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“NONPARTISAN” SECRETARY OF STATE RITCHIE TO APPEAR AT DFL FUNDRAISER WITH FRANKEN
By Michael B. Brodkorb | March 27, 2007
"The fourth annual Senate District 21 DFL fundraiser starts at 5 p.m. Saturday at Jackpot Junction Casino in Morton.
The keynote speaker is former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton, with featured guests Al Franken and Mike Ciresi. Others slated are Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, State Auditor Rebecca Otto and State DFL Chairman Brian Melendez." Source: Marshall Independent, March 27, 2007
Click here for complete story.
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But Ritchie promised to be a "nonpartisan" Secretary of State:
- "… the office of Secretary of State must operate in a non-partisan manner." Source: Mark Ritchie press release, June 7, 2005
- "Imagine an Office of the Secretary of State where non-partisanship is the guiding principle…" Source: Mark Ritchie speech at DFL Convention, June 11, 2006.
- "I will protect your vote by restoring trust and nonpartisanship to the secretary of state's office…" Source: Pioneer Press, November 1, 2006
Should a "nonpartisan" Secretary of State attend DFL fundraisers or events? It will be tough for Ritchie to claim he is "nonpartisan" when he attends DFL fundraisers.
Topics: Uncategorized | 20 Comments »
20 Responses to ““NONPARTISAN” SECRETARY OF STATE RITCHIE TO APPEAR AT DFL FUNDRAISER WITH FRANKEN”
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March 27th, 2007 at 11:49 am
Does anyone know if Franken condemned Bill Bennett for spending time in casinos?
March 27th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
Whatever his faults, Franken never wrote a book called “Moral Compass” and gambled away millions of dollars. I look forward to a photo to be posted here that will misrepresent the number of people in attendance. I wonder if Mr Franken will be willing to talk about his position on Iraq. Some people that will be on the ballot in ‘08 aren’t too willing to talk about it.
March 27th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
No, Angry Al did much worse. He wrote books lying about everyone in the book.
March 27th, 2007 at 1:01 pm
Otter,
I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Since the DFL is a bought and paid for subsidiary of Native American Gambling interests, I’m sure there will be a full house of all the tribal people who load up the campaign coffers for the Democrats.
March 27th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
As long as Ritchie is non-partisan in the office, I’m fine.
Outisde the scope of his office, he can do what he wants. I doubt that anyone over at the capitol has totally shed his/her political affiliations. Accept the fact that perhaps he is objective as Secretary of State but politically active when away from the office.
March 27th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
No worries. I’m stunned anyone running for office would raise money. By the way, I know this is an argument against my “side” since I tend to be on the Democratic side of the fifty yard-line, but I would be interested in someone asking any Democrat running for office if they think casinos should be smoke-free, as it looks like every other work-place will be soon. I support the work-place smoking ban, and I think it’s a fair question to ask anyone running for office, particularly when they are raising money at a casino, what they think on this issue.
March 27th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
My point is that the Democrats threw a fit when they found out that Bennett, a very wealthy man, went to casinos for entertainment. Just wondering if Al chimed in on the subject (my guess is he did).
March 27th, 2007 at 2:30 pm
JG – are you high? He can’t be a nonpartisan secretary of state and then meet with the most secretive group of campaign backers in Minnesota history to raise money for candidates in races he is responsible for over-seeing. The Secretary of State should be a publicly-financed race and sitting secretaries should be banned from participation in any partisan fundraisers, no matter their party.
March 27th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
Otter,
That’s a great question you’ve asked! Why shouldn’t the casinos have to go smoke free?
March 27th, 2007 at 3:41 pm
“NONPARTISAN†SECRETARY OF STATE RITCHIE TO APPEAR AT DFL …
March 27th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Ritchie is so gone after on term it is hardly funny.
Enjoy you liberal hacks as you for once had an election that actually put you ahead for once in the last decade.
Only now you will all be exposed for the fools you are and we will watch the democRats sink back into a minority status. 
At least Al will be able to go back to radio and spout his hatred again once he helps sink the democRats down.
After all the democRat party is one for complainers, not problem solvers. I cannot think of one single liberal policy that has actually worked. Yet I find it funny you cannot find a democRat who will admit that any have failed.
“God bless our troops and forgive the DemocRats”
March 27th, 2007 at 4:38 pm
Otter I am wondering how many yards you think a footbal field is??
You state you fall on the democRat side of the 50 yard line…
I would state that you fall into their endzone as you are a very liberal hack democRat!
I also believe you know the answer about the casinos as it is your party that benefits if you can keep the indians happy.
March 27th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
Ryan
…and Kiffmeyer never took part in or benefitted from GOP fundraisers?
I agree that Ritchie is goofy, and that Kiffmeyer is/was more professional as SOS. But Kiffmeyer was political and partisan too.
March 27th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
Kahuna… In American football, the 50 yard-line is the half-way point. I am closer the middle than the endzone. There may be a sovereignty issue with regulating smoking on tribal land, but you are right that the tribes side with the Dems. And I am not a “very liberal hack”, I am a conduit for goodness and light. Peace, my brother.
March 27th, 2007 at 5:08 pm
Unfortunately, the tribes do tend to be brainwashed by the Democrats. My husband and I (both Indians) aren’t fooled by the Dimwhitocrats.
Yes, sovereignty is an issue, the reservations are technically considered foreign countries.
As for the smoking bans, toss them all out. If you don’t like the smoke, exercise your freedom of choice and don’t patronize an establishment that allows smoking.
March 27th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
And should Mark Ritchie, God forbid, attend a GOP function as SoS, what would he be labled then??
What Ritchie does outside of the SoS Office on his own time is his business. The same about Kiffmeyer when she was out of the office.
March 27th, 2007 at 7:04 pm
I think Ritchie draws a fine line of how partisan he should be. Mary Kiffmeyer crossed the line to me when she advocated for the state to add a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, unnecessary. Her attending GOP fundraisers, thats fine. She is a GOP’er and had a high position, it would be foolish for her not to use it to raise money for her party.
Same for Ritchie, raise money for DFL and only advocate for laws in the state house/senate that pertain to his job.
Besides, I doubt Ritchie thinks he is being partisan, but you do. It is all in a different in definiton of what is partisan. Yours is more stringent and his is more liberal.
March 27th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
Ever wonder why it is a good idea to turn the computer off before you start drinking?
Here’s a clue:
“And should Mark Ritchie, God forbid, attend a GOP function as SoS, what would he be labled then??”
Thanks Kathy..you enjoy that vodka and kool-aid cocktail.
March 28th, 2007 at 10:14 am
At least they will be able to smoke.
March 28th, 2007 at 10:18 am
At least they will be able to smoke.
Did anyone notice, were DFL Senators all wearing mocassins yesterday on the Snate floor?
Minnesota’s Tribal Casinos: The Last Bastion Of Property Rights In Minnesota!