The Scoop just got the letter Legislative Auditor Jim Nobles sent to St. Paul City Attorney John Choi announcing the case against Sonia Pitt is closed.

Pitt, you'll recall, was ousted from MnDOT as emergency manager after she was nearly AWOL following the I-35W bridge collapse.

Here's the letter.

The Scoop found it odd -- statistically dubious even -- that no one from St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman's cabinet would be a representative of Democrat Al Franken during the upcoming Senate recount.

Franken and Republican U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman are so close a hand recount is mandatory.

Chris Coleman is one of Franken's biggest boosters. But alas, no Coleman staffer dispatched? Then the Scoop remembered that blood is thicker than political patronage. And there it was.

Connie Coleman, the mayor's wife, and her father Dan, a fixture in the mayor's 2005 campaign, will observe Ramsey County recounts.

St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, hoping for a Powerball winner for his city and the Ford plant in the form of a check from Uncle Sam, is backing an auto industry bailout package in D.C.

A few minutes ago, Coleman sent the following letter to U.S. Sens. Norm Coleman and Amy Klobuchar and U.S. Rep. Bettty McCollum.

Here it is.

This morning the left-leaning Alliance for Better Minnesota called on the FBI and the Senate Select Committee on Ethics to investigate Republican U.S. Sen Norm Coleman re: lawsuits alleging his friend Nasser Kazeminy tried to steer $100,000 his way.

Big surprise.

The Scoop wasn't sure that really made news -- until Coleman responded (paraphrased): Bring it on!

Here's Coleman's response:

“As another Democratic group that spent millions of dollars attempting to defeat me calls for a politically motivated investigation, I want to be clear that I not only welcome such an investigation, but I am eager to have it move forward immediately. The fact that a United States Senator is being used as a tool of extortion by private parties should be of concern to all Minnesotans. I reiterate that none of the allegations which attempt to besmirch my family’s good name and reputation are true. This investigation should move forward, and it is my hope that those who were behind this matter, their motives and what their connections may be to my political opponents be reviewed aggressively by the appropriate authorities and the media. This matter, which has emerged again as a result of the tactics of my political opponents, during a recount, ought to raise even further suspicions in the minds of Minnesotans as to its motives and purposes."

Here's the statement from Alliance for Better Minnesota Executive Director Denise Cardinal, as read a short while ago by spokesman Donald McFarland:

"Alliance for a Better Minnesota Calls on Congress, FBI for Coleman Ethics Investigation Saint Paul, MN – Alliance for a Better Minnesota (ABM) a grassroots lobbying and online organizing group that works with progressive organizations, is calling on the Senate Select Committee on Ethics to look into allegations made in a lawsuit filing that U.S. Senator Norm Coleman had accepted cash gifts totaling $75,000. ABM is also asking the Minneapolis Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to look into the matter, which according to court documents, alleges Nasser Kazeminy – a Coleman donor and close friend – fraudulently ordered the payment of corporate funds that were not legitimate transactions. These are serious allegations. With all of the news media covering these lawsuits, which state that money was funneled to Norm Coleman, we need to know what actually happened. There should be a thorough and formal investigation. Minnesotans deserve to know the truth.

ABM is also providing Minnesotans the chance to sign a petition to show the FBI and the Senate Select Committee on Ethics support for the investigation by visiting: http://pnmn.bluestatedigital.com/page/petition/Investigatenorm

St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman left for China and Japan this morning, leading a privately funded delegation with his arts and culture guy, Joe Spencer, as part of the sister-cities program.

The tab is being picked up by Capitol City Partnership.

They'll hook up with brass from 3M and Delta (nee Northwest) Airlines and check out high-speed rail.

If you've been living under a rock for a while, Nasser Kazeminy is the longtime friend and benefactor of U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman who is accused in two lawsuits of attempting to funnel $100,000 to Coleman through Coleman's wife's employer. Coleman has issued blanket denials.

Kazeminy has refused interviews but has tasked crisis communications guru Amy Rotenberg with speaking publicly.

Here's what Rotenberg has sent out:

STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF MR. NASSER KAZEMINY

November 8, 2008

Amy Rotenberg, spokesperson for Mr. Nasser Kazeminy, issues the following statement:

Mr. Kazeminy is a man of honesty, integrity and good reputation.  As a private citizen, he has always valued his privacy and never sought the limelight.   Yet, Mr. Kazeminy contributes in myriad ways to America, and to his beloved Minnesota community where he raised his family and grew his businesses.  

As current Chairman of the Board of the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (“NECO”), an organization dedicated to celebrating the diversity of America, advocating for positive change in the present, and building the strong leaders for thefuture, Mr. Kazeminy has focused his charitable and humanitarian work on children and orphanages, cancer treatment, drug rehabilitation and education.  

Mr. Kazeminy vehemently denies the false and baseless claims made against him in recent weeks.  He declined to comment publicly on these attacks and lawsuits prior to Tuesday’s election out of profound respect for the election process. He waited for the election to be over in order that his statements would not be perceived as “electioneering.”

Independent counsel has been retained by the independent directors of Deep Marine Technologies, LLC to investigate the claims, but is being hampered by the refusal of some minority shareholders to cooperate with the investigation.

Mr. Kazeminy has always been an exemplary individual and corporate citizen and is deeply offended by these false and reckless claims made by those seeking money.  It is his hope that when all inquiry is completed, the facts are known, and the lawsuit eventually dismissed, the truth will be as prominently reported as have been these false claims.

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