1. gregladen
  2. Prominent Lawyer Backs Away from Coleman Recount Team

Prominent Lawyer Backs Away from Coleman Recount Team

By gregladen on November 7, 2008.

Both Norm Coleman (R, Incumbant) and Al Franken have set up legal oversight teams for the impending recount in the Minnesota Senatorial race. However, Coleman's lawyer is regisning from the team. Acorrding to the West Central Tribune Online, Coleman's campagin ...

... announced Wednesday evening that former U.S. Attorney Tom Heffelfinger, a Republican, would oversee the recount for Coleman. But Heffelfinger removed himself Thursday morning, saying he had to focus on guiding a city of St. Paul review of law enforcement practices during the Republican National Convention.

"I have realized that taking a leadership role with Sen. Coleman's recount team would interfere with my commitment to the city and the RNC inquiry," Heffelfinger said.

This, of course, raises speculation (here on this blog, by me, right now) that Heffelfinger smells dirty pool and is trying to cut his losses. This would fit the pattern of other apparent irregularities related to Coleman during this campaign, as well as Coleman's quick passive aggressive condemnation of Franken for wanting the actual votes to actually be counted so we could find out who the actual winner is.

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Al Franken
Norm Coleman
Politics

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Hefflefinger?

Coleman hired a lawyer from Harry Potter's universe?

That rationale may also just be camouflage. If there is a serious federal investigation about the $75,000 funneled to Coleman's wife, it would presumably be Hefflefinger's office doing the investigating. By removing himself from Coleman's recount team, Hefflefinger makes it less likely he would have to recuse himself from the investigation, and thus puts himself in a position to tilt the investigation in Coleman's favor.

chezjake, Hefflefinger is a former U.S. Attorney. He's the guy who famously left his office during the not-right-wing-enough attorney purge without ever knowing he'd been targeted.

Colin, you've been hearing about our elections. After Tinklenburg and Tinglestad, names around here still surprise you?

And just having thought about the fact that Rowling did that annoying thing of assigning names by characteristics, I'm now going to work very hard at forgetting I brought those two up.

Joel: There was a similar item ... real news not parody ... on NPR this morning!

I'll have to look that up. :)