This is a collection of TV clips about Al Franken’s failure to pay workers’ comp insurance. Bill O’Reilly of FOXNews labeled Franken “a pinhead.” Dan Abrams of MSNBC called Franken “our big loser of the day.” It’s been a tough week for Team Franken.

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

This time it's Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer. Just two days after Al Franken was reported to have an unpaid $25,000 judgment in the state of New York, Nelson-Pallmeyer's campaign reported that it hadn't covered its employees.

Campaign manager Chris McNellis says Nelson-Pallmeyer didn't have full-time employees until the fourth quarter of last year. McNellis, who recently took over as campaign manager, says she mistakenly thought the company that handled their payroll was taking care of workers' comp." Source: Associated Press, March 7, 2008

Click here for the complete story. 

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

'Had they gotten the notices, you know they would have paid them,' McIntosh said. 'The Republicans were going to jump on this eventually, so it wouldn't have been politically expedient [for the Frankens] to wait for that to happen.'

Franken, Nelson-Pallmeyer and Ciresi are vying for the DFL Party endorsement to challenge Republican Sen. Norm Coleman. The insurance dispute was first reported Tuesday on the Minnesota Democrats Exposed website, run by Republican blogger Michael Brodkorb." Source: Star Tribune, March 6, 2008

Click here for the complete story. 

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

The news came as Al Franken's corporation agreed Thursday to pay a $25,000 penalty to New York state for failing to carry workers' comp insurance from 2002 to 2005.

The campaign said the accountant for Alan Franken Inc. will continue to investigate why the lapse occurred.

'We decided to make the payment and the accountant can deal with the files,' which promises to be a complicated and detailed process, said Jess McIntosh, a spokeswoman for the Franken campaign." Source: Star Tribune, March 6, 2008

Click here for the complete story. 

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

'This is a classic case of them saying, 'Let's deflect the attention from Al's workers' compensation problem to something else,'  Sandberg said. 'Look, he's got a lot of union support. Workers' compensation is a key issue to working people. This is a serious matter. He needs to be responding directly to it.'

The matter Sandberg is referring to is the $25,000 fine Franken paid to the state of New York Thursday for failing to carry workers' compensation insurance for employees of his corporation, Alan Franken Inc. The state of New York says it began sending Franken notices of his obligations in April 2005 but never received responses.

Franken's campaign has said that the candidate's accountant will continue to look into the matter and that Franken denies there was ever an attempt to evade responsibility. If the state proves to have been wrong, the fine presumably would be refunded" Source: MinnPost, March 6, 2008

Click here for the complete story. 

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

This video was shot of Al Franken in September during a DFL debate at Augsburg. Franken said “I’m a corporation, I employ a bunch of people.” Franken also said “I love corporations that play by the rules, and we have to make them play by the rules.”

Alan Franken Inc. clearly did not play by the rules or the law, as Franken’s corporation was fined $25,000 for failure to pay workers’ compensation insurance.

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

"Al Franken now says he will finally pay the $25,000 he owes for breaking the state of New York’s workers' compensation law.  Franken still hasn't given Minnesotans an explanation for his law breaking, and simply writing out a check for $25,000 and hoping the issue goes away isn't going to cut it.  Average Minnesotans who play by the rules, follow the laws and accept responsibility for their actions demand some answers. Given Franken's refusal to address his law breaking, and his efforts to pretend he knew nothing about this issue, today I filed a Freedom of Information request with the state of New York to try and get some answers.”

Please read the complete release after the page break.
 

  March 6, 2008

Records Access Officer

New York State Workers' Compensation Board

20 Park Street, Room 401

Albany, New York 12207

Dear Sir or Madam:

I am writing to request the following records under New York State’s Freedom of Information Law.  

For the period January 1, 2002 – present, please provide all correspondence, both internal and external (e-mail, fax, letters, copies of registered letter receipts), between the state of New York’s Workers’ Compensation Board and Alan Franken Inc.

Thank you for your assistance in this matter. 

Sincerely,

Ron Carey

Chairman, Republican Party of Minnesota 

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

Click here for the complete story. 

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

Franken was fined for not carrying the insurance for three years. The judgment was entered more than a year ago, but Franken's campaign says he didn't find out about it until this week, after it was reported by a blogger." Source:  Associated Press, March 6, 2008

Click here for the complete story. 

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

Franken moved back to Minnesota, the state he grew up in, in 2005. Notices were reportedly sent beginning that year.

Spokeswoman Jess McIntosh said the company penalized, Alan Franken Inc., comprised only Franken and his wife, Franni, but occasionally hired a couple workers." Source: The Hill, March 5, 2008

Click here for the complete story. 

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

According to a dedicated reader of Minnesota Democrats Exposed, numerous comments have been left today on various MN Publius' posts about the legal problems that were recently uncovered about Al Franken.  According to my source, the comments were quickly erased by the bloggers behind MN Publius.

Tonight I spoke with Zack Stephenson from MN Publius, who confirmed the comments had been deleted.  Zack claimed the comments had been deleted "by mistake" by another blogger from MN Publius and that a comment would be left on MN Publius disclosing the erasure.  

I'll remind the readers of Minnesota Democrats Exposed, that a former blogger for MN Publius works for Franken's campaign.  I find it rather interesting that other nasty personal comments are allowed to be published on MN Publius, but comments about Al Franken's legal troubles are quickly deleted.

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

"Campaign spokesman Andy Barr said that neither Franken nor his wife, Franni, were aware of the matter before Tuesday. They have lived in Minneapolis for the past few years and did not know about the state's attempts to reach them in New York City, he said." Source: Star Tribune, March 4, 2008

Click here for the complete story.

Franken didn't move to Minnesota until late 2005/early 2006.  Franken was still living in New York when the notices were being sent to him that he needed to provide workers' compensation for his corporation's employees.

"The Workers' Compensation Board began sending Franken notices in April 2005 after discovering that the insurance hadn't been paid for nearly three years.

Officials first sought an explanation. Receiving no response, they sent a penalty notice to Franken in June 2005 that outlined rights to appeal.

The state then turned to a collection agency to reach Franken. When that didn't work, the state tried again in July 2006. Penalty statements were sent in August and December of 2006 and March 2007, Keegan said.

The judgment was finally entered against Franken in May 2007, and another notice sent by certified mail to his Manhattan apartment. Since then, Keegan said, three more statements have been sent — the most recent in January — without response."  Source: Star Tribune, March 4, 2008

Click here for the complete story.

Is Franken claiming that the U.S Postal service lost the notices?  

The Republican Party of Minnesota's press release asked a series of questions that Franken needs to answer. I'll have more on this story later today on Minnesota Democrats Exposed.   

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

"Al Franken's story is full of holes.  The truth is clear: Franken willfully violated the law by refusing to pay workers’ compensation to his employees and repeatedly failing to respond to a government agency.  It is past time Franken stopped hiding behind his campaign spin doctors and answer some basic questions for Minnesotans about his own corporation," Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Ron Carey said.

Chairman Carey called on Franken to answer the following:

1.  According to New York state officials, Franken was repeatedly notified that he was in violation of state law regarding workers’ compensation beginning in April 2005, including notification by certified mail.  Is Franken maintaining that neither he, his family, his attorneys nor other representatives were ever aware of this violation of the law?

2.  These violations occurred when Franken was CEO of Alan Franken Incorporated, not as a candidate for Senate.  Why will Franken not personally answer these charges by the state of New York? 

3.  After leaving Manhattan and beginning his radio in Minnesota in January 2006, did Franken have his mail from New York forwarded his to his home in Minneapolis and who received mail at his residence in New York?

4.  Does Franken really think Minnesotans will believe his story that the Workers Compensation Board was incapable of reaching him to let him know about this violation of New York law?

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

The New York Workers' Compensation Board levied the fine against Alan Franken Inc. in August 2006 for failure to carry the insurance from June 2002 to March 2005.

Brian Keegan, a board spokesman, said a number of notices were sent to the address the New York agency had listed for Franken, but the television personality and political commentator didn't become aware of the fine until Tuesday, said his campaign spokesman, Andy Barr.

'If there's a mistake by the Frankens it was an inadvertent mistake as opposed to trying to evade the law,' Barr said.

The fine was reported recently by Minnesota Democrats Exposed, a Web site sympathetic to incumbent Republican Sen. Norm Coleman, whom Franken is seeking to unseat in November." Source: Associated Press, March 5, 2008

Click here for the complete story. 

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

Officials first sought an explanation. Receiving no response, they sent a penalty notice to Franken in June 2005 that outlined rights to appeal.

The state then turned to a collection agency to reach Franken. When that didn't work, the state tried again in July 2006. Penalty statements were sent in August and December of 2006 and March 2007, Keegan said.

The judgment was finally entered against Franken in May 2007, and another notice sent by certified mail to his Manhattan apartment. Since then, Keegan said, three more statements have been sent — the most recent in January — without response.

The Frankens bought a townhouse in Minneapolis in April 2005. Barr said that the corporation relocated to Minneapolis in January 2006." Source: Star Tribune, March 4, 2008

Click here for the complete story.

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

Click here for the complete story.

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

New York officials have made numerous attempts to contact Franken about the matter since April 2005 but have gotten no reply.

Campaign spokesman Andy Barr said that neither Franken nor his wife, Franni, were aware of the matter before Tuesday. They have lived in Minneapolis for the past few years and did not know about the state's attempts to reach them in New York City, he said.

'If it's wrong, they will pay what they owe,' Barr said.

'It's also possible that there's some kind of dispute that may be resolved in our favor,' Bar continued. 'This is, at worst, some kind of misunderstanding between [the Frankens'] bookkeeping system and the state's.'

News of Franken's penalty was reported Tuesday in the Minnesota Democrats Exposed website run by Republican blogger Michael Brodkorb." Source: Star Tribune, March 4, 2008

Click here for the complete story. 

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

I will add that during a U.S. Senate debate that I attended back on September 30, 2007, Franken said "I'm a corporation, I employ a bunch of people." Franken also said "I love corporations that play by the rules, and we have to make them play by the rules."

The facts are that whether you have one, ten, or 1000 employees, the rules are the rules: you have to pay for workers' compensation insurance.  Alan Franken Inc. was a corporation that was required to provide workers' compensation insurance and according to the State of New York, he didn't.

Please check back to Minnesota Democrats Exposed for more information on this developing story.

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

"Al Franken is at it again.  While he demands that others play by the rules, he again proves there’s one set of rules for Al Franken and another set of rules for everybody else.  Franken and his campaign will try to hide behind technicalities to explain why he refused to pay workers compensation premiums.  At the end of the day, it's the kind of double-speak Franken's been using throughout his campaign.  He owes those labor unions that endorsed him an explanation for his unwillingness to play by the rules that were established to protect working men and women."

###

Read the documentation here:

http://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/iscroll/SQLData.jsp?IndexNo=403616-2007#

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

Al Franken, who has scored an impressive series of union endorsements in his campaign for the Senate, probably didn't mention a little issue he had going on while he was still living and working and enjoying his life as a New York resident.  Of course, mentioning this problem while screening with Minnesota's labor unions probably wasn't a good strategy for Team Franken.

That is, the $25,000 judgment against him for absolutely, positively refusing to pay workers compensation insurance.

According to public court documents, the State of New York Workers' Compensation Board filed a $25,000 judgment in the Supreme Court of the State of New York against Alan Franken Inc, for "Failure to Carry Workers' Comp Ins 6/29/2002-03/28/2005." 

Public records from the state of New York, list Al Franken as "Chairman or Chief Executive Officer" of Alan Franken Inc.

The $25,000 judgment filed against Alan Franken Inc., was filed on May 29, 2007 – over four months after Franken announced he was running for the U.S. Senate in Minnesota.

Franken had time to resolve this matter before the judgement was filed, as on August 8, 2006, Alan Franken Inc was issued a "Final Notice" from the State of New York Workers' Compensation Board for "Failure to Carry Workers' Comp Ins 6/29/2002-03/28/2005." Public records indicate that no payment was made.

Franken's website claims he'll "fight to preserve the integrity of our occupational safety and prevailing wage laws."  Not carrying workers' compensation insurance certainly isn't protecting or preserving labor laws.

Personal financial disclosure forms filed with the U.S. Senate on May 15, 2007, show that Franken was paid over $1 million by Alan Franken Inc., yet according to public information, Franken didn't provide workers' comp insurance.

Franken continues to play fast and loose with the truth about the New York Al Franken.  The Minnesota Al Franken tries to be everyone's friend and is nice and plays by the rules.  

The New York Al Franken is the one that couldn't be bothered with paying his workers' compensation insurance — supports massive state gas tax increases on Minnesotans — who undermines Minnesota's ethanol and agricultural industry — and who verbally attacks Minnesota college students.

Please check back to Minnesota Democrats Exposed for more information on this developing story.

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman. 

"'Al is taking this campaign seriously, and if he uses humor, it will only be in the service of talking about the very serious reasons he is running for the Senate,' Franken spokesman Andy Barr said." Source: Associated Press, February 28, 2008

Click here for the complete story. 

Was Franken using his humor responsibly when he mocked a college student's manner of speaking?

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

During a recent visit to International Falls, DFL U.S. Senate candidate Al Franken sought to dramatically reinvent himself. Given his long history of extreme and nasty name calling, I would advise all readers of this newspaper to be very wary of Franken’s election year rhetoric.
To be sure, the kind of ugly attacks politics long practiced by Franken are without precedent in Minnesota political history. As chairman of the Republican Party of Minnesota and a long-time participant in the traditional give and take of politics, I can say with certainty that we have never seen anything like this before.

For years, Franken has made millions attacking those with whom he disagrees in unusually harsh language. He has lashed out at Republicans as 'shameless (expletive deleted),' 'right-wing mother(expletive deleted),' and repeatedly joked about the hypothetical murder and execution of members of the current administration. Franken has also demeaned former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft as 'something of a nutcase' and savaged a presidential advisor as 'human filth.'

While Franken continues trying to reinvent himself this year with millions of dollars in television ads funded largely by out of state contributors, even prominent Democrats have taken notice of his mean streak. Democrat Mike Ciresi has noted that 'Al Franken has made a living calling people names.'" Source: International Falls, February 28, 2008

Click here for the complete letter. 

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

Michael Brodkorb, who operates Minnesota Democrats Exposed (MDE), has meticulously documented Franken's blunders, from his statement that 'Republicans are shameless dicks' to his gay jokes to his tendency to pull out of debates.

MDE has clearly gotten under Franken's thin skin. The comic has personally responded to the muckraking and his campaign has attempted to stop negative material from being posted.

Brodkorb believes that his blog is doing some good through its 'presentation of the jokes that Al Franken has said about Republicans, Independent[s] and any other constituency. [Franken] has said some…over-the-top things and my blog is holding him accountable to that.'" Source: The American Spectator, February 25, 2008

Click here for the complete article. 

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

Ciresi last year promised not to run in the primary if he fails to get the party's endorsement at the convention, although he said he might reconsider if the campaign calendar was changed. Since then, the Legislature moved up party caucuses from March to February.

But Sandberg said Friday that nothing has changed. 'He will abide by the endorsement,' she said." Source: Star Tribune, February 22, 2008

Click here for the complete story.

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

Click here for the complete story.

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

"DFL Senate candidate Mike Ciresi, a multimillionaire attorney, is lending his campaign $2 million to 'build on the momentum' demonstrated in a recent poll, campaign officials said Friday." Source: Star Tribune, February 22, 2008

Click here for the complete story. 

Ciresi told the Associated Press in February 2007 that he wouldn't self-fund his campaign: 

"WASHINGTON (AP) _ Attorney Mike Ciresi, who put nearly $5 million of his own money into his 2000 U.S. Senate race, said Monday he wasn't planning to self-fund again in his 2008 bid. 'No, we'll raise the money,' Ciresi said in a telephone interview. 'I think it's a better way to go.'" Source: Associated Press, February 12, 2007

Please check back to Minnesota Democrats Exposed tomorrow for more information on this developing story.

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

"If a fight breaks out at Bally's on Saturday, there’s always this consolation: Comedian and Senate candidate Al Franken is scheduled to give the keynote address." Source: Las Vegas Sun, February 21, 2008

Click here for complete story.

Team Franken is sure getting cocky.

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

I wasn't surprised when a far left publication like the Enterprise had gushing praise for a loser like Al Franken.

And you are right about one thing; he’s never been a comedian so there is nothing funny about the foul-mouthed little clown. Franken hides behind his "comedian" status to use some of the most vulgar language possible in talking about the president, Republicans and anyone who disagrees with him in general. Another thing about this little gutter-talker is that he’s largely financed by his far left friends in Hollywood.

And like Hillary Clinton, Franken's nothing more than a carpet-bagger. How much time, before he decided to run for the Senate, did he really spend in Minnesota ?

Would you people on the left allow a Republican candidate to use the foul language that Franken uses, say to describe someone like Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama? Of course you wouldn't. You'd cry bloody murder.

But you’re right about one thing; Minnesota is a strange state. It elected goofballs like Ventura and Wellstone. And in this state, even the Republicans lean to the left. Remember Arnie Carlson?

Tom Kovach

Nevis

Source: Park Rapids Enterprise, February 16, 2008 

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

My sources contend that Team Franken had concerns about the potential moderator of the debate, former 3rd CD DFL candidate Wendy Wilde. Apparently, Wilde and Franken have had a strained professional relationship since Wilde ran for Congress in 2006.

Team Franken has a history of pulling out of debates.  Back in October, Team Franken pulled out of a scheduled U.S. Senate debate honoring the late U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone.

Please check back to Minnesota Democrats Exposed for more information on this developing story. 

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

Unfortunately for Franken, I don’t think most Minnesotans are going to respond well to his unprecedented history of extreme and mean-spirited name calling. In his many writings and media appearances, Franken has called Republicans every name in the book, including 'shameless [expletive deleted],' 'right-wing mother[expletive deleted]' and '[expletive deleted] morons.' Franken has also referred to former Secretary of State James Baker as a 'lying scumbag' and mocked World War II veteran Bob Dole over his war wounds by likening him to the one-armed murderer in the movie, 'The Fugitive.' In addition, Franken has expressed 'hate' for President Bush and joked about executing members of his administration.

With that kind of harsh track record, Minnesotans should not be surprised that Franken's vitriolic personal attacks have continued during his campaign for the U.S. Senate.

Most recently, the Star Tribune reported that Franken mocked a conservative college student at Northfield’s Carleton College over the student’s manner of speaking and nervous habits. Most damaging for Franken, the conservative student's account of Franken’s behavior was verified by the chair of the Carleton College Democrats. Given Franken's complete inability to interact in a cordial way with a college student, Minnesotans may rightly wonder how such an individual will be able to work across party lines for the good of the state.

Even Democrats have taken note of Franken’s penchant for slash and burn politics, negative personal attacks and tendency to go too far with his strident rhetoric. DFL State Sen. Tom Bakk has called Franken 'too negative.' Democrat U.S. Senate candidate Mike Ciresi has noted that, 'Al Franken has made a living calling people names.'

Former Democratic State Senate Leader Allan Spear has said, 'I just think there are a lot of things Al Franken has said over the years that are going to sound harsh and they're going to sound in some cases outrageous.' Source: Hutchinson Leader, February 14, 2008

Click here for the complete commentary from MN GOP Chairman Ron Carey. 

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

This is a video clip of Al Franken admitting that he doesn't start out talking about gay marriage when he campaigns in greater Minnesota. As I wrote yesterday, it will be interesting to see which Al Franken comes to your town. Is it the Al Franken who's not afraid to talk about gay marriage, or is it the Al Franken who won't talk about gay marriage?

This post isn’t about the politics of gay marriage (as Franken does talk about gay marriage later in the video), but rather Franken admitting that he hides his positions from voters, depending on the audience.

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

Franken Last Night:

"Anyone who tells you that he knows how we're going to get out [of Iraq], exactly how, is either kidding you or kidding themselves.”   (International Falls DFL Senate Candidate Forum, February 11, 2008)

Franken Last Week:

"There's no great way out of Iraq, we know that.  And anyone who tells you that they know exactly how we're going to do this, is either lying to themselves, or to you.” (Al Franken in Park Rapids, February 1, 2008)

WATCH VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc0dh4wwCAg

Flashback: Franken Acknowledged Supporting The War “Because Of The WMDs”:

"Franken said the Bush administration misled the country when they argued Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. 'I supported the war when we went because of the WMDs," he said. "It is one thing for a president to lie about sex — it is another thing to lie about why we are sending our men and women in harm's way. This administration failed in so many ways on this war.'" (Mathew Sanders, "Franken shares political perspective at LSU," The Reveille, March 10, 2004)

Franken Has Also Claimed He Was "Agnostic On The War" Before It Started:

"I was agnostic on the war. I was convinced from Colin Powell’s testimony they did have weapons of mass destruction. But since then obviously we’ve learned that that isn't, wasn't, what’s the word? True.  It wasn’t true. Looking at it, I think it’s actually clear that we were misled."    ("Hardball," MSNBC, February 20, 2004)

Flashback: Franken Spoke Out Against Cutting Off Funds:

Franken: "We'll cut funds is the bluntest instrument, where you are undercutting our troops in the field, no one is going to do that."  "(Al Franken Show," Air America Radio, November 29, 2006)

Franken Now For Cutting Off Funds:

Franken: "I think you make the President cutoff funding for the troops. I mean, I think…you see, I think that…" Question: "There's definitely a lot of Democrats that are just not willing to bite that bullet, so to speak." Franken: "I think by then they will be. I think they heard."  (Talking Points Memo Website, June 14, 2007, http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/014615.php)

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

This is a video clip of Al Franken speaking in Park Rapids on February 1, 2008.  Franken says "there's no great way out of Iraq, we know that.  And anyone who tells you that they know exactly how we're going to do this, is either lying to themselves, or to you." 

Lying?  Really? Is Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer "lying?" Is Mike Ciresi "lying?" Is Hillary Clinton "lying?" Is Barack Obama "lying?"

If you're a candidate running for office with a plan to leave Iraq, Franken is calling you a liar. Please check back to Minnesota Democrats Exposed throughout the day for updates on this developing story.

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

I encourage the numerous Democrats who read Minnesota Democrats Exposed to watch the new video about Franken that I will be posting tomorrow morning.

'Al Franken has made a living calling people names,' Ciresi said in an interview.

Democrats see a strong opportunity this year to unseat Republican Sen. Norm Coleman, hoping to drag him down with his support for unpopular Bush administration policies, particularly the war in Iraq. Coleman got elected in 2002 after Democratic Sen. Paul Wellstone was killed in a plane crash, and many Democrats still feel the seat is rightfully theirs.

The Republicans have appeared nearly as eager to take on Franken. For months, the state GOP and right-wing bloggers have exhumed dozens of edgy jokes, off-color remarks and sarcastic asides from Franken's long career as a comedian, writer and radio broadcaster. In a fundraising letter in October, the Coleman campaign asked donors for help in running against the 'vitriolic, partisan comedian' with a 'long history of fringe-left rhetoric and bitter partisan attacks.'

Talk like that has some Democrats worried.

'I just think there are a lot of things Al Franken has said over the years that are going to sound harsh and they're going to sound in some cases outrageous,' said Allan Spear, former state Senate president and a Ciresi supporter. 'I'm afraid we're going to end up with a campaign in which the focus is on Al Franken's record rather than Norm Coleman's record.'" Source: Associated Press, February 11, 2008

Click here for the complete story. 

###

The title of this article from the AP is "Al Franken's Democratic rival in Minnesota insists the comedian isn't electable."

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

"Coleman's office challenged Franken's assertions on Monday, saying Coleman has helped increase federal funding for veterans programs by 67 percent between 2003 and this year through 29 votes of support. That amounts to an increase of $25 billion.

'If Al Franken worked as hard at being honest about Norm Coleman's record as he does in misrepresenting it, Minnesotans might take him a bit more seriously,' said Tom Erickson, a Coleman associate." Source: Hutchinson Leader, February 10, 2008

Click here for the complete story. 

Coleman's campaign had created a page on their website labeled "TRUTH" which gives readers "nothing but the facts about Norm." Click here to read Team Coleman's response to Team Franken's distortion about Coleman's record about veterans.

Team Franken is the most dishonest campaign (Al Franken is the most dishonest candidate) that has ever run in Minnesota.  I'll have more on Team Franken's dishonesty later this week on Minnesota Democrats Exposed.

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

The Enterprise’s editors are right: comedian Al Franken's 'candidacy (is) nothing to laugh at.' In fact, Minnesotans should be downright concerned that Franken wants to represent them in Washington (editorial, Feb. 7).

Al Franken has made millions of dollars by spewing hateful and divisive rhetoric against his political opponents. The book deals and radio show may be on hold, but the mean-spirited behavior remains the same.

Just last month, Franken berated a conservative student at Carleton College with whom he disagreed. After taunting the student for his manner of speaking and his nervous habits, Franken would not even accept a friendly handshake from the student.

Perhaps Franken left his Minnesota Nice manners back in New York City, where he lived for the past 30 years, before moving to Minnesota for his Senate bid.

The comedian hides behind the term 'satirist,' using it as a shield when Minnesotans are offended. You really can’t blame him. Franken’s ugly, profanity- laced attacks aren’t fit to be printed in a newspaper and his jokes about rape and abortion go beyond what most people consider to be funny, let alone fitting behavior for a senator." Source: Park Rapids Enterprise, February 9, 2008

Click here for the complete letter. 

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

This is the new webvideo released by U.S. Senator Norm Coleman’s campaign about Al Franken’s position on raising the gas tax.

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

Up until today's debate Franken has been an ardent supporter of increasing the gas tax. Recently, he has been attempting to say he doesn't support a federal gas tax increase, only an increase in the state gas tax. Today, in the span of less than two minutes, Franken endorsed a higher gas tax.  Then unendorsed it.  Then he endorsed it again.

All on the same show!

"Al Franken wants to try to confuse the issue.  He says he wants to keep a federal gas tax increase on the table, but doesn't want to increase it at the federal level — just on the state level.  This is patently absurd and an insult," said Cullen Sheehan, Coleman Campaign Manager. "Every Minnesotan knows that a 5 to 10 cent gas tax increase, whether it is on the federal gas tax or state gas tax is still a tax increase!. While Franken calls on more taxes for hard working Minnesotans, Norm Coleman opposes making the middle class tax burden more difficult.  He outright opposes any gas tax increase. Period."

The webvideo can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vRJ2OWmGms.

Webvideo Transcript:

Cathy Wurzer: "Al Franken?" Franken: "Well I would certainly keep it on the table and I think we should do it here in Minnesota." (TPT 'Almanac', August 24, 2007)

Franken: "And I think certainly in this state we need to increase the gas tax. We haven't had an increase in the gas tax in 20 years. And I'm in favor of at least a five to ten cent tax increase. And the fluctuation of gas prices is that everyday anyway, I don't think people would notice it so much." (TwinWest Chamber Candidate Forum, October 5, 2007)

Tom Hauser: "Al Franken is non-committal on raising the federal gas tax for transportation funding." Franken: "I'd keep it on the table but I wouldn't favor that."  ("DFL Senate Candidates Face Facts," KSTP-TV, February 7, 2008

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

Ciresi's Betty McCollum ad talks about Ciresi's opposition to the war and Ciresi went after Franken on the war in the most recent MPR debate. In a preview of Sunday's KSTP debate (taped today), Ciresi again goes after Franken for supporting the war in Iraq:

"The candidates also had differences on the Iraq war.

'Al's been all over the map on this one. First he was in favor of the war. Then he wasn't in favor of a peace conference, now he is. This is about judgement,' Ciresi said." Source: KSTP, February 8, 2008

Click here for the complete story.  

KSTP's debate will air on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. Please check back to Minnesota Democrats Exposed on Sunday for reaction to the debate.

'Clearly, that's going to be a June event, not a March event,' Latimer said, referring to the DFL's June state convention in Rochester." Source: City Hall Scoop, February 7, 2008

Click here for the complete post. 

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

"This is Al Franken being fundamentally dishonest with the people of Minnesota about his position on increasing the gas tax" said Cullen Sheehan, Campaign Manager. "During these tough economic times, the last thing Minnesota needs is higher gas prices or politicians who have the nerve to say that Minnesotans wouldn’t notice a hefty hike in prices at the pump. That's an insult to Minnesotans, especially to the middle class families who are facing economic challenges every day."

The debate will air in its entirety at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, February 10 on KSTP-TV.

Franken's Gas Tax Timeline: 

Franken Supports Gas Tax Increase In Minnesota: Franken: “Well I would certainly keep it on the table and I think we should do it here in Minnesota.” (TPT 'Almanac', August 24, 2007) 

Franken Doesn’t Think Minnesotans Will Notice Increase: Franken: “And I think certainly in this state we need to increase the gas tax. We haven’t had an increase in the gas tax in 20 years. And I’m in favor of at least a five to ten cent tax increase. And the fluctuation of gas prices is that everyday anyway. I don’t think people would notice it so much.” (TwinWest Chamber Candidate Forum, October 5, 2007)  

Franken Reversal On Gas Tax: "Al [Franken] was non-committal on raising the federal gas tax for transportation funding. 'I'd keep it on the table but I wouldn't favor that,' [Franken] said."  ("DFL Senate Candidates Face Facts," KSTP-TV, February 7, 2008)

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

Attention all Macalester students:  If you care about your conservative friends, please warn them to not accidentally drop by comedian Al Franken’s campus appearance tonight! During one of his last trips to a college campus, Franken verbally abused and mocked Carleton College student Peter Fritz because he respectfully disagreed with Franken’s liberal political views.

According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune: "Franken reportedly began peppering [Peter] Fritz with questions about supporting President Bush and former President Ronald Reagan's tax increases. Fritz told me that he got tense and, as he does in those situations, started chewing the inside of his mouth, a gesture he said was mimicked by Franken; Fritz said he also thought that Franken mocked his style of speech.” (“C.J.: Doggone it! Where is Stuart Smalley when Franken needs him?” Star Tribune, Jan. 24, 2008)

"We're going to go ahead and warn Macalester conservatives or any students who hold different political opinions than Mr. Franken to stay away from the appearance for their own peace of mind," said Cullen Sheehan, campaign manager. "We’re hoping that this warning will save any intellectually curious and politically engaged Macalester students from assuming that they will be able to have a dignified and respectful discussion with Al Franken. It's clear that Al Franken is open to differences of opinion — as long as they agree with him!"

This "Severe Franken Warning" has been issued by Coleman for Senate specifically for the Macalester College Democrats meeting tonight at 10:00 p.m. 

Disclaimer: This is intended to be “satire” and should not be taken, in any way, to be, uh, serious!

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

The worst part of all of this is that the young man tried to get through an uncomfortable situation by having the class to try to shake Franken’s hand and basically say, 'Hey, no hard feelings.' Instead, Franken refused to shake his hand." Source: Winona Daily News, February 7, 2008

Click here for the complete letter. 

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

Click here for the complete editorial.

###

This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.