Say It!
By Mitch Berg
A few weeks ago, Michael Brodkorb at MDE broke the story – Minnesota’s DFLer Secretary of State Mark Ritchie was abusing the power of his office to get political contributions.
The local Sorosphere erupted in response:
- “He’s a GOP operative!”
- “Oh, yeah? Well, at least Ritchie’s not Mary Kiffmeyer!”
- “Brodkorb’s on the GOP payroll!”
- “Tool! Tool! Tool tool tool!”
- “Brodkorb gets his money from the GOP!”
But lo and behold, that noted GOP organ the Strib notes that…
Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie now says that he personally gave his campaign a list of participants in a state-sponsored “civic engagement” program so it could send them a campaign newsletter that asked for a political contribution.
Ritchie, a DFLer, was elected on a platform of de-politicizing the office, which supervises elections. He has been under fire since two Republican activists who attended the office’s publicly funded event filed a complaint over having their e-mail addresses turned over to Ritchie’s political operation.
Previously, Ritchie had denied knowing how the campaign got the list. He now insists that it solicited contributions only to pay for the newsletter itself. But its text invites recipients to an upcoming campaign fundraiser.
Ritchie said on Tuesday that it was a mistake for his campaign to use the list and took responsibility, saying he has taken measures to ensure that people can easily “unsubscribe” from the newsletter and that it will from now on contain only news, not solicitations.
Wow. Brodkorb was right!
(Or is that “The GOP was right”? Hmmm. Who knows?)
Minnesota Legislative Auditor Jim Nobles said Tuesday that his office has accumulated a significant amount of information regarding the complaint against Ritchie and was assessing the case.
Ruh-roh.
Ritchie, responding by e-mail while recuperating from a medical procedure, said Tuesday that he believes firewalls need to exist between taxpayer-funded programs and his campaign.
Yeah, you could say that.
Kudos, M-Brod. Yet again, you’ve proven that the local Sorosphere is your beeyatch.
UPDATE AND FLASHBACK: Of course, Joe “Learned Foot’ Tucci notes that he had Ritchie’s number before “having Ritchie’s number” was cool.
November 21st, 2007 at 12:39 pm
Mark Ritchie lost my support when it became clear he had lied about this.
What standard do you hold your GOP politicians to, Mitch? Any?
Scott McClellan has stated Bush lied, and lied again, about Valerie Wilson, yet you hold NO grudge, expect nothing better, demand nothing more.
Bordkorb IS a GOP hack, the fact that he was right didn’t change that, and you, are merely the local unpaid apologist. Your outrage is hollow.
November 21st, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Ah, Peev. The reliable Eeyore of SitD.
November 21st, 2007 at 12:51 pm
Mark Ritchie lost my support when it became clear he had lied about this.
Well, that’s great!
And sudden! It was three weeks ago you wrote:
Scott McClellan has stated Bush lied, and lied again, about Valerie Wilson, yet you hold NO grudge, expect nothing better, demand nothing more.
I demand to know more than Scott McClellan’s word before I jump to any judgement, if that’s what you’re talking about.
Bordkorb IS a GOP hack, the fact that he was right didn’t change that
Indeed, to some of you he could waft down from the sky on gossamer wings bearing the cure for cancer and the solution to Arab/Jewish emnity, and that wouldn’t change it, either.