Travelin' Norm Coleman and AIPAC

[Minnesota Raindog]

Our own Sen. Norm Coleman ranked 46th among members of Congress in the dollar amount of sponsored trips he's taken since taking office:

http://tinyurl.com/cgl9y

One of Travelin' Norm's favorite trip sponsors is the American Israeli PAC (AIPAC). You can read more about AIPAC here:

http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/newscontent.php3?artid=11977

http://www.antiwar.com/cole/?articleid=3467

http://www.antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=8441

Norm seems pretty tight with the AIPAC boys. Has anybody asked Travelin' Norm what he thinks about all this Spy vs. Spy stuff with AIPAC, and whether it involved congressional lobbying efforts? Maybe that would be something the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations could look into. Now who would be the chairman of that?

http://coleman.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Bio.Biography

[katinmn]

1. He's the #2 traveler in the Senate, just behind Biden

http://www.startribune.com/587/story/193620.html
Top 10 travelers
Last update: January 19, 2006 – 5:53 PM

IN THE SENATE Trips:
Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del. 50

Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn. 46

Sen. Paul Sarbanes, D-Md. 40

Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn. 23

Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY. 23

Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind. 23

Sen Orrin Hatch, R-Utah 22

Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho 19

Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga. 19

Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla. 18

more

http://www.wctrib.com/articles/index.cfm?id=3940§ion=News
He is #1 among Minnesota office holders
Coleman, a Minnesota Republican, led all Minnesota lawmakers in privately funded travel.

The sponsors of Coleman’s trips included Minnesota companies; state and local Republican parties; think tanks; and pro-Israel groups, among others.

[Oreo]

2. He doesn't want lobbying reform

He said yesterday without lobbyists how would Senators be able to travel to Israel.
Not an exact quote but it was close. Normie... please... just go away!

[loveable liberal]

3. Norm Coleperson ... heheehee n/t

[Spike from MN]

7. Hard to resist, isn't it? ;)

Hey Normie, I'll sponsor a trip for you but the ticket would be one-way and you can't come back.

Of course, since Timmy the Tool would get to pick your replacement, it would be somewhat of a lateral move but at least the Senate would be about 37% less smarmy. Or would that be more like 68%? Just what percent of smarminess does Normie contribute to the Senate anyway?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. How about by buying a plane ticket, like everybody else?

He has a travel budget, doesn't he? He doesn't have to rely on travel donated by lobbyists and corporations in order to go someplace, does he?

Or is it just that Normie doesn't want to have to rub shoulders with the commoners on a commercial flight, even in first class, when he can get a ride on some nice luxurious corporate Learjet or Gulfstream, accompanied only by aides and toadies?

[pyro858]

5. Coleman is another Israel First

Norm is just another one our our politicians that worry too much about Israel. Sad!

[katinmn]

6. Kick for MDE!