Jul 30, 2008 3:34 pm US/Central
Coleman Unloads Indicted Senator's Campaign Cash
ST. PAUL (AP) ―
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The decision comes as Coleman's Democratic challenger Al Franken begins airing a statewide radio ad highlighting ties between Coleman and Stevens. (File)
AP
Republican Sen. Norm Coleman said Wednesday he would give away $20,000 in campaign contributions because they came from a political action committee tied to indicted Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens.
The decision comes as Coleman's Democratic challenger, Al Franken, began airing a statewide radio ad highlighting ties between Coleman and Stevens.
Coleman's campaign manager Cullen Sheehan said the senator will donate the money to childhood cancer research. The specific recipients haven't been selected, a campaign official said.
His decision follows that of at least five other Republican senators who are shedding contributions from Stevens' Northern Lights PAC.
"The senator believes firmly in a presumption of innocence," Sheehan said. But the campaign didn't want the contributions to become "a distraction" in the race, he added.
Stevens is accused of concealing a quarter-million dollars' worth of personal gifts from oil interests in his state.
The $20,000 Coleman is parting with includes money from his campaign account and a leadership committee connected with him.
Coleman also received $10,000 from the Northern Lights account in his 2002 campaign. But that money has been spent already in a past election cycle, said Coleman spokesman Mark Drake.
Franken campaign spokesman Andy Barr said Coleman also needs to relinquish past contributions he received from executives for oil services contractor Veco Corp., the company that is part of the Stevens scandal. Company executives reportedly help arrange for the renovations to Stevens' house and gave him other gifts as they lobbied him for government aid.
"Until that is done we will continue to call him out for sitting on dirty money," Barr said.
The Franken radio ad mentions Coleman's trips to Alaska for invitation-only gatherings put on by Stevens.
"Minnesota shouldn't let Norm Coleman off the hook on this one," it concludes.
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Norm Coleman was born in New York City in 1949. Al Franken was born in New York City in 1951.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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