has career that will forever haunt him with the left:
1. Having the nerve to leave the Democratic party
2. Not voting exactly like Wellstone
For that, people in the left-most 1/5 of the idealogical spectrum will attack him every chance they get.
DtM - you go with that; it makes ignoring reality much easier for bootlickers like you.
Geez, it doesn’t sound like there’s room in that little room Norm rents for Laurie to set up her Blo n’ Go and stash her voluminous makeup kit - let alone her many costume changes. Could it be that she doesn’t ever stay with Norm in DC?
barbara and penigma got it right. Republicans obviously don’t care about ethics or integrity, and this isn’t gonna sway them. This is small on Norm’s long list of disgusting political manuvers. BUT it will have some sway with Independents, and disaffected Repubs. Nice. Where is swiftboat in all of this? I’m waiting for his reality dodge on these posts….Seriously, If they don’t care about FISA or war crimes, they won’t have any trouble looking the other way on this one. Case in point, dan the man…
Admit it lefties. You have held a grudge against Norm ever since he circumvented the Minnesota Democratic hierchy by getting elected mayor of St. paul without your backing.
He further frustrated you by becoming the most succesful mayor the city ever had even after leaving your party in the dust. Now your rage is palpable as he continues to be a thorn in your side by out working your current stiff.
By the way…when does your guy, Angry Al, plan to show his face in a public forum next? Missed him at Grand Ol’ Days and have’nt seen too many scheduled appearances on his website for any upcoming city parades or July 4th events.
From this mornings Strib:
Thank Coleman
Sen. Norm Coleman recently visited Dearborn, Mich., to promote the St. Paul Ford Ranger plant. It looks as though that visit paid off! Yet, in the June 28 Star Tribune article, he isn’t even singled out for credit until far down in the story.
Coleman is working for all Minnesotans. Let’s give credit where credit is due.
CAROL NORTHENSCOLD, MAPLE LAKE
we already know carol. al franken has done exactly zero for the state of minnesota. well if you don’t count bringing shame to it.