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COLEMAN FOR U.S PRESS RELEASE: “COLEMAN FOR SENATE STATEMENT REGARDING SECRETARY OF STATE MARK RITCHIE’S COMMENTS”
By Michael B. Brodkorb | November 12, 2008
ST. PAUL – Statement from Cullen Sheehan, campaign manager:
“When Al Franken and his attorneys take to the airwaves hours after the election ends and make unfounded accusations alleging massive voter irregularities and fraud, the silence from Secretary of State Mark Ritchie was deafening. When the Coleman campaign raises legitimate ballot security concerns, over instances such as 32 new ballots appearing in the car of a Minneapolis city official, Mr. Ritchie goes on a national media campaign characterizing our actions as political. His accusation today that our campaign intends to win ‘at any price’ is offensive, demands an apology and simply underscores our concerns about his ability to act as an unbiased official in this recount. His statement is not reflective of the objective, non-partisan standards Minnesotans expect and deserve, and which Mr. Ritchie as Secretary of State is sworn to uphold. And we are concerned about the pattern we are seeing.â€
Mark Ritchie’s Comments:
“Asked about the Coleman campaign’s criticism of the recanvassing process, Ritchie said: ‘Their goal is to win at any price. They’ve invested millions and millions of dollars. We consider this part of the normal political rhetoric,’ said Ritchie. ‘We’re used to the political rhetoric being amped up. That’s part of their job — to win at any price.’â€Â  (Josh Kraushaar, “MN Secretary of State: Coleman’s goal ‘to win at any price,’†The Politico, November 12, 2008)
UPDATE: I posted a video clip provided by the Politico of Secretary of State Mark Ritchie’s inappropriate comments.
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15 Responses to “COLEMAN FOR U.S PRESS RELEASE: “COLEMAN FOR SENATE STATEMENT REGARDING SECRETARY OF STATE MARK RITCHIE’S COMMENTS””
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November 12th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Mark Richie has proven himself absolutely incompetent. He’s screwed up this election since taking office. He can’t even conduct the basic, core functions of his office. He is proven to be an abject failure as Secretary of State.
He should step down from his office immediately. He is a disgrace. An absolute disgrace.
November 12th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Michael,
Have you looked at the numbers on the Sec. of State’s web site lately? The total number of votes cast for the U.S. Senate race is 2,885,502. But, the total number of ballots cast on the Constitutional Amendment is 2,776,586, which is 108,916 fewer votes than were cast in the Senate race.
My observation is that all yes votes for the Constitutional Amendment count for a yes, all no votes count for a no, and all blank ballots count for a no as well. It seems to me that the Constitutional amendment results should show the total number of ballots cast in the state. How can there be 108,916 votes above and beyond that number? Is Ritchie saying that there were 108,916 spoiled votes for the Constitutional Amendment?
November 12th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Votes not cast for the constitutional are not no votes, they just have the effect of counting as no votes because to pass constitutional amendments must have a majority of yes votes among all votes cast.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
I posted about Ritchie’s embarassing appearance here. Included in my post are the questions I have about Ritchie’s conduct & the lack of transparency in the process.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Hiram,
The website does not list the number of blank ballots that count as no votes. They only list the number for yes and the number for no. Since the blank ballots count as no for the purposes of determining whether the amendment passed, I’d have to think that the blank ballots are reflected in the tally. Moreover, I’d find it hard to believe that only 100,000 people left the ballot blank.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Are votes not cast for the constitutional amendment included in the number of total ballots cast, is the question. If yes, the total for the amendment should equal the number of ballots, period.
November 12th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Mark Ritchie is a Demorat hack as was so obviously displayed in that video – he really thinks us voters of Minnesota are going to buy that pile of crap he just spewed out – think again! RitchieBoy! – can this clown be removed from office for not doing his job and being a key crook in the stealing of this very important seat??
November 12th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
How has Mark Ritchie screwed up this election?
The canvas is done by election judges, who are assigned in equal numbers from each party. So, the “found” votes are the result of mistakes by democrats AND republicans.
And the number of found votes added to the UNOFFICIAL totals released on the day after the election are much smaller than in the last statewide race, which if memory serves, was handled my Rep.-Elect Mary Kiffmeyer (R- Big Lake).
Tell me again (With evidence if you would) how this is Mark Ritchie’s fault.
November 12th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
Well Mike – Now that the Secretary of State has appointed the State Canvassing Board, 2 Supreme Court Justices appointed by Governor Pawlenty, one District Court Judge appointed by Governor Ventura, and one District Court Judge who was not appointed by anyone and ran and won an open seat 22 years ago, when exactly can we expect to see your apology to Mark Ritchie?
What next? – Are Justices Anderson and Magnuson closeted Obama supporters? Have they palled around with terrorists? Secret Marxists? Stay tuned to hear the latest!!!
November 12th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
A little “Satire” you won’t see in the Star.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=80799
November 12th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
“How has Mark Ritchie screwed up this election?”
He inherited a working system of optical scanning machines that worked well in previous elections sending secure, electronic transmissions of vote tallies to election authorities.
This entire system and process failed because of Mark Richies abject incompetence. He’s had two years to ensure the apparatus ran smoothly. This is a failure of the Secretary of State to ensure a clean, fair election. He fucked it up. And because Mark Ritchie fucked it up, there is sincere doubt about the integrity of the election process.
He is an embarrassment and should resign, or be recalled.
“And the number of found votes added to the UNOFFICIAL totals released on the day after the election”
Bullshit. Over two-thirds of the “added numbers” for Franken are a direct result of the optical machines malfunctioning and being inoperable on election night. It was Mark Richie’s job to ensure this process was operable and functioning. He failed.
“Tell me again (With evidence if you would) how this is Mark Ritchie’s fault.”
The entire network of results reporting is Mark Richies job to maintain. It malfunctioned on his watch. He fucked it up.
Could I be more clear?
November 12th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
Apology for what, Watcher?
Mark Ritchie is an incompetent fuck up. He’s overseen the most wide=-spread failure of the Minnesota election process in state history.
Under Mark Ritchie a fully automated and secure process failed, resulting in significant errors in voting tabulations, as well as procedural failures that put the integrity of the 2008 election in doubt.
No apology is warranted, except from Mark Ritchie, who fucked this thing up from the start. He should apologize to the state for his incompetents, unprofessional behavior and abject dishonesty. And then he should resign.
November 12th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
I wish the anchor would have asked…”you mean the Frankin campaign is trying to win at any price?”
I wish the “their trying….” had been clarified
Is Ritchie always this nervous when talking on TV?
November 13th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Well, you and the national Republicans and the Coleman campaign are doing everything they can to destroy his reputation. How is that not winning at any price?
November 13th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
Ritchie earned his reputation and I note he’s continuing to build his communist resume.