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MEET A MARK RITCHIE CONTRIBUTOR: PRO-CASTRO, COMMUNIST SYMPATHIZER SANDRA LEVINSON
By Michael B. Brodkorb | January 1, 2007
Sandra Levinson, the executive director of the Center for Cuban Studies, contributed $250.00 on March 27, 2006 to Mark Ritchie’s campaign.
Who is Sandra Levinson?
“The Minneapolis native has become one of the most well-known North Americans in Cuba. She’s on a first-name basis with the who’s who in Havana – including Castro, with whom she has dined on several occasions. Castro has even met her mother. Levinson also is one of the most disdained Americans among right-wing Cuban-Americans, who in many ways are responsible for her long career in Cuba.” Source: Star Tribune, July 15, 1996
LEVINSONÂ IS CONSIDERED SUPPORTER OF CASTRO REGIME:
“She interviewed only supporters of the regime, such as Sandra Levinson of the Center for Cuban Studies, who groused that ‘there are a lot of young people who simply cannot appreciate . . . what the [Castro] revolution has given them.’” Source: Boston Globe, April 10, 2000
LEVINSON THINKS CHILDREN HAVE A “PRIVILEGED LIFE IN CUBA”:
“‘Some people seem to think that if you’re a Communist you can’t be a good father,’ said Ms Levinson. ‘But I think children have a privileged life in Cuba – they’re allowed to be children. The strongest part of Cuban life is still the family, they are much closer to their parents than children in American society.’” Source: The Scotsman, June 29, 2000
One of the best ways to learn about Minnesota’s new Secretary of State, Mark Ritchie, is to examine the background of his camaign contributors. Over the next week, I’ll be posting information about the ultra-liberal, leftist, pro-Castro, anti-business, communist sympathizers who contributed to Mark Ritchie’s campaign. Check back tomorrow for another post on a Ritchie campaign contributor.
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14 Responses to “MEET A MARK RITCHIE CONTRIBUTOR: PRO-CASTRO, COMMUNIST SYMPATHIZER SANDRA LEVINSON”
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January 1st, 2007 at 5:39 PM
man, this loss really burned you didn’t it?
January 1st, 2007 at 6:10 PM
I believe that this sort of look at contributors is precisely the sort of campaign finance reform we need. Citizens should be able to look up who has contributed to campaigns. Although I believe that disclosure should happen immediately upon contribution so that interested people can look in during the campaign.
Still, what’s with looking this stuff up now? The campaign is long over. At this point is it more a morbid fascination that such a masked radical was able to pull a fast one on the electorate?
January 1st, 2007 at 6:55 PM
That election was about defeating Mary Kiffmeyer more than electing Mark Ritchie. Ritchie wasn’t the only one who thought Kiffmeyer needed to go.
January 1st, 2007 at 6:56 PM
This is the problem with current campaign finance laws in Minnesota. I have a lot of trouble believing that the Minnesota electorate, even in an environment like this, would accept the state’s top election officer who is a big fan of Castro sympathizers.
The spending limits in the Secretary of State’s race are laughable, making it nearly impossible to get information like this out to the public.
I applaud you, MDE, for looking into this further. I am sure there is more shocking news to come.
January 1st, 2007 at 7:03 PM
Come on “come on”
The state of Minnesota hired Ritchie by a pretty narrow margin to watch over our elections.
That job entails ensuring no voter is disenfranchised, meaning no one who is legal is denied the right to vote AND no one is allowed to dilute the vote by voting illegally.
Mary Kiffmeyer did an excellent job of doing both.
Conservatives should be very frightened about Ritchie’s tenure in office. He has a history and a track record, and a lot of us simply don’t trust him to keep this fair. He isn’t doing his job if he turns a blind eye to voter fraud in this state.
And only now do we learn that he has accepted money from a known communist sympathizer (Castro isn’t exactly a friend of free and open elections).
I, for one, would like to know my new Secretary of State’s opinion of Levinson and her beliefs.
January 1st, 2007 at 7:12 PM
Don’t you think that this information would have been a whole hell of a lot more usefull before election day?
January 1st, 2007 at 7:13 PM
When are we going to see an annoucment about Mikey going on Kiffmeyer’s staff to run for Congress.
January 1st, 2007 at 7:18 PM
She made elections fair and business services more efficient and hi-tech.
What possible reason could you have, Eva, for thinking Kiffmeyer “needed to go.”
(aside from her hubby’s legislative priorities).
January 1st, 2007 at 7:39 PM
Chris: I didn’t know about it before the election.
January 1st, 2007 at 8:12 PM
I’d love to hear Ritchie’s views on the aparthied state of Cuba. How does he feel about the treatment of Afro-Cubans? Or does he support the Jim Crow society like his donors do.
January 1st, 2007 at 9:34 PM
Michael B.Brodkorb,
I have heard you insist a number of times on citations, and I always thought it was a reasonable request. It might be fun to discuss campaign contributions with you, but I don’t have any experience tracking contributions in state races. I have spent many an enjoyable hour at http://www.fecinfo.com looking at contributions at a federal level, but I don’t know how to search that information for Minnesota office.
So may I please ask you for the source of your information. Not that I doubt your complete truthfulness, you understand. But it looks like a fun game, and I imagine that others would like to play.
January 1st, 2007 at 9:39 PM
Charley: Per your request:
http://www.cfbreport.state.mn.us/pdfStorage/2006/CampFin/B/16252.pdf
January 1st, 2007 at 10:02 PM
Amazing!
Just eyeballing that list, there is a virtual whose who of extremists.
So why does a group of totally out there, far left nuts play in a low dollar, Mn down ballot race? Ritchie must be sitting comfortably in these people’s camp.
Despite the tide, I think this list could have been worth a few points for Kiffmeyer.
Nice find Michael. Keep it up.
November 13th, 2008 at 12:01 AM
[...] here for my post on Sandra Levinson, the executive director of the Center for Cuban Studies, who [...]