Coleman Hires High-Profile Defense Lawyer
EmailGuest Blogger Jonathan Karl Reports:
High-profile criminal defense attorneys are apparently one sector of the job market that remains strong.
The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports this morning that Senator Norm Coleman, R-Minn., has hired Doug Kelly, a highly paid defense lawyer who specializes in white-collar crime litigation. Kelly is former federal prosecutor.
Coleman is still locked in an unresolved recount with Democrat Al Franken for the Minnesota Senate seat. Coleman leads by 188 votes, but the state canvassing board is reviewing about 1500 disputed ballots.
The hiring of a prominent defense lawyer suggests that even if he wins re-election, Coleman’s troubles won’t go away. The Star-Tribune reported last week that the FBI is investigating whether Texas businessman Jim Hays illegally funneled $75,000 to Coleman’s wife Laurie.
– Jonathan Karl
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“but the state canvassing board is reviewing about 1500 disputed ballots.”
Which they will “review” and “review” until Stuart Smalley wins.
Posted by: drjohn | December 16, 2008, 9:58 am 9:58 am
All these guys are crooks even though they will deny it like Nixon.
If Coleman is accepting illegal campaign funds from the Texas mafia, how different is he from Blago?
Coleman should be arrested too.
Posted by: Steve_NJ | December 16, 2008, 10:00 am 10:00 am
Same funny-business as Tony Rezco over-paying for the vacant 50-foot lot next to Obama’s mansion. Also, William Ayers hired to re-write “Dreams of My Father,” as evidenced by the same triple dependent clause style Ayers uses in all his books. Also, the numerous nautical metaphors (Ayers was a seaman but Obama never worked on a ship). Descriptions of living underground in NYC, and being a radical “undercover” operative inside a for-profit company. Finally, the same green-eyed girlfriend whose father owned a mansion on a big country estate with a backyard pond. William Ayers wrote “Dreams of My Father” but Obama gets all the credit for being a “thinker.”
Posted by: Colonel Rebel | December 16, 2008, 10:05 am 10:05 am
Colonel Rebel,
What has Coleman and MN political fraud got to do with Obama?
I guess the guy is responsible for everything now.
LOL. The election is over buddy.
Posted by: Steve_NJ | December 16, 2008, 10:10 am 10:10 am
time to come out of lala land.
America is finally on a new path and the old republican fantasies are finally looking as delusional as they are…
time to hang up the spin and fantasies that make you feel empowered by spinning the truth into …something that fits your anger.
this article is about Coleman… hiring a defense lawyer.
Something Obama has never had to do no matter how you want to spin reality.
time to get off the 8 year fake road we have been lead down…
Posted by: dl | December 16, 2008, 10:17 am 10:17 am
Jake,
But yeah, about Coleman… Kinda tired of corrupt politicians, y’know? You would think these people grew up on the streets or something. But even people from the streets seem to have a lot more integrity than these punks. At least they claim to resort to crime to make do in life. What is a rich politician’s excuse?
People, don’t forget to be honest in your everyday lives. I will remember my own advice too. Whether we are republicans or democrats or neither, I am sure we can be better than these thieves who pretend to be leaders.
Posted by: Question | December 16, 2008, 11:01 am 11:01 am
Someone has no room to talk about someone else’s book being written by still another someone else. What I am saying is that this is the same old identical cut and paste I have read on numerous other blog comments. Give it a rest.
But back to the subject at hand: a high profile criminal defense attorney??? Sounds like Coleman is expecting some real problems.
When are we going to pass a law in this country that convicted felons may not run for public office? Or we could let felons run but make it illegal to vote for them.
Posted by: Shockolit | December 16, 2008, 11:05 am 11:05 am
“The hiring of a prominent defense lawyer suggests that even if he wins re-election, Coleman’s troubles won’t go away. ”
I kind of question the reporting here.
Obama hires Greg Craig and news reports stresses how he is not involved. Now Coleman hires an attorney and that means his ‘troubles wont go away’. My impression is that there is no criminal prosecution of anyone and neither of the Colemans are named in a law suit.
If thats the case, isnt it a little unfair to say his troubles wont go away?
Posted by: BertieW | December 16, 2008, 11:20 am 11:20 am
Obama says he wrote “Dreams of My Father.” The Libs need to ask themselves why would William Ayers and Obama write the same metaphors over-and-over about “young boys sitting on the water buffalo” and the same cooking metaphors? Same metaphors where the NYC East River flows up to the tide point, where it meets the ocean. Why doesn’t he give Ayers credit??
Posted by: Colonel Rebel | December 16, 2008, 12:02 pm 12:02 pm
Colonel R.
Obama graduated from Columbia in the top ten percent of this class and Magna Cum Laude from Harvard the second highest level of graduation distinction.
To paint him as not a thinker is not to have listened to him speak during off the cuff interviews and other venues.
You all need to take a look at this country and hope and pray this brilliant young man can turn things around from the mess GW has left.
Instead of fretting about who was the doctor who delivered him into this world.
It is what it is for the next four years and likely 8.
Posted by: Tom. Tescher | December 16, 2008, 12:37 pm 12:37 pm
“Obama hires Greg Craig and news reports stresses how he is not involved”
Naming one’s White House counsel is the same as retaining a criminal lawyer?
Gotta love the right wing lies.
Posted by: Ryan C | December 16, 2008, 1:07 pm 1:07 pm
“Obama graduated from Columbia in the top ten percent of this class”
How do you know this? I thought Obama’s Columbia years and grades are shrouded in mystery.
Posted by: BertieW | December 16, 2008, 1:08 pm 1:08 pm
I thought this article was about Coleman, not Obama?!?
Posted by: AnaB | December 16, 2008, 1:38 pm 1:38 pm
GOOD FOR COLEMAN….FIGHT BROTHER FIGHT!!! THE LEFTY CLOWNS ARE TRYIN TO STEAL IT…yea Al Frankin doing a recount and when the recount takes some votes away from Al Frankin he says use the original data on election day BUT if he gained then that recount is legit.
Posted by: Noel | December 16, 2008, 1:48 pm 1:48 pm
AnaB -
The article is about Coleman, not Obama. Some of these folks are so obsessed with Obama that it is impossible for them to stay on point.
Is Hays the one who allegedly took Coleman on a suit buying spree at Needless Markup and got him a below market rental apartment in D.C.?
Posted by: Brooklyn Democrat | December 16, 2008, 1:51 pm 1:51 pm
Coleman must have some pretty serious skeletons in his closet. The trolls are in here trying hard to divert our attention from the subject. Don’t fall for it.
Posted by: Shockolit | December 16, 2008, 2:03 pm 2:03 pm
“Naming one’s White House counsel is the same as retaining a criminal lawyer?
Gotta love the right wing lies. ”
Could you not call everything that doest agree with your spin a lie.
Craig’s career includes the highlights of defending would-be Presidential assassin John Hinkley, impeached President Bill Clinton, removing Elian Gonzelez from the country and defending Kofi Anan in the UN oil for food scandal.
He is a high profile criminal defense lawyer.
Posted by: BertieW | December 16, 2008, 2:21 pm 2:21 pm
“Could you not call everything that doest agree with your spin a lie.”
Its pretty simple.
Don’t lie by implying that Obama retained a criminal defense attorney when what happened was that he named one of his key advisors as his White House Counsel.
I know that may be tough as a right winger.
Posted by: Ryan C | December 16, 2008, 2:36 pm 2:36 pm
Is Craig a high profile criminal defense attorney or not?
I think the answer is obvious to everyone.
Posted by: BertieW | December 16, 2008, 3:08 pm 3:08 pm
To assist you here is his personal bio from Williams and Connelly:
“A trial lawyer with extensive experience in a wide variety of cases, Greg Craig has successfully defended individuals and entities in a number of high-profile criminal and civil proceedings.”
Posted by: BertieW | December 16, 2008, 3:11 pm 3:11 pm
“I kind of question the reporting here.
Obama hires Greg Craig and news reports stresses how he is not involved.”
Because Obama was naming him as White House counsel vs Coleman hiring a defense attorney specifically for charges that he is facing.
But right wingers try and make that the same thing.
Posted by: Ryan C | December 16, 2008, 3:36 pm 3:36 pm
Well, let’s try to imagine why Coleman would hire a top-notch defense lawyer at time when he should be concerned with looking clean. What was so urgent that it could not wait until after they were done with the recount and he had secured his election win? What is about to go down? The thing about his wife seems not to be so urgent.
Posted by: Shockolit | December 16, 2008, 4:11 pm 4:11 pm
From the New York Times:
“Gregory Craig, the incoming White House counsel, is working with the U.S. Attorneys office “to ensure our full cooperation with the investigation” into the corruption case of the embattled Illinois governor.”
Greg Craig is usually known for trying to protect his defandant client’s interest, not necessarily trying to ensure full cooperation with a prosecutor.
Why couldnt Coleman’s hiring of Doug Kelley be viewed as him trying to ensure the full cooperation of the staff of the Office of the Senator Elect with a non-existent prosecution? Or perhaps Doug Kelly can write up a report which doesnt get released which the press writes up as “Review exonerates Coleman”.
You have to (but probably wont) admit there is a double standard in this reporting.
Posted by: BertieW | December 16, 2008, 4:23 pm 4:23 pm
“Why couldnt Coleman’s hiring of Doug Kelley be viewed as him trying to ensure the full cooperation of the staff of the Office of the Senator Elect with a non-existent prosecution? Or perhaps Doug Kelly can write up a report which doesnt get released which the press writes up as “Review exonerates Coleman”.
You have to (but probably wont) admit there is a double standard in this reporting. ”
Perhaps if you read the source article instead of trying to lie and make this about equivalency you would get it.
“Four of Minnesota’s biggest legal guns have cast their shadows over two lawsuits that have drawn the attention of the FBI.
They have been retained by U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman; his wife, Laurie; Jim Hays, her insurance company employer; and Nasser Kazeminy, a multi-millionaire friend of the Colemans who is accused in the lawsuits of sending them money in 2007 through Hays’ company. Coleman’s Senate ethics form reports no such payment.”
Posted by: Ryan C | December 16, 2008, 4:31 pm 4:31 pm
“Perhaps if you read the source article instead of trying to lie and make this about equivalency you would get it. ”
Sigh More people ‘lying’ by picking on poor Ryan C’s reality.
The story says:
“The FBI’s investigation is in its preliminary stages and no charges have been filed.”
No changes. Against anyone. Not even three hops removed. There is a criminal complaint against Obama’s former protege Blago.
Just admit you are wrong. It will be good for you to get in the habit.
Posted by: BertieW | December 16, 2008, 8:57 pm 8:57 pm
Sounds pretty serious to me. Coleman seems to agree.
Posted by: Shockolit | December 16, 2008, 9:45 pm 9:45 pm
Why doesn’t Coleman hire the SCOTUS like Dubya did in 2000 when he stole the election from us voters? Forget the lawyers, Norm, go directly to the top. Stealing an election like the average Republican is par for the course. Be yourself Coleman and buy off a judge or two…..
Posted by: buzzie | December 16, 2008, 11:14 pm 11:14 pm