Admitting Defeat? Norm Coleman Takes New Job

Posted by Sam Stein, Huffington Post at 11:45 AM on January 22, 2009.

Former Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman is making preparations for life after office, having signed up as a paid adviser to the Republican Jewish Coalition earlier this week.

The move is the clearest indication to date that the St. Paul Republican is prepared to lose his legal challenges for the state's still vacant Senate seat. The position at the RJC is salaried -- something he could not hold if he were still in office. And, according to officials with the organization, Coleman is not going to take the new responsibilities lightly.

"This is a real job with a lot of time that he is going to put into it," said Matthew Brooks, president of the RJC. "Norm has been involved in the RJC before he was a senator, since he was mayor of St. Paul. And now that what is happening in Minnesota is in the hands of the lawyers, that gives him free time to do the things he wants to do."

Coleman, as Brooks notes, could still win reelection should his legal challenges be upheld. And if that were the case, his position at the RJC would be terminated. "There is very specific language on this," said Brooks. "This is an important time to take advantage of his counsel and time ... fully recognizing that he could be back in the Senate in a few months."

From RJC's perspective, the hiring of Coleman represents a chance to expand the Republican Party's Jewish outreach efforts. Coleman would help the group with fundraising and, ostensibly, legislative programs, though the official description is "consultant and strategic adviser." The RJC insists he will "not engage in any lobbying on behalf of the organization."

Tagged as: minnesota, al franken, election '08, norm coleman, recount, senate race, new job, defeat?

Sam Stein is a Political Reporter at the Huffington Post, based in Washington, D.C.