It's kicked off again. Senator Norm Coleman was never going to take his utter humiliation by George Galloway lying down.
As chairman of the US Senate Governmental Affairs Committee’s Permanent Sub-committee on Investigations, he quizzed Galloway in May over Iraqi oil-for-food allegations. Expecting deference, Galloway instead went piling in and made a complete fool of him.
Fast forward five months (including Galloway becoming a minor celebrity and writing a book about the confrontation), and Coleman claims to have found a “smoking gun” – documents that show Galloway's wife received money from the programme. He's gone public – putting out this press release – and said Galloway should be charged with perjury.
If you believe Coleman, he has asked for Galloway to be charged with perjury, making false statements and obstructing US Senate proceedings. Each comes with a $250,000 fine and three years in jail.
Coleman is still smarting from his run-in with Galloway but he clearly hasn't learnt his lesson. By making it a personal thing, he has played right into Galloway's hands. And that giant ego looks like it's going to get another bruising.
Galloway has come out fighting yet again. You've gotta love him. “The next step is clear,” Galloway has told numerous media outlets, “they must charge me with perjury.”
He doesn't end there though. He reveals that the US government has offered to do a deal with Tariq Aziz if he gives them evidence against Galloway (Galloway says Aziz' lawyer told him), lays into Senator Coleman and says straight: “I demand to be charged.”
He also says he is willing to board a plane immediately to go to Washington and face the charges. Senator Coleman would be very well advised to stay out the way unless he wants his credibility further damaged by the Brit politician.
You can view the whole five-minute performance on the BBC's website. Here's a direct link.
Alternatively, if you fancy rewatching Galloway's performance at the Senate committee in May, go here.
This should be terrific viewing.