The Minnesota Independent

ponzi - Latest Stories

AM.MN: T-Paw says ‘monstrosity,’ New Hampshire says ‘personable’

By Chris Steller | 12.17.09 | 8:31 am

am.mn logoIn New Hampshire Wednesday, Tim Pawlenty said things like “monstrosity being jammed down our throats” (to describe health care reform), “Ponzi scheme on the Potomac” (to describe federal spending), and “red-hot smoking” (to describe his wife, Mary). People in…

Money for Coleman, Grams, Madia came from Ponzi schemer Stanford’s direction

By Chris Steller | 02.21.09 | 8:37 pm

Three Minnesota politicians — none of them now in office — received political donations from accused Ponzi schemer Sir Allen Stanford or his staff. Stanford’s largest and most recent gift ($2,300) was to Democrat Ashwin Madia, who tried…

Vennes got pardon letter from Bachmann same month he saw Petters fraud

By Chris Steller | 01.11.09 | 9:15 am

The motivated DumpBachmann folks point out that Tom Petters’ business associate Frank Vennes Jr. had extra motivation in December 2007 to get help from U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann in obtaining a presidential pardon for past money-laundering and other convictions. That was…

Cash from Toussies is Coleman’s second brush with pardon scandals in six weeks

By Chris Steller | 12.25.08 | 7:13 pm

U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman received $2,300 from the family of Isaac Robert Toussie. Toussie, who is convicted of fraud, had his Dec. 23 presidential pardon revoked the next day by President Bush. Bush’s reversal…