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SECRETARY OF STATE MARK RITCHIE’S UNDER OATH INTERVIEW WITH LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR JIM NOBLES; RITCHIE CLAIMS HE’S NEVER BEEN “ACTIVE IN A POLITICAL PARTY”
By Michael B. Brodkorb | January 9, 2008
Secretary of State Mark Ritchie and his staff were required to be interviewed by Minnesota Legislative Auditor Jim Nobles under oath due to Ritchie's office's inability to provide reliable information to Nobles' office. Nobles was investigating allegations that Ritchie used his official office to fund his political machine.
In each interview, Nobles specifically discussed Minnesota Statue 3.978, Subdivision (b): "[a] person who swears falsely concerning any matter stated under oath is guilty of a gross misdemeanor. "
It is with great surprise that I read Ritchie's answer to a question in which he states that he's "never been engaged in electoral politics before, never active in a political party" after Nobles specifically states that it is a gross misdemeanor to give a false statement:
Tags: Mark Ritchie
Topics: Mark Ritchie | 15 Comments »
15 Responses to “SECRETARY OF STATE MARK RITCHIE’S UNDER OATH INTERVIEW WITH LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR JIM NOBLES; RITCHIE CLAIMS HE’S NEVER BEEN “ACTIVE IN A POLITICAL PARTY””
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January 9th, 2008 at 10:30 PM
Are you really serious about this post Michael? He was clearly saying that before his current stint in office (and that would obviously include the endorsement process which is necessary to get elected to that position), he wasn’t involved in the DFL. The whole quote is as follows:
“I can only speak for myself. This is a personal philosophy that’s been expressed through my entire life, I’ve never been engaged in electoral politics before, never active in a political party, so I can’t really speak for governors or others who’ve spent their lives active in political parties.”
January 9th, 2008 at 10:37 PM
WhoKnows?: I am completely serious. Did you read the question? The question was actually about setting aside partisanship…Ritchie answered that he’d “never been engaged in electoral politics before, never active in a political party…”
Ritchie’s answer is complete fiction.
January 9th, 2008 at 10:52 PM
Yes Michael. I not only read the question; I read the entire transcript last night when it was posted on the Strib’s website.
Here’s a hint Michael, this is a transcript from a spoken interview. It won’t always flow perfectly.
January 9th, 2008 at 11:04 PM
WhoKnows?: “[T]his is a transcript from a spoken interview” – I agree WhoKnows?, Ritchie does have a problem telling the truth. The question was actually about setting aside partisanship…Ritchie answered that he’d “never been engaged in electoral politics before, never active in a political party…â€
Ritchie’s answer is complete fiction.
January 9th, 2008 at 11:23 PM
We should have a beating a dead horse song writing contest for Brodkorb
That or create a new award to thank him for giving us so many DFL victories. You can dress up in your old chicken suit, it would be great
January 10th, 2008 at 8:31 AM
Michael, this is POST NUMBER TWELVE on Ritchie; you going to make it a baker’s dozen?
BTW, speaking of lies:
“Stay The Course! Stay The Course!! Stay The Course!!! Stay The Course! Stay The Course!! Stay The Course!!! Stay The Course! Stay The Course!! Stay The Course!!! Stay The Course! Stay The Course!! Stay The Course!!! Stay The Course! Stay The Course!! Stay The Course!!! Stay The Course! Stay The Course!! Stay The Course!!! Stay The Course! Stay The Course!! Stay The Course!!! Stay The Course! Stay The Course!! Stay The Course!!!”
And then, suddenly:
“You know, we’ve never been ‘stay the course’…”
Say, Michael? If there’s ANYONE that knows what a LIE is, it’s a GOPer.
January 10th, 2008 at 10:31 AM
Two Putz, welcome to “Minnesota Democrats Exposed – moron.
January 10th, 2008 at 11:32 AM
Say, Mr. Ed?
G(C)Y. Bootlicker.
January 10th, 2008 at 7:36 PM
Congratulations on putting an entire office of the Minnesota government into an emergency mode as they struggle to produce documentation to respond to a baseless partisan attack.
If only Rethuglicans were required to answer questions under oath. Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld,… none of them would dare to face questions under oath.
The whole Ritchie thing kind of reminds me about the controversy surrounding the impartiality of MDE while being, at the same time, a political operative of the Coleman campaign.
Political assassination. Wouldn’t your mother be proud.
January 10th, 2008 at 9:32 PM
COMING SOON
Toilet paper reportedly missing from the SoS offices restrooms. MDE has contacted the Governor and asked for a full investigation in to this state crisis.
Several well placed MNGOP activists reported that SoS Mark Ritchie has been seen near the restrooms on a daily basis.
We here at MDE will not rest till every last square of the missing toilet paper is accounted for.
January 11th, 2008 at 10:01 AM
HCDFL:
Boy don’t you get it! He’s being question about his political activism. He said he was going to be a nonpartisan secretary of state which is why if you sign up for an office function you shouldn’t expect your name to get on a political list.
So he’s asked I’ve never been engaged in electoral politics before. So he’s never given out campaign literature or stuck stickers. Lie! He claimed no ties to the DFL party yet he magically is given the DFL party endorsement and he runs for an office because the DFL found him.
If you believe that Ritchie told the truth here I have a bridge I’ll like to sell you that’s located in New York City.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
January 11th, 2008 at 10:18 AM
Two Putz – you are a lost cause, who has no credibility on this site (or any where else for that matter).
January 11th, 2008 at 4:56 PM
Walter;
I do get it, The investigation cleared Ritchie. Give it a rest.
If you think that Bush has told the American people the truth for the last six years, I bet you really do believe you own that bridge in NYC.
How have Bush’s tax cuts improved your life?
What has Norm Coleman done to make your life better?
That’ll do Sheeple that’ll do
January 12th, 2008 at 2:36 PM
HCDFL:
The investigation didn’t clear Ritchie. The auditor said he didn’t answer the question immediately.
furthermore the point of this post was when Ritchie was questioned about his political activism he said he wasn’t active. Why will the DFL party endorse somebody who wasn’t active in politics? He lied. He broke the law during the investigation. Once again the old rule applies. It’s not the crime that creates the problem it’s the coverup. This was part of Ritchie’s effort to try to coverup.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
January 13th, 2008 at 12:12 PM
Walter,
You need to move on, this dead horse has done been beat and beat again.
I’m pretty sure he votes, so does that make him active in politics.
Unless you door knocked with him, or checked his bumper for stickers,or have other information about his activism you have no basis of your “he lied” statement.
I never saw or heard Mark Ritchie at a DFL event until he made the decision to became a candidate for SoS?
He became active after he and the voters of Minnesota, disagreed with the former SoS policies in the 2004 election.
How have Bush’s tax cuts improved your life?
That’ll do Sheeple, that’ll do