With legal fees mounting for Republican Norm Coleman in his ongoing recount battle with Democrat Al Franken for the Minnesota Senate seat, the National Republican Senatorial Committee is hosting a fundraiser for Coleman on February 11 aimed at business PACs and members' leadership PACs.

Billed as a "Team Coleman" fundraiser, donors can give up to $10,000: PACs and individuals are allowed to give $5,000 to the Coleman recount and another $5,000 to a special fund of the Minnesota GOP. "We'll do everything we possibly can to ensure that Sen. Coleman has all the resources he needs to carry this fight to its conclusion," said Dirk Van Dongen, president of the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors.

Lobbying sources say that overall (on February 11 and in other events) Coleman is looking to raise an additional $1 million to sustain his legal challenge to a recent state-certified recount this gave Franken a 225 vote edge in the race. A three-judge panel in Minnesota this week heard legal arguments from lawyers on both sides about whether additional absentee ballots should be counted.

                                                                                                             -- Peter H. Stone