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MDE EXCLUSIVE: CAMPAIGN EMAIL SOLICITATIONS SUGGEST RITCHIE MAY HAVE USED HIS OFFICIAL OFFICE FOR CAMPAIGN PURPOSES; LETTER REQUESTING INVESTIGATION WILL BE FILED THIS MORNING
By Michael B. Brodkorb | October 29, 2007
Two attendees of an official meeting of Secretary of State Mark Ritchie's office will be sending a letter to Jim Nobles, the Legislative Auditor for the State of Minnesota, later this morning requesting that he investigate how contact information provided at the meeting ended up being used by Ritchie's campaign to solicit campaign contributions.
Mark Giga, director of outreach for the Taxpayers League of Minnesota and Jack Tomzcak, executive director of Citizens in Charge Foundation began receiving solicitations for contributions from Secretary of State Mark Ritchie's campaign only after they attended a "civic education" meeting on April 2, 2007, which was organized by Secretary of State Mark Ritchie's official office at taxpayer expense. Ritchie was present at the April 2nd meeting held at the Retirement Systems of Minnesota Building, where the business functions of the Secretary of State's office are located.
Giga and Tomczak both allege they received solicitations for contributions from Ritchie's campaign on October 22, 2007 through the specific contact information provided at the April 2nd meeting and in subsequent communications with Ritchie's official office.
I spoke with Giga and Tomzcak last evening and they both stated they had not received fundraising solicitations from Ritchie's campaign through the specific contact information provided at the April 2nd meeting until after the meeting. Furthermore, at no time did Giga or Tomczak, both Republicans, provide Ritchie's campaign with the specific contact information through which they received their solicitation for contributions on October 22, 2007.
Both Giga and Tomczak believe the specific contact information they provided at the April 2nd meeting organized by Secretary of State Mark Ritchie's official office at taxpayer expense was shared with Ritchie's campaign and then used to solicit campaign funds.
In interviews last evening with Giga and Tomzcak for Minnesota Democrats Exposed, Tomzcak said "I'm disappointed in Secretary of State Mark Ritchie's blatant violation of trust. As it was presented to me, his civic education meetings were not Ritchie campaign events. When I provided my contact information to his office I assumed there was a wall between his official duties and his campaign."
Giga added, "there's no doubt in my mind that we have to expect better from the man chosen to oversee our state's elections. What good can possibly come from further educating Minnesotans about campaigns and elections if this is what Mark Ritchie means by "civic awareness?"
While Giga and Tomczak attended the April 2nd meeting organized by Secretary of State Ritchie's official office in their capacities as representatives of their respective organizations, they are requesting Mr. Nobles investigate this matter as individuals.
A Republican I spoke with about the allegations being made against Secretary of State Ritchie expected that additional complaints may be filled in "numerous venues" by the end of the week.
A call placed to Secretary of State Ritchie's office requesting comment, nor an email sent to Ritchie's campaign were returned by the time this post was published. I will publish any response I received from Ritchie's official office or from his campaign responding to the specific allegations made by Giga and Tomzcak.
A copy of Giga and Tomzcak's letter to Mr. Nobles will be posted on Minnesota Democrats Exposed as soon as possible. Please check back throughout the day for more information on this developing story.
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40 Responses to “MDE EXCLUSIVE: CAMPAIGN EMAIL SOLICITATIONS SUGGEST RITCHIE MAY HAVE USED HIS OFFICIAL OFFICE FOR CAMPAIGN PURPOSES; LETTER REQUESTING INVESTIGATION WILL BE FILED THIS MORNING”
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October 29th, 2007 at 9:44 am
Once again, another top notch investigative job by MDE. My guess is that more than one media outlet in Minnesota will be writing about this by tomorrow. It’s a shame the MSM can’t keep up with MDE given their resources but I can’t say I’m surprised.
Way to go Michael.
October 29th, 2007 at 9:53 am
What a hack Ritchie is…it’s really scary that a devout communist like him is in charge of keeping our elections fair and honest. There were a lot of things that disgusted me in the last election, but none more so than seeing that nutbar beat a fine civil servant like Mary Kiffmeyer.
October 29th, 2007 at 9:54 am
Wow! This is incredible.
Secretary of State Ritchie ran an entire campaign against this sort of activity. If this is true, this is a total abuse of trust.
I’d bet money we’ll see him and his allies attack the messenger and the people filing the complaint. Don’t let them get away with that. He needs to answer.
October 29th, 2007 at 10:02 am
It should come as a surprise to nobody that Jack Tomzcak is caugt up in the this partisian “gotcha†garbage. If it stinks, then Jack Tomzcak is obviously involved.
This is the guy that moved to the East Side of St. Paul to run against Mee Moua as an “Independent” with significant racial overtones. He lost.
This is the guy that has been on a weird solo quest for a unicameral legislature. He failed again.
This is the guy that moved to Osseo to run for State House. He tried numerous dirty tricks against Denise Ditrich including insinuating that she voted for the ballpark for personal gain and accusing her or stealing lawn signs (that’s a new one). Guess what? He lost again.
Jack Tomzcak is a loser. No two ways about it. He obviously has an ax to grind with any and all DFLers.
October 29th, 2007 at 10:13 am
“If it stinks, then Jack Tomzcak is obviously involved.”
Richard – give me a break! Tomzcak did not force Ritchie to abuse the trust of the people who elected him. Tomzcak did not force Ritchie to be unethical in the use of his office. Tomzcak did not force “Mr. Nonpartisan bad clapper” to become “Mr. Extremely Partisan bad clapper.” Tomzcak did not force Ritchie to open his offices so ACORN and other lefty groups have free reign to degrade and devalue legal votes in MN by promoting policies which leave the door blatantly open to voter fraud. etc… etc…etc…
Way to go MDE! Eat your heart out MSM!
October 29th, 2007 at 10:14 am
As Steph predicted, here come the attacks. The focus needs to be on Ritchie.
October 29th, 2007 at 10:16 am
Wow, I can only imagine the uproar if this had been a Republican in this position. This needs to be investigated and not sweep under the rug as other will attempt to do.
October 29th, 2007 at 10:20 am
Richard is exactly right, anything involving Tomzcak is usually unreliable and not the real deal.
October 29th, 2007 at 10:23 am
Don’t forget the guy is supported by communists.
October 29th, 2007 at 10:23 am
Thank you MDE for bringing this information to light. Anyone who thought that Ritchie was being truthful last year when saying he would be a non-partisan secretary of state is clearly delusional.
We need to keep the heat on this asshat and put him on his heels. The attacks that the DFL orchestrated on Kiffmeyer over the years should be the model of how we take this guy to task!
October 29th, 2007 at 10:24 am
[...] Chris Bowers wrote an interesting post today on MDE EXCLUSIVE: CAMPAIGN EMAIL SOLICITATIONS SUGGEST RITCHIE MAY …Here’s a quick excerpt [...]
October 29th, 2007 at 10:26 am
Nice one MDE. I can’t wait for the next post.
October 29th, 2007 at 10:27 am
Yongi and Richard (et al, I’m sure), you are all so predictable.
Please address the issue at hand. Did Ritchie hold an official event in which the information collected was then used by his campaign to solicit campaign contributions.
If he did that, it doesn’t make any difference at all who filed the complaint.
And seriously, do you think all of the Democratic Allies at that meeting who probably had their contact info lifted for Ritchie’s campaign would be the ones to complain?
Of course the people who are going to complain are those who expected to go to an official Secretary of State Meeting for official business rather than Ritchie’s campaign business.
Come on!
October 29th, 2007 at 10:32 am
The secretary of state is also in charge of the “safe at home” anonymous contact program for people who are victimized by domestic violence. This story should send a deep chill down their backs and make everyone question whether or not Mark Ricthie can be trusted with private data. All it takes is one accident like the House judiciary committee made last week, sending out emails to a list of protected whistleblowers without putting addresses in the BC field.
October 29th, 2007 at 10:33 am
No, Brodkerb – the issues should be you pretending to be a journalist while at the same time effectively being a paid operative.
October 29th, 2007 at 10:48 am
Ulysses, it is so typical of you to find this OK as long as it is a Democrat.
October 29th, 2007 at 10:57 am
[...] unknown wrote an interesting post today on MDE EXCLUSIVE: CAMPAIGN EMAIL SOLICITATIONS SUGGEST RITCHIE MAY …Here’s a quick excerpt [...]
October 29th, 2007 at 10:57 am
Ulysses: is this the best you have? I stand by my post.
October 29th, 2007 at 11:16 am
“he secretary of state is also in charge of the “safe at home†anonymous contact program for people who are victimized by domestic violence. This story should send a deep chill down their backs and make everyone question whether or not Mark Ricthie can be trusted with private data.”
So long as they give to Ritchie’s campaign, I’m sure they’ll be protected.
Another DFL crook. This doesn’t surprise me.
October 29th, 2007 at 11:37 am
Another fucking DFL crook!
Ritchie is just another example of a local DFL hack. I think the people of MN have seen enough of what happens when the DFL is in charge, I would bet big changes come for local races in 2008!
Are there any decent old school democrats still alive or has the whole party been taken over by extreme leftist?
October 29th, 2007 at 11:58 am
The other sad thing is that it took Ritchie 6 months to transfer the addresses from his taxpayer office to his campaign office…what poor organization
October 29th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
Where’s the proof? I get crappy letters from Republicans now and then asking for money and I don’t think much of it. I certainly don’t go writing letters to the Legislative Auditor’s office. This is nothing but a fishing expedition.
October 29th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
More words of wisdom from Big K
October 29th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
Interesting twist on the typical steps people go through when something bad happens in their lives.
I thought Denial came before Anger Yongi.
But Yongi first got made at the victim. Now he’s in denial that this is an issue.
Will acceptance come before shock?
Is it a coincidence that at least two people attended an official event, and then received the exact same fundraising solicitation only after they gave their email addresses to the official office?
Do you really believe that passes the smell test?
If there is nothing there, the Legislative Auditor will let us know.
Or Ritchie could just answer the question.
October 29th, 2007 at 12:56 pm
[...] As with the Mr. Giga and Mr. Tomczak, this person stated they had not received fundraising solicitations from Ritchie's campaign through the specific contact information provided at the April 2nd meeting until after the meeting and at no time did they provide Ritchie's campaign with the specific contact information through which they received their solicitation for contributions on October 22, 2007. [...]
October 29th, 2007 at 12:58 pm
Please check read my updated post. I have confirmed that a third attendee of an official meeting of Secretary of State Mark Ritchie’s office on April 2nd received solicitations for contributions from Ritchie’s campaign on October 22, 2007 through the specific contact information provided at this meeting.
October 29th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
Osseo is in 32B. I’ve never lived in Osseo.
The issue is initiative and referendum, not unicam.
The 67A senate seat wasn’t open when I moved to the East Side.
If you’re going to trash me, get your facts straight first.
October 29th, 2007 at 1:50 pm
Mark Ritchie owes Minnesotans an explanation. This guy is nothing but a partisan hack — I think he was involved with that “November 2″/anti-Bush movement in the 2004 election.
He is a bonafide kook.
October 29th, 2007 at 2:10 pm
Hey Jack,
Facts and liberals have an uneasy relationship. Facts insist on showing truth. Liberals keep rejecting that there is such a thing as truth.
October 29th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
The underlying facts about the behavior of our Secretary of State are deeply troubling. This is blatant use of official office for campaign purposes. It is unethical. It is illegal.
This calls for a comprehensive investigation of the Secretary of State.
Pity the partisan who denies that this is a serious issue.
Way to go Michael. Excellent scoop!
October 29th, 2007 at 4:45 pm
[...] There has been a major development in the story first reported on Minnesota Democrats Exposed earlier today regarding campaign email solicitations from Secretary of State Mark Ritchie's campaign. [...]
October 30th, 2007 at 6:52 am
[...] Read the rest of this great post here [...]
October 30th, 2007 at 9:43 am
[...] Amid allegations that Secretary of State Ritchie used his office to fund his political machine, I thought I'd remind the readers of Minnesota Democrats Exposed that Secretary of State Ritchie promised to be a "nonpartisan" Secretary of State: [...]
October 30th, 2007 at 11:22 am
[...] Since the allegations broke on Minnesota Democrats Exposed that Secretary of State Ritchie may have used his official office to fund his political machine, I have received numerous emails from people questioning themselves as to why they have been receiving emails from Ritchie's campaign. [...]
October 31st, 2007 at 1:45 pm
[...] There has been a major development in the story first reported on Minnesota Democrats Exposed on Monday regarding campaign email solicitations from Secretary of State Mark Ritchie's campaign. [...]
November 2nd, 2007 at 11:16 am
[...] In the last few days, serious allegations have surfaced as to how specific contact information provided at an official meeting of Secretary of State Ritchie's office ended up being used by his campaign to solicit campaign contributions. Those allegation later expanded into assertions that state employees associated with Minnesota's Sesquicentennial events have complained about receiving solicitations for contributions from Ritchie's campaign. [...]
November 2nd, 2007 at 1:23 pm
[...] In the last few days, serious allegations have surfaced as to how specific contact information provided at an official meeting of Secretary of State Ritchie's office ended up being used by his campaign to solicit campaign contributions. Those allegation later expanded into assertions that state employees associated with Minnesota's Sesquicentennial events have complained about receiving solicitations for contributions from Ritchie's campaign. [...]
November 9th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
[...] There has been a series of developments in the story first reported on Minnesota Democrats Exposed last Monday regarding campaign email solicitations from Secretary of State Mark Ritchie's campaign. [...]
November 12th, 2007 at 9:35 am
[...] Read the rest of this great post here [...]
December 5th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
[...] This isn't the first time Secretary of State Mark Ritchie has been accused of handling data in an inappropriate manner. In 1989, Ritchie was accused of distributing classified documents to members of Congress. Please read the clips from newspapers articles about the scandal from 18 years ago. [...]