posted on Oct, 1 2004 @ 07:23 AM
Congressmen Brad Carson's E-Mail:
Thank you for contacting my office regarding the proposed United
Nations oversight of the United States elections in November 2004. I
appreciate you sharing your views with me on this issue. I always enjoy
hearing from my fellow Oklahomans.
I understand your concerns and I feel that fair elections are
critical to the democratic process. As you stated in your e-mail, a push
to have United Nations oversight of the fall elections has been
proposed. On July 8, 2004, thirteen congressmen and women led by Congresswoman
Eddie Bernice Johnson sent a letter to United Nations Secretary General
Kofi Annan. The letter requested that the United Nations place
representatives from the organization in every county of the United States
during the November elections and any necessary recount operations.
However, Secretary General Annan ultimately rejected the request.
Currently, there is no legislation pending before the House of Representatives
on this issue. Should the whole House have the opportunity to consider
this or similar issues, I will be sure to keep your comments in mind.
You may be happy to know that the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) was invited to monitor the November
elections by the United States State Department. OSCE-participating nations,
which include the United States, agreed in 1990 to observe elections in
one another's countries. The OSCE routinely monitors elections within
its 55-state membership, including Europe, Eurasia, Canada and the
United States. The observers will come from the OSCE's Office for
Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and this will be the first time such a
team has been present for a U.S. presidential election.
Again, thank you for contacting me regarding the November
elections. If I can be of assistance to you in the future, please do not
hesitate to contact me.