UPDATE: Sources at the Capitol indicate Coleman cancelled this press conference at the last minute. Strange.
UPDATE: Rumor indicates it has been rescheduled for 5 P.M. today.
UPDATE: Team Coleman isn’t talking. I’ve heard a few stories and a couple different takes as to what’s going on. There certainly is something brewing and it doesn’t look very good for Coleman.
1998: Coleman filed, and later dropped, an Unfair Campaign Practices Complaint against Skip Humphrey. In November 1998, the Associated Press reported, “Republican St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman’s gubernatorial campaign has dropped the unfair campaign practices complaint he had filed in all 87 counties against DFL rival Hubert Humphrey III. Coleman had accused Humphrey of illegally distorting his position on family farms. He said Humphrey and DFL party Chairman Dick Senese violated the state’s Fair Campaign Practices Act in several ads and statements that portray Coleman as an enemy of family farmers based on comments he made at an August candidate forum.” [Associated Press, 11/25/08]
2002: Minnesota Republican Party Filed A Complaint Against Over Treatment Of Trackers. In October 2002, the Star Tribune reported, “State Republican Party Chairman Ron Eibensteiner accused U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn., on Monday of inciting “union thugs” to rough up GOP video cameramen at a weekend rally sponsored by the Minnesota Fair Trade Coalition in Duluth. One of the cameramen, Jim Crea, 22, said he was punched and shoved after Wellstone mentioned ‘Republican cameras’ at the end of a list of guests he welcomed to the rally. Crea said he will turn over his videotape to Duluth police today and file a complaint against Wellstone and the unidentified assailants. ‘Wellstone called for the hit from the podium, and his union thugs carried it out with gusto,’ Eibensteiner said at a State Capitol news conference. ‘Sadly, he did nothing to stop the assault.’ He called for Wellstone to apologize and help identify the alleged assailants.” [Star Tribune, 10/8/02]
2002: Coleman Campaign Filed A Complaint Against Wellstone For Distorting His Stance On Social Security. In September 2002, the Associated Press reported, “Coleman’s campaign began the day by announcing it was asking 10 county attorneys to charge Wellstone’s campaign with illegally distorting Coleman’s position on Social Security. In short, Wellstone’s ad says Coleman supports ‘privatizing’ the Social Security system. Coleman says the term doesn’t accurately describe his plan. Democrats countered by calling Coleman compulsively litigious, noting he filed complaints against Hubert H. Humphrey III in the 1998 race for governor over his position on family farms. No charges were brought, and Coleman dropped the charges after the race.” [Associated Press, 9/25/02]
With the huge financial support from the Trial Lawyers, I would think the Democrats would be overjoyed with another lawsuit entering the legal system, regardless whether it is frivolous or not. Just more money for the lawyers.
Or is only Democrat lawsuits they support?
So Aaron, what you are saying is that it is ok for union thugs to rough up someone at a rally that happens to have a video camera? Real classy…
Came to that conlusion all by yourself, gopgal?
all these sensible conclusions flying around . . .
So gopgal, what you are saying is that it is ok to make a practice of filing, then dropping once the publicity value has been milked, lawsuits against campaign opponents? Real classy . . .
Is it possible Norm could be planning to upstage Al Franken’s press release calling for hearings on the $700 billion bailout being abused by the banks, by announcing some kind of class action lawsuit against the banks who are abusing the bailout? I’m not a lawyer so don’t know if that’s even possible for him to do, but am just throwing that out there.
Off topic but a legal question…
Does anyone know if the cops can hassle me for standing at a busy intersection with my sign that supports DFL candidates? I’m not obstructing the signals. I should have looked up the law but I’d rather spend the time on the corner getting out the vote.
Coleman paid good money to have some mechanic sabotage Franken’s plane, but the guy just took the cash and didn’t follow through. Norm was gonna sue for breach of contract, but his advisers talked him out of it.
That’s what happened. I’m sure of it.
I thought Republicans were opposed to litigious societies.
You guys got a nice mention on the Kos today. Kudos!