Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) has taken more privately funded trips than any other MN lawmaker
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WASHINGTON -- Sen. Norm Coleman took a dozen privately funded trips last year totaling more than $37,000, visiting places from Armenia to Alaska, an Associated Press review has found. Such trips would be banned under a proposal by House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill.
In fact, from 2000-2005, Norm took more privately funded trips than all but 5 other Senators.
Hey, I wonder why Smilin' Norm never joined Sen. Dayton to cosponsor the packer-ban which would support traditional small family farmers by preventing huge corporate mega-packers from owning livestock
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Hormel Foods Corp., paid $3,250 to take Coleman to Pebble Beach, Calif., so he could give a speech at the company's annual fall board retreat. Some critics have challenged corporate-funded trips as a way for businesses to curry favor with lawmakers.
Oh Norm, say it isn't so. It's okay, though, cause he wasn't golfing...
"I think these are worthwhile, positive things that make me a better senator," Coleman said in an interview Thursday. "For all of these trips, there is a good public policy reason for going." He noted that the trips were not for playing golf at expensive resorts.
Fishing is another matter though...
Coleman also traveled to Alaska with his son to attend the Kenai River Classic fishing tournament. Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, invited Coleman and picked up the $1,630 tab from Stevens' campaign. Coleman said it made sense to go so he could develop a good relationship with Stevens, an influential senior senator.
Yes, Norm, that is exactly the problem. Golfing. As long as you didn't golf, everything is just fine.