We know Norm “Smokescreen” Coleman is the Court-Certified “4th Most Corrupt Senator in Congress”. We also know that someone was paying ol’ Smokescreen’s electric bill while he was the “Court-Certified 4th Most Corrupt Senator In Congress” – we just don’t know who was pickin’ up Norm’s tab.
So if ol’ Smokescreen won’t even disclose who was pickin’ up his electric bill, what are the odds of finding out who’s contributing to the shadowy group Norm’s leading in the attack on Congressman Tim Walz?
Just who are these denizens of the dark that Norm Coleman is acting as the front-man for?
Perhaps, maybe, these guys? THEY don’t seem to believe in sunlight, either…. Let’s look!
(cross posted from MnProgressiveProject.com; please comment there)
It’s been 802 days since August 4th, 2008 when at a press conference, Team Smokescreen’s Spokestool, Mark Drake, promised the assembled media he’d check with “the campaign” about providing an actual utility bill for Norm’s sweetheart deal for an apartment in a pal’s Washington, D.C. “shack” (it’s a million dollar townhouse), and get back to said media. Needless to say, Spokestool Drake never got back to ‘em.
We still don’t know – 802 days later – which GOPer Sugar Daddy(s) was(were) paying The 4th Most Corrupt Senator In Congress’ said utility bills, because – 802 days later – said utility bills have yet to be produced.
I bring this up, because it seems Minnesota’s Most Ethically-Challenged Politician, ol’ Smokescreen himself, Norm Coleman (the Court Certified “4th Most Corrupt Senator In Congress”) has popped up on the “Board Of Directors” of a GOPer money-laundering operation “independent nonprofit 501(c)(4) organization… not affiliated with or controlled by any political group. “
Yeah, “right.”
Stay tuned for the continuing saga of Norm “4th Most Corrupt Senator In Congress” Coleman, and remember:
It’s been 802 days since Norm Coleman’s Spokestool, Mark Drake, promised the assembled media he’d check with “the campaign” about providing an actual utility bill for Norm’s sweetheart deal for an apartment in a pal’s Washington, D.C. “shack” (it’s a million dollar townhouse), and get back to said media….
(cross posted from MnProgressiveProject.com; please post comments there)
…today’s GreedOverPrinciples party.
It’s been a tough day for the GOPers. Fortunately for Kurt Zellers, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford – who turned down Federal Stimulus – got caught gettin’ some international stimulus:
Chris Cillizza
washingtonpost.com Political Blogger
Wednesday, June 24, 2009; 3:30 PMGov. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.) admitted in a press conference in Washington today that he had an extramarital affair with a woman in Argentina and that he will resign his position as president of the Republican Governors Assocation. (Washington Post)
Yep – a “Family Values” republiCon, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, wasn’t “hiking the Appalachian Trail” as aides first claimed; he was down in Argentina – “catching up on foreign affairs”.
Which is good for Zellers; that diverts attention away from his history of campaign finance screwups. Well, and the video Dusty Trice found and posted today – the video of Zeller trashing former Governor Arne Carlson just last May. Let’s look!
That’s Kurt Zellers, trashing former two-term Governor Arne Carlson. Way to make the small tent smaller, Kurt!
And speakin’ o’ the Small Tent Party, Lieutenant Colonel Joe Repya split ranks from the likes of Zellers, Sutton, Brodkorb, et al. In today’s Pioneer Press, Colonel Repya explains why:
“Over the years I have raised tens of thousands of dollars for GOP coffers, donated many thousands of dollars to local and national GOP candidates, worked many hours at the grass-roots level and been asked repeatedly to run for state or federal office by Minnesota GOP officeholders. So why on Earth have I decided to leave the Minnesota GOP?
Simple: When a political party becomes so dysfunctional that it no longer can operate without tyrannical domination over the grass-roots, it is time to stop enabling bad behavior from that party. I have come to the conclusion that a majority of Minnesotans and many Republicans no longer trust the message of the Minnesota GOP.
After years of ineffective party leadership resulting in a record number of defeats, lack of transparency in party dealings, alleged financial impropriety by former party employees, and numerous Federal Election Commission problems, can you really blame the electorate for abandoning the Minnesota GOP?”
OK, now I’ll surmise that the “…alleged financial impropriety by former party employees,…” has something to do with this:
Read the “confidential memo” from the Minnesota Republican Party that is the basis of CREW’s FEC complaint
(Submitted by crew on 16 July 2007 – 1:26pm. FEC Minnesota Republican Party)
CREW filed a Federal Election Commission (FEC) complaint today against the Republican Party of Minnesota and its former treasurer, Marina Taubenberger, alleging multiple egregious violations of the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) and FEC regulations. The complaint is based primarily upon a February 15, 2007 confidential memorandum from former Republican Party of Minnesota finance director Dwight Tostenson to the Party’s Executive Committee. You really have to read that memo. Here it is:
OK, so what happened when Colonel Repya tried to ask about the alleged financial impropriety” at the state convention? Let’s watch!!!
Way to go, Tony Sutton, a/k/a “Mr. Lost Credibility”!!! Oh, and in the comments section, of the PiPress? A guy by the name of Nathan Hansen has this to say:
I am Deputy Chair of the Fourth Congressional District and one of the newer anti-war Republican activists. It’s difficult for words to describe how happy I am that you are leaving our Party. The roots of your “neconservative” philosophy lie in Straussian Trotzkyite Communism. “Corporate money” influencing our Party? Nothing compared to the damage your military industrial complex (that Eisenhower warned us about) has wreaked on our Party and our Country.
I hope you will find a happy home among your fellow communists. Your days of endless illegal wars and military industrial complex domination of our party are over.
Obama is ramping up his War in Afghanistan and continues to illegally bomb Pakistan. Perhaps you can join him to satiate your bloodlust. (emphasis added)
ROFLMAO!!! The Deputy Chair of the GOP’s CD-4 not only told Colonel Repya “don’t let the door smack ya on yer arse” — he called Joe a “commie”, too!!!
Ya really gotta admire how those in current GOPer party leadership positions honor the troops, doncha??!?
Ever hear that those who forget the lessons of history are doomed to repeat it? Well, an astute Regular Reader (thanks, Ricardo!) sent me a link demonstrating how today’s GreedOverPrinciples party’s leaders are doing just that, in an e-mail entitled “The Current State of the GOP Party”! Let’s watch!!!
Oh, and think today was bad for the local GOPers? Watch what happens if ol’ Smokescreen gets his walking papers tomorrow!
Stay tuned!!!
(crossposted from MnProgressiveProject)
Well, over on Minnesota Democrats Exposed, they’re doin’ they’re damndest to sling mud. But, it seems that they got plenty of room to have it slung right back!
And they’ve been takin’ body blos, er, ‘scuse me, “blows”, what with the controversy about Laurie Coleman’s potential undisclosed income from her business wheelings and dealings. Plus, it turns out ol’ republiCon Ron has led the MN GOP into some FEC paperwork problems that some are callin’ shoddy.
So, what does an intrepid GOPer do, when they want to take a cheap shot at a DFL Candidate, but their chief spokesman (republiCon Ron) has credibility problems when it comes to paperwork, and their candidate’s wife is lookin’ at some possibly serious reporting probems?
Get the New York GOP to take the cheap shot!!!
Folks, I’m not makin’ this up – it seems as if the local MN GOP is on the run, with all the potential problems they got, so M.D.E. is hypin’ a New York GOP Press Release!!!
http://www.minnesotademocratsexposed.com/2008/04/29/ny-gop-press-release-al-franken-tax-accountant-must-fully-disclose-the-truth-on-failure-to-file-tax-returns-claims/
Man, it has to be a rough week for the Minnesota GOPers, when they gotta get New Yorkers to bail ‘em out….
…then again, it ain’t called “The Norm Coleman Weasel Meter” for nothin’!!!
(this post originally published at MnBlue.com)
Well, the republiCons are busy, tossin’ crap up against the wall, to see what sticks.
Hey – sounds like fun!
Wait’ll the state o’ California gets my letter!!!
California State Franchise Tax Board
P. O. Box 1565
Rancho Cordova CA 95741
Dear Ms. Stanislaus,
I invite your attention to Laurie Coleman’s website:
http://www.bloandgo.com/Default.asp?bhcp=1
Senator Coleman’s United States Senate Financial Disclosure Form doesn’t list Laurie Coleman’s involvement in selling these Blo jobs.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/congress/fin_dis/2006/c001057.pdf
Clearly, the number of these Blo jobs Laurie Colemen has sold, and how much money she has made from said Blo jobs, is unaccounted for.
This will require significant investigation to determine Laurie Coleman’s involvement in selling Blo jobs.
Your prompt attention is appreciated.
Sincerely,
TwoPutt Tommy
(this post originally published at MnBlue.com)
If you don’t agree with Norm Coleman on an issue today, don’t worry – sooner or later you will. Not because you’ve changed, but because ol’ Smokescreen has changed colors, once again.
And at his campaign announcement yesterday, ol’ Smokescreen threw the assembled crowd a curve ball – at times he sounded like a democrat! Norm’s got spending plans for actual people; Norm says public work is honorable and Minnesotans respect public service – what kind of republican is that??? Lucky for Norm he’s not getting challenged for endorsment; that’s talk the base simply don’t abide.
Claiming to be a voice of optimism in a cynical time, he claimed that labels don’t matter, results do. Even more outlandish was ol’ Smokescreen’s pronouncement that “We need uniters, not dividers.”
Amazing. Simply amazing, coming from the guy that was Bush’s attack chihuahua in 2004, a proud member of the GOP “Truth Squad.” Of course, that was then and this is now.
Now, he’s claiming he’s bi-partisan. His press kit contained a whole page of “bi-partisan examples.” Let’s look:
* I-35 bridge; after GOPers became the minority party.
* “Veterans Benefit Outreach Act” – Coleman co-authored it in May 2007
*Flood Relief, SE Minnesota – again, 2007
* Extending Oversight In Iraq, when Boy Blunder wanted to end it. Again, 2007
Now, let’s look at the Low Income Heating Assistance Program, where ol’ Smokescreen, just yesterday, tried to claim his work was “bi-partisan.” Here’s what his press release said, back in January, 2006:
Last month, Coleman, along with Senators Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME), and Susan Collins (R-ME) obtained a commitment from Senate leadership for a separate vote on an emergency supplemental bill to provide $2 billion in additional funding for LIHEAP, early this year.
Doesn’t sound real “bi-partisan” to me…of course, back in January 2006, republiCons were still planning on a “Permanent Republican Majority” – and when you’re permanently the majority, contemporary republiCon thought went, who needs bi-partisanship?
And let’s look at that claim Coleman made about Iraqi oversight. Back when ol’ Smokescreen was in the majority, and the Chair of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, the LAST place Coleman looked was Iraq. Actually, that’s not accurate, while ol’ Smokescreen wouldn’t look at corruption in Iraq by, say, Halliburton, he did look at Iraq with regards to the Oil For Food scandal. You know, French companies? Russian companies? Oh, and specifically, Norm looked at a British Member of Parliament, George Galloway, who proceeded to humiliate Norm (hence, the “ol’ Smokescreen” nickname), and who was never convicted of anything. That was when ol’ Smokescreen was in the majority. Now, that Norms in the minority, he’s in favor of oversight of Iraq?
The point I’m trying to make here, is that ol’ Smokescreen sure has changed his colors – several times.
In 2002, The Accidental Senator said: “I’m up for re-election in six years, judge me on what I did.”
And anyone looking objectively at Coleman’s record will see a smilin’ guy with all the best intentions of Elizabeth Taylor at the wedding altar. And as many trips there, too.
