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Texas filing seeks to put off suit tied to Coleman
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ST. PAUL, Minn. - 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 then-U.S. senator.
The filing this week by attorneys representing Deep Marine Technology Inc. said the lawsuit by the company's former chief executive officer should be put on hold for at least two months. The court document said that would afford time for a special investigation commissioned by the company's board. The plaintiff's lawyer said he will oppose the request.
Among other things, former company executive Paul McKim 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 is not a party to the case.
Coleman argues the late-October lawsuit was politically timed. It rocked his race with Democratic challenger Al Franken on the final weekend.
Coleman is engaged more directly on a legal front related to the Minnesota Senate seat. He is contesting his recent 225-vote recount loss to Franken, arguing that the count was flawed because some ballots were wrongly excluded and others improperly included. The election court case could drag on for months.
In the new Texas filing, attorneys representing Deep Marine's interests also said that McKim didn't follow the proper steps for bringing his case nor has he been accessible since lodging the charges.
"Paul McKim figures prominently in the investigation, and has to date refused to cooperate in giving a deposition," the filing said.
McKim's attorney, Casey Wallace, disputed that claim. He said McKim will submit to a sworn deposition in the normal course of the court case.
Wallace said he will object to an attempt to slow the case.
"Their investigatory time has surely passed. This is not a complicated case and we don't think that anything needs to be stayed so an investigation can be conducted," Wallace said. "The investigation should have already been wrapped up."
The original lawsuit — and a second one filed by company shareholders in Delaware — accused Kazeminy of pressuring company officials to make multiple $25,000 payments to Hays Companies, a Minneapolis insurance firm that employed Laurie Coleman.
Hays officials have said the company provided risk management consulting services to Deep Marine Technology and that Laurie Coleman received no money related to those services.
The earliest the motion to put off the lawsuit will be considered is Jan. 19.
If granted, the lawyers hired to look into activities at Deep Marine would have to keep the court apprised of the progress of the probe.
But it might be up to the company's board to determine whether any findings or evidence in the internal investigation are made public.
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