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Coleman to give Stevens $ away

ST. PAUL (AP) - Republican Senator Norm Coleman is giving away $10,000 from his campaign account because it came from a political action committee tied to indicted Alaska colleague Senator Ted Stevens.

The decision comes as Coleman's Democratic challenger Al Franken begins airing a statewide radio ad highlighting ties between Coleman and Stevens.

Coleman's campaign manager says the senator will donate the money to childhood cancer research. His decision follows that of at least five other Republican senators who are shedding contributions from Stevens' Northern Lights PAC.

Stevens is accused of concealing a quarter-million dollars' worth of personal gifts from oil interests in his state.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

AP-NY-07-30-08 1618EDT