Texas filing seeks to put off suit tied to Coleman

Coleman sues over recount
Republican Norm Coleman leaves a news conference in St. Paul Tuesday afternoon, after announcing he is filing suit over the results of the recount in the U.S. Senate race. The recount numbers give his DFL opponent, Al Franken, a 225-vote lead.
MPR Photo/Curtis Gilbert

A new court filing in Texas seeks to suspend a lawsuit alleging that a friend and donor of Republican Norm Coleman tried to improperly steer money to the U.S. senator.

The filing this week by attorneys representing Deep Marine Technology says the lawsuit by the company's former chief executive officer should be put on hold for at least two months. It says that would afford time for a special investigation commissioned by the company's board.

Among other things, the former executive alleges that a Coleman benefactor sought to funnel $75,000 to the Minnesota Republican through a Minneapolis-based insurance company where Coleman's wife works. The donor, Minnesota businessman Nasser Kazeminy, is a shareholder in the Texas company.

Kazeminy has denied the allegations. Coleman has insisted that he knew nothing of any financial arrangement nor did he benefit from one. He argues the late-October lawsuit was politically timed.

Coleman is contesting his recent recount loss to Democrat Al Franken.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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