On Tuesday, the Minnesota DFL criticized Sen. Norm Coleman for accepting campaign contributions from a lobbying group that represented the military regime of Myanmar. Minnesota Monitor first reported on the contributions early Tuesday morning.

“We are calling on Senator Coleman to immediately divest himself of all contributions from DCI employees and the company’s PAC, and to donate the money to charity,” said Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez. “Senator Coleman should rid himself of tainted contributions from DCI, a lobbying firm that has represented an oppressive regime that is denying vital assistance to its own people during a time of crisis.”

Representatives from Coleman’s campaign did not return requests for comment to Minnesota Monitor on Tuesday. But the campaign did blame Al Franken, in a statement to the Associated Press, for a completely unrelated matter — a transfer of $875,000 from the Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club in New York City to Air America Radio. Franken was a host for the station at the time.

“Franken continues to remain silent about his role in this matter,” Coleman campaign spokester Tom Erickson said. “As for returning a legal contribution from an individual and company engaged in legal activities, of course we will not be returning the contribution.”

The Franken campaign responded as well: “Norm Coleman took nearly $10,000 from a firm representing an oppressive military regime,” Franken campaign spokesman Andy Barr said in an e-mail to the AP. “He won’t return the money, and he won’t say what he did in return for it. That’s shocking. And if the best he can do by way of explaining this stunning and suspicious behavior is to recycle long-discredited smears, Minnesotans are going to start to wonder if there isn’t an even uglier story soon to come.”