Norm Coleman Makes The List

And that list is on the Most Corrupt Members Of Congress Report

Yep - that's ol' Smokescreen, "right" up there with his pals John Doolittle, R=Abramoff, and Senator Ted Stevens, R=Indicted.

It is no surprise that Coleman's name is connected with a group of scoundrels that includes "Dollar" Bill Jefferson.

When RentGate first surfaced, Team Smokescreen spokesliar Tom Steward shamelessly told the Star Tribune:

"As the senator indicated to the National Journal and further articulated last Friday, he is paying fair market value for his cramped bedroom in a basement of a home in D.C. As our research shows, this rent is comparable to other rent in the D.C. area."

Really? Your "research" shows that?

OK, WHERE IS IT??!?

Oh - they don't HAVE IT.

Gee - "Maybe the dog ate it..."

Nope. It's worse than that.

I checked with a whole bunch of reporters, and NONE of them ever saw that "research."

Here's what one reporter replied with:

"Steward had told me that all you needed to do was Google Capitol Hill apartment listings and you'd find housing for similar rates; Norm also pointed to Chuck Schumer, who's renting part of a house nearby with other congressmen for about $700 a month.

The problem is, as we've pointed out, is that our research has found most apartments that close to the Capitol go for much more, and that you have to get quite a bit farther away before you start dipping to $600 a month."

Let me be perfectly clear: Either Tom Steward LIED to the StarTribune, or somebody TOLD him to say something that was a lie. Why do I say that? Let's look again, at what Steward said:

"As our research shows..."

Except, they did NOT have any research TO show.

Then, there was new Spokesman Mark Drake, who told reporters he'd check with Team Smokescreen about making an actual utility bill available to the press corps, and get back to the reporters.

Again, I checked with a whole bunch of reporters; Mark Drake had gotten back to none of them. Here's what one reporter just told me, today:

"Still have not seen a utility bill for Sen. Coleman, that's right. Last time I asked was before the convention."

Now, please note: that reporter has to ASK. Still hasn't seen an actual utility bill; still has to ask.

And Mark Drake had the audacity to stand at a comandeered podium and claim that Team Smokescreen has been transparent and open and upfront.

Yeah, "right." Only in the corrupt world of republiCons like Norm "Smokescreen" Coleman, R=Lapdog.

Now, there's also the issue of the Chamber's attack ads on behalf of Coleman. Franken Communications Director Andy Barr stated the obvious: “Norm Coleman literally lives in the office of the Chamber’s consulting firm. So forgive us if we find it a little hard to believe that there was no coordination here.”

Here's the complete list from the non-partisan watchdog group, Citzens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington:

Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL)
Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA)
Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-CA)
Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL)
Rep. Vito J. Fossella (R-NY)
Rep. William J. Jefferson (D-LA)
Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA)
Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-IL)
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Rep. Gary G. Miller (R-CA)
Rep. Alan B. Mollohan (D-WV)
Rep. Timothy F. Murphy (R-PA)
Rep. John P. Murtha (D-PA)
Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM)
Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-NY)
Rep. Rick Renzi (R-AZ)
Rep. Harold Rogers (R-KY)
Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK)
Rep. Don Young (R-AK)

Dishonorable mentions

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN)
Rep. Laura Richardson (D-CA)
Rep. Michael Turner (R-OH)
(C.R.E.W)