The Strib:
The face of the movement is Thane Ritchie, a Chicago area investor/hedge fund manager who has sued imprisoned Minneosta Ponzi scheme operator Tom Petters for what Ritchie said were $150 million in losses that Petters' bamboozled from him.
"Ordinary, practical Americans deserve another option, a different path to address 'real solutions to the real issues' they face at their kitchen tables each night," said Ritchie. "So [Tuesday] I am announcing the formation of an ad hoc committee to explore the possibility of establishing a new political party here in Illinois and ultimately nationally."
The press release.
UPDATE: MinnPost's David Brauer is not happy about the news:
Displaying a paranoia Ross Perot could appreciate, and a conspiracy theory Ventura would applaud, Barkley and Ritchie have tried to subpoena U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar and ex-Sen. Norm Coleman among other "powerful interests" to see if they influenced the Strib's decision to cancel a 16-part Foundation's ad series. The ads ripped the courts and politicians for not letting Ritchie recoup more of the money he lost on Petters, who has since been convicted on 20 counts of wire fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy and money-laundering.
You can read those ads at the Stop the Petters Scam website.
