Sen. Norm Coleman is attempting to set a Guiness world record for saying "getting things done." In his latest ad its all about what he got done. There's only one problem. The actor uses Norm-speak^TM to stretch the truth about his oversight activities.

(h/t to Political Animal)

Norm chaired the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and could have investigated the corruption, greed, lawlessness and incompetence of the Bush Administration. Norm ignored billions upon billions of dollars wasted by contractors. He could have investigated their shoddy workmanship and how they endangered our troops. Our soldiers were eletrocuted, drank contaminated water and live in substandard facilities. But Norm was too busy cheerleading.

Instead he investigated the Oil-for-Food program. He busted on doctors who accept medicare payments, but havent paid their taxes. He cramped the styles of federal employees travel plans by limiting the perks they can get.

For every million he claims to have saved, billions went missing or were squandered.

You can always count on Norm when it doesn't matter.

What Norm investigated

Here are all the things he's investigated:

• United Nation's Iraq Oil for Food program
• FEMA Chief Michael Brown
• Doctors owing back taxes but still collecting medicare and medicaid payments.
• Civil servants who travel business or first class instead of coach
• Safe importation of prescription drugs (protecting the pharmaceutical industry)
• Human Rights Council of the UN
• Music industry's battle with computer downloading
• U.S. companies setting up sham offshore tax shelters

Norm's criterion for when to investigate

This limited amount of oversight fits his investigation criterion. He will only investigate if:

• Conservatives hate the entity or person.
• The conservative in question has already been thrown under the bus.
• No conservatives will be injured by the investigation.

What Norm ignored

While Chair of the PSI, Norm failed to investigate:

• Intel reports on WMD's
• Dispersal of the Iraqi Army
• NSA's secret wiretapping program
• Cronyism in appointments in Provisional Govt
• Torture at Abu Ghraib
• No bid contracts
• Billions of dollars of State Department cash disappearing in Iraq
• Corruption among contracting companies in Iraq
• Poorly constructed facilities built by contractors
• Contaminated water drunk and used by troops
• Abuses committed by contracting companies in Iraq
• Production problems for MRAP vehicles
• Wrong or not enough armor for troops and their vehicles
• Death of Pat Tillman
• Lies surrounding abduction and rescue of Jessica Lynch
• Overcharges among contracting companies in Iraq
• Guantanamo
• Jack Abramoff's influence at the White House
• Forced prostitution and forced abortions in the Mariana's Islands

Read more about Norm's oversight failings at the Norm Coleman Weasel Meter's Oversight page.