News/Campaigns

Coleman’s Trial Lawyer All But Unfamiliar

For Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), his recount attorneys are all but unfamiliar.

Coleman retained attorney Joe Friedberg to represent him for his court challenge of a state board’s decision certifying the contested Minnesota Senate race in favor of Coleman’s Democratic challenger Al Franken, MinnPost reported Friday.

But this is not Friedberg’s first time working with associates of Coleman.

Friedberg is also representing Nasser Kazeminy, a Minnesota businessman accused of trying to funnel $75,000 to Coleman and his wife through his wife’s employer. Kazeminy had been sued shortly before the general election by a Dallas businessman, injecting Coleman’s campaign with negative publicity in the already charged race.

Friedberg’s work is also a family affair.

Friedberg represented Coleman’s father when he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of having sex in the parking lot of a St. Paul, Minn. pizza place.