State DFL Party officials want to know whether a wealthy friend of Sen. Norm Coleman bought clothes for him at Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis. So far, the campaign isn’t saying.
According to a blog on the Harper’s magazine website, two unnamed sources say that investment executive Nasser Kazeminy, a longtime Coleman friend and campaign contributor, has covered the senator’s shopping bills at the department store in the past. DFLers are assuming those items would be suits, although the sources weren’t specific.
If Kazeminy bought clothes for Coleman before he entered the Senate in 2003, it wouldn’t be an ethics problem. Since then, it’s true that some suits — if any were bought — might sneak in under the Senate gift limit, but they would probably have to come off the rack at K-Mart. Gifts to senators of $250 or more from friends are banned unless first approved by the Senate Ethics Committee.
In any event, Coleman and his campaign staff aren’t answering questions about it.
Coleman was asked Tuesday by a reporter in Fergus Falls, Minn., whether he had gotten free clothes from Kazeminy. The senator didn’t answer, saying only that all his gifts from friends have been properly reported under the Senate’s strict rules.
That was the same response that Coleman campaign manager Cullen Sheehan gave again – and again and again – at a Wednesday morning news conference at the Capitol. Check it out here.
The Coleman folks wanted to talk about the problems they see with DFL Al Franken’s proposal for retirement savings accounts. Reporters wanted to find out whether Nasser has given Coleman any suits.
“Is there a reason that the senator won’t say whether or not someone else bought some suits for him?” asked Rachel Stassen-Berger of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
“Rachel, the senator has reported every gift he has ever received,” Sheehan said.
“That wasn’t my question, Cullen,” Stassen-Berger said.
“The senator has reported every gift he has ever received,” Sheehan said.
After a few more minutes of similar volleying with other reporters, I said to Sheehan, “Cullen, if the senator did nothing wrong and that is what you are saying, then just tell us that and the issue will go away.”
“The senator has reported every gift he has ever received,” he replied.
The Senate gift rules made an appearance in the campaign this summer, when DFLers accused Coleman of violating it by renting a room in the pricey Capitol Hill neighborhood from a friend for $600 a month. Coleman acknowledged that some payments were late but insisted the rental price was fair and didn’t constitute a gift. A government watchdog group has asked the Senate ethics committee to investigate.
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Wow an anti-repub topic. Who would have thunk it Kevin? Maybe you will want to be a real reporter when you grow up. For real news, there is proof that Obama was a former social1st. Just google it, Kevin.
If folks were so concerned about the Alaskan independence party, I am sure they will be upset about this news. Right Dora?
“So um like, Norm said that Amy Kloubechar was fat, and I was like, shut up! And she was like yeah and Norm was like having some guy in DC buy pay for his clothes, and I was like, what is he like gay or something, and she was like whatever. So I’m like whatever.”
CNC, this is an anti-journalism topic - it’s crappiness transcends politics.
If Obama gets control of the White House and starts his agenda of turning us into a social*st nation with the help of other leftists dominating Congress like Nancy Pelosi , Alaska would have a very good reason to become independent.
No wonder the state DFL wants to talk wardrobe. Fraken’s gonna tax your 401K.
—
According to the strib:
Under the proposal, the employer match traditional to the 401(k) would be replaced by a 30 percent government match to whatever amount a worker decided to deposit into the 401(U) account. That match would also apply to existing 401(k)s and other savings plans.
Workers would also be able to transfer 401(U) accounts from one job to another, and holders could also withdraw money to pay for educational expenses or purchase of a first home.
Franken would for it by lifting the current tax deduction on retirement savings accounts, but said the shift would be financially beneficial to all but the highest-income earners. The Coleman campaign suggested otherwise, charging that it would be a tax hit for many trying to save for retirement.
—
So change to the DFL, and Obama, is to create class warfare. Pray you never make more than 250K folks.
I’d suggest you better pray that your boss makes less than that amount as well. But hey……95% of the small companies out there are apparently under that, so I guess we don’t have anything to worry about, do we?
…….other than the fact that its that other 5% which actually hire a staff.
But more importantly, why is a progressive income tax suddenly, “class warfare”?
Generally it isnt, Obama is taking an existing progressive tax structure, drawing a line at 250K, and increasing the burden above the line, while (supposedly) reducing the burden below that line.
In light of the fact that those in his “rich’ bracket already account for 95% of current income taxes, his proposal brings us closer to two classes, the payers, and the payees.
Yes, the 401k proposal is Frankens, but fits entirely within Obama’s framework, using the 250K line again, check it out on frankens website. It’s probably on the list of cuts Obama promises buy wont specify to pay for his 800 billion in new spending.
keep in mind that the notion of taxing 401(k) plans was a debunked email that widely circulated a few years ago, crediting Pelosi with that idea. The Democrats on this blog and elsewhere quickly and vocally said that this notion was not only false, but ridiculous. Apparently, Franken saw the email and liked the idea.
It’s interesting how asking questions about possible violations of actual ethics rules by a senator have now become mere “gossip” by the lib’rul media. Another great development of the “conservative” era.
It’s too bad the informants didn’t present actual independent proof of their suit buying claims. But Norm’s stonewalling and highly formulaic response is beyond suspicious, perhaps his lawyers have concluded that such suit buying wouldn’t have to “be reported” under the rules.
It’s really interesting that unsubstaniated claims from “unnamed sources” cited by a blog writer have become something that is actually reported in a newspaper.
I’d say it’s a little different than police reports about 25K in a democratic congressman’s freezer, wouldn’t you?
An anonymous source told me Franken abused my dog while he was a puppy.. I think the Strib and PP should jump right on that and ask Franken about that…
Note that those figures are for adjusted income — (after allyour deductions and whatnot). McCain’s cut gives more breaks to higher income people, but cuts taxes for everyone.
Obama’s raises taxes on those making more than $250k (The dollar values are “averages” for taxpayers in each range), and cuts those making less than that.
Small business men and woment aren’t stupid. I think this will drive more of them to become LLCs…maybe that’s good? I don’t know. But to suggest that the economy will suddenly grind to a halt because of Obama’s plan is ridiculous.
What I like about Obama’s plan is that it will effectively put more money into consumption - right at a time when the economy needs stimulation from the bottom up. My financial planner says the Bush rebate checks actually had an effect on the economy in Q2 and Q3 of this year. Obama’s plan would have a similar, but stronger effect.
McCain’s cuts will spur investments. Capital finds the most profitable place to invest — let’s not forget that might be overseas right now.
But the reason why I think Obama’s doing so well, is that his approach is different than what’s been tried in the past. That’s what is appealing to people.
I am telling you Jay:
hang in there, DOW 5000 might arrive sooner than we think.
Get in on the ground floor, at that level.
Pelosi + Reid = Hoovertimes.
The scary thing is tax collections, both personal and corporate, will plummet in the months ahead.
I never thought I would look back on rollypolly Hastert and wish for the good, old days. Who knew?
It’s like catching a falling knife in this market.
The taxpayer funded democrat voter fraud group ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now)is up to no good again and needs to be shut down before they steal the election. Notice that this link ISN’T from a conservative group DFL Dora.
The NY Post isn’t conservative? hahahahaha. And by the way, Obama did not work for ACORN. He worked for Project Vote. ACORN was not a part of Project Vote. Wrong on the basic facts yet again.
That’s right D2, it’s from the Rupert Murdoch-owned, right slanted NY Post; home of tabloid reporter Steve Dunleavy, patron saint of Fox News.
Do any of you guys know how ACORN works? And why they have multiple voter registrations for the same people? It’s because the workers are paid to get people registered — they just to get numbers to turn into their boss so they keep their job and look good.
This is a fine example of how Occam’s Razor can be applied: the most simple explanation is the most likely. Is ACORN part of a coordinated, subversive nationwide effort to commit voter fraud, or do they just have a lousy process?
Yeah, Obama didn’t work for Acorn. Obama paid ACORN $800,000 to register new voters. He failed to accurately report these payments. His FEC disclosure stated they were payments to Citizen Services Inc. for “advance work.” I believe Acorn has endorsed Obama, the social1st for president.
I agreee with sarge - what university did Kevin graduate from?
Nearly five million fraudulent home mortgages are in the hands of illegal aliens, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The problem began years ago when banks were forced to give mortgages without confirming social security numbers or borrower identification. As a result, illegal immigrants were able to obtain home mortgages which they could not afford. One illegal alien was arrested this year in Tucson after allegedly using a stolen social security number to buy two homes and rack up over $780,000 in bad debt.
…
Holy crap! If this report from KFYI is accurate, who is to blame but the usual actors - Democrats in Congress led by Barney Frank and Chris Dodd.
Dora,
Maybe AOL will seem a little less biased to you. In anycase, ACORN is all over the news lately and it’s becoming very clear that it’s main mission is democrat voter fraud. You have always denied that they engage in this type of activity, but you have been proven wrong again.
SgtP, you know that DTSI-bot just ignores what doesn’t fit his misinformed views. He just doesn’t get it that the system of verifying voter registration information is working like it’s supposed to. And I see he’s not at all concerned with the states that have illegally purged voters from the roles.
It must just kill you DTSI-bot that McCain wants to buy up all the “fraudulent home mortgages in the hands of illegal aliens”.
Even Republicans are sounding the alarm about McCain/Palin hatefests.
John Weaver, McCain’s former top strategist, said top Republicans have a responsibility to temper this behavior.
“People need to understand, for moral reasons and the protection of our civil society, the differences with Senator Obama are ideological, based on clear differences on policy and a lack of experience compared to Senator McCain,” Weaver said. “And from a purely practical political vantage point, please find me a swing voter, an undecided independent, or a torn female voter that finds an angry mob mentality attractive.” …
“As a party we should not and must not stand by as the small amount of haters in our society question whether he is as American as the rest of us. Shame on them and shame on us if we allow this to take hold.”
The “small amount of haters” include the Republican President and VP candidates. Shame on them indeed. As George Will stated Palin is a “cancer on the Republican Party”. He apparently can’t bring himself to acknowledge that McCain is feeding the cancer as well. The Republican base has been unmasked for the angry mob it is. And these people wonder why McCain’s poll numbers keep dropping.
GERGEN: Yes. There is this — I think one of the most striking things we’ve seen now in the last few days. We’ve seen it in the Palin rallies. We saw it at the McCain rally today. And we saw it to a considerable degree during the rescue package legislation.
There is this free floating sort of whipping around anger that could really lead to some violence. I think we’re not far from that.
COOPER: Really?
GERGEN: I think it’s so — well, I really worry when we get people — when you get the kind of rhetoric that you’re getting at these rallies now. I think it’s really imperative that the candidates try to calm people down. And that’s why I’ve argued not only because of the question of the ugliness of it.
McCain/Palin aren’t calming people down they are whipping them up. McCain’s legacy will be remembered for inciting angry mobs.
Similarly, the WaPo political beat carried the anger theme:
Anger Is Crowd’s Overarching Emotion at McCain Rally
By Michael D. Shear and Perry Bacon Jr.
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, October 10, 2008; A04
The crowd showed equal disdain for the media, fueled by comments from Palin, who encouraged the Republican supporters to take the campaign’s message around the media. “I can’t pick a fight with those who buy ink by the barrel,” she said. “It’s dangerous territory whenever I suggest the mainstream media isn’t asking all the questions.”
That message was clearly shared among the crowd. Mike Payne, who traveled from Madison, Wis., for the rally, rejected the idea that McCain’s supporters are angry, preferring to use the word “frustrated.”
“It might have something to do with you guys,” he told a reporter.
“It’s not anger at all. It’s frustration. There’s millions of people around the country that think like we do. You guys refuse to acknowledge that, and you insult our intelligence by misreporting the information. You are treating [Obama] like he’s Britney Spears and covering him like he’s Paris Hilton, instead of the next president of the United States, potentially.”
Of course, the Dor-ites forget the other side has actually encourage anger and mayhem:
(I bet m-f-ing AL could do this)
In Obama’s own words…..
McCain advisers dismissed the crowd’s angry tone as an exception and not representative of most of the campaign’s events. And they noted that those gathered seemed most upset by the media’s handling of the contest, and simply wanted McCain to be more aggressive.
They also noted that many of McCain’s events are attended by liberal protesters, who often yell epithets and hold angry signs as McCain’s bus drives by. And they recalled angry words from Obama at a rally in Las Vegas last month, in which he urged supporters to talk to their friends and neighbors, saying “I want you to argue with them and get in their face.”
Keep those blinders firmly in place 6DJ. You wouldn’t want to see what’s right in front of your face.
Nice how you left out the parts in the article that said this:
I’m mad! I’m really mad!” another man said, taking the microphone and refusing to surrender it easily, even when McCain tried to agree with him.
As the crowd filed out, several said they agreed with the man who said he was mad. Others went further.
“No, I’m not mad, I’m pissed,” said Joan Schmitz, who owns a plumbing company here.
McCain/Palin are directly whipping up a frenzy of anger and hatred not seen by any other candidate for President or VP. And it is being noticed and beginning to be called out by Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and liberals.
And nice of you not to comment on Obama’s incendiary words.
or the emails hacks
or Dems vulgarity…..
And with this financial meltdown of epic proportions, the anger is only beginning, as shantytowns, = pelosi-villes and reid-villes and even bush-villes, may even appear, yet again.
Hold on tight Jay, that Dow 5,000 is coming:
1/20/07 Dow 12,500
today, Dow 8200
I didnt know you guys voted for this kind of change in 11/06. Nice job, there.
We should have a pool on the 2009 budget deficit, as all these corporation stop paying taxes due to their net losses.
6DJ, you’ve been told repeatedly that Franken’s “vulgarity” or email hacks have nothing to do with the issue of McCain/Palin themselves whipping up anger and hatred. Obama’s comment was not implying that McCain or Palin were terrorists and none of the people at that rally were yelling “kill him” or “terrorist” or any of the other hateful things that are being directed at Obama at their rallies. What’s next, a burning effigy? it’s clear you have a limited ability to grasp complex problems, after all, you want to blame the economic mess at Democrats being elected in 06. Next up will be DTSI-bot blaming the tanking economy on Obama even campaigning for President.
For the uninformed, David Gergen is a prominent Republican. I think he’s wisely pointing out that people getting worked up in that angry kind of way ultimately damages the GOP.
6DJ, I know it’s probably been a few months since you attended an Obama rally, but they’re practically love-ins…in fact, they’re almost zen-like.
I think strategically, McCain is making a huge mistake by taking this tone. Also, what the he11 is he doing in Minnesota? In order to win, he MUST take Florida, Ohio, Virginia, and North Carolina — if he loses one, he’s done. He also must win Missouri, Colorado, and Nevada. Instead, he’s in Minnesota and Wisconsin? Stupid stupid strategy.
Yep, Sarge and Dora, that is what makes you guys so funny.
Sarge, his bio and CV are online, and neither prominent nor Republican appears there. He has worked for Republicans and Dems in the past, might have voted Repub off and on, but you must stop believing everything you see on CNN. Fox is far more accurate than that creepy station. If I see him campaigning in a big way, like Chuck Norris, then I would buy the Republican tag. Prominent? Never. Aint happening, zen dude.
It’s all moral equivalence, Dora.
Calling Bush a killer certainly rates far higher than “palling around with terrorists.” It isnt even close.
But, you are Dora being Dora. Good luck
Newsbusters has been all over this “the right is inciting riots” clown stories today.
It’s a Dem talking point to try and stop energizing a base of voters.
And that is good strategy.
Please, let me know when the riots begin, I want to compare them to St Paul…..
SgtP, I didn’t call Bush a killer that’s 6DJ trying to say that the anger and hatred that McCain/Palin whip up at their rallies is the same as someone who said “Bush lied, people died”.
Since when does a right winger believe in moral relativism 6DJ? I thought that was a charge made against liberals? Or maybe you’re just looking for any excuse to justify McCain/Palin hate mongering. And, no, it’s not just a Democratic talking point. Conservatives have increasingly been sounding the alarm. More and more Republican’s are speaking out publically. Like William Milliken, a former Republican governor of Michigan and a McCain supporter. He said he’s “not the McCain I endorsed.” He also said “He [McCain] keeps saying, ‘Who is Barack Obama?’ I would ask the question, ‘Who is John McCain?’ “
Fair enough Sarge, but I simply disagree that Gergan is a republican anymore than Dick Morris is still touted on some appearances as former “democratic strategist.” Morris is totally anti dem at this point.
I just cant argue anymore on something so obvious, Dora. If you dont think there as palpable and obvious leftie anger in the 2004 elections (with “supreme court appointed” W running), then I want some of what you are smoking.
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