TPMMuckraker
FBI: December 2008

Report: FBI Probing Charges In Kazeminy/Coleman Suit

Zachary Roth | December 10, 2008, 9:12AM

The FBI is looking into the allegations against Nasser Kazeminy, a close friend and supporter of Minnesota senator Norm Coleman, reports the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

The paper reports: "Agents with the FBI have talked to or made efforts to talk to people in Texas familiar with the allegations, according to a source familiar with the situation."

The lawsuit, filed by the former CEO of a company owned by Kazeminy, alleges, among other things, that Kazeminy tried to use the company, Deep Marine Technologies, to pass money to Coleman via an insurance company that employed the senator's wife.

Coleman's campaign, which is in the midst of a recount against Democrat Al Franken to decide the fate of Coleman's seat, released the following statement last night:

"We are not aware of any investigation that is under way, nor have we been contacted by any agency with respect to this matter. As we have said repeatedly, we welcome any investigation of these lawsuits by the appropriate authorities to get to the bottom of these baseless, sleazy and politically inspired allegations.

That denial -- which Coleman's Senate office had declined to offer to TPMmuckraker despite repeated calls -- would appear to rule out the possibility of Coleman having been contacted by Senate ethics investigators, though there may be wiggle room in the wording. A Minnesota good government group last month called on both the FBI and the Senate to launch probes.

The FBI, contacted by the Pioneer-Press, did not confirm or deny the existence of the investigation.

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Topics: FBI, Nasser Kazeminy, Norm Coleman

FBI

Blago To FBI: "Is This A Joke?"

Zachary Roth | December 9, 2008, 12:41PM

An FBI agent just said at a press conference that when Blagojevich was woken by a phone call from the FBI this morning, informing him that agents were coming to arrest him, he asked: "Is this a joke?"

Here's the video:

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Topics: FBI, Rod Blagojevich

Rod Blagojevich

Illinois Governor Arrested

Zachary Roth | December 9, 2008, 9:51AM

Beleaguered Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich was taken into custody by law enforcement authorities at his home this morning, reports the Tribune Company, sourcing a US Attorney's office spokesman. The governor's chief of staff, John Harris, was also arrested.

Hours earlier, the Chicago Tribune reported that the federal probe of pay-to-play politics in the Blagojevich administration had expanded to include the question whether the process of filling Barack Obama's US Senate seat -- for which the governor is responsible -- had become tainted.

Earlier this week, the same (also beleaguered!) paper reported that the feds had secretly taped Blagojevich as part of their investigation.

Yesterday, the governor told reporters: "I don't believe there's any cloud that hangs over me. I think there's nothing but sunshine hanging over me".

Late Update: Prosecutors have filed a criminal complaint.

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Topics: Barack Obama, FBI, Rod Blagojevich

Rod Blagojevich

Report: Feds Secretly Taped Blagojevich

Zachary Roth | December 5, 2008, 5:19PM

Federal agents recently worked with one of Rod Blagojevich's closest former aides to secretly tape the Illinois governor as part of a wide-ranging probe into corruption in his administration, reports the Chicago Tribune.

Says the paper:

The cooperation of John Wyma, 42, one of the state's most influential lobbyists, is the most stunning evidence yet that Blagojevich's once-tight inner circle appears to be collapsing under the pressure of myriad pay-to-play inquiries.

Wyma has made frequent appearnaces in the scandal. Adds the Tribune:

Indeed, Wyma's and the Blagojeviches' relationship has always been both personal and professional. The governor routinely reported exchanging personal gifts and often appeared at Wyma-sponsored fundraisers where Wyma's clients hobnobbed with the governor before turning over checks for his campaign fund.

Blagojevich, who will decide on Barack Obama's replacement in the U.S. Senate, has been under federal scrutiny for over three years, but has not been formally charged with wrongdoing.

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Topics: Barack Obama, FBI, Rod Blagojevich

Norm Coleman

Coleman's Office Won't Say Whether He's Under Investigation In Kazeminy Case

Zachary Roth | December 5, 2008, 3:32PM

Is Norm Coleman under investigation in connection with the claims made in a lawsuit alleging that a longtime supporter, Nasser Kazeminy, used an insurance company that employs Coleman's wife to illegally pass money to Coleman?

Could be...

Last month, a Minnesota good-government group sent letters to the FBI and the Senate ethics committee, calling on both to investigate the charges. Coleman quickly responded by declaring in a statement:

I not only welcome such an investigation, but I am eager to have it move forward immediately.

That forthright response made us wonder whether Coleman -- who currently is locked in a knife-edge recount with Democrat Al Franken to hold onto his Senate seat -- might already have been contacted by investigators, and was trying to get out ahead of the news by appearing to welcome a probe.

Both the FBI and the ethics committee have declined to provide any information about whether they're looking into Coleman.

So we've been calling Coleman's office to ask whether he's heard from investigators. In fact, in the last few weeks, we've left at least ten detailed voicemail messages for Leroy Coleman, the senator's Washington press secretary (and no relation) asking exactly that question. And we've received no response whatsoever.

Which is sort of curious. You'd assume that, had Coleman not been contacted, his press secretary would take 30 seconds to call us back and tell us that.

Draw your own conclusions...