RITCHIE ACCUSED OF NAME COLLECTING

Two metro area men have complained to the state legislative auditor that Secretary of State Mark Ritchie collected their names and e-mail addresses at a civic education meeting and later used the addresses for political fundraising. Mark Giga and John Tomczak believed the addresses would be used to send information about future civic education meetings. They said collection of their names was an abuse of the Secretary's position as chief elections officer and they want auditor James Nobles to investigate.