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Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds State Department Announcement Inviting Monitors for U.S. residential Elections
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today applauded news that the request from 13 Members of Congress, including her, to the State Department for international election monitors has been agreed to. The American public has been recently reminded by Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 that the 2000 Presidential elections were rife with deception and fraud.
In early July, Lee and her colleagues wrote Secretary of State Colin Powell requesting monitors to ensure free and fair elections. Even though Congressional Republicans have repeatedly blocked efforts to make the elections transparent, the recent letter from Assistant Secretary of State Paul V. Kelly indicated that the State Department supports the presence of monitors. Kelly wrote that the Bush Administration “has now invited the OSCE [Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe]’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to observe the November 2, 2004 Presidential Elections.” The OSCE, made up 55 countries – the vast majority of which are UN members -- is active in conflict prevention and crisis management around the world.
“This represents a step in the right direction toward ensuring that this year’s elections are fair and transparent,” said Lee. “I am pleased that the State Department responded by acting on this need for international monitors. We sincerely hope that the presence of the monitors will make certain that every person’s voice is heard, every person’s vote is counted.”
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In early July, Lee and her colleagues wrote Secretary of State Colin Powell requesting monitors to ensure free and fair elections. Even though Congressional Republicans have repeatedly blocked efforts to make the elections transparent, the recent letter from Assistant Secretary of State Paul V. Kelly indicated that the State Department supports the presence of monitors. Kelly wrote that the Bush Administration “has now invited the OSCE [Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe]’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to observe the November 2, 2004 Presidential Elections.” The OSCE, made up 55 countries – the vast majority of which are UN members -- is active in conflict prevention and crisis management around the world.
“This represents a step in the right direction toward ensuring that this year’s elections are fair and transparent,” said Lee. “I am pleased that the State Department responded by acting on this need for international monitors. We sincerely hope that the presence of the monitors will make certain that every person’s voice is heard, every person’s vote is counted.”
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