Clay asks for UN monitoring of US Elections

Press Release

UNITED NATIONS ASKED TO MONITOR U.S. ELECTIONS
Representative Lacy Clay Among Members of Congress Requesting UN Presence

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Friday, July 09, 2004) - U.S. Rep. William Lacy Clay is
among more than a dozen Members of Congress to sign a July 1, 2004 letter
addressed to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and requesting the United
Nations monitor the 2004 presidential election in the United States.
"We don't want a recurrence of 2000 in Missouri," Rep. Clay said this week
in reference to reported disenfranchisement of many St. Louis area voters in
the controversial presidential election of November 2000. "We will ask the
United Nations to come to Missouri to monitor the November general
election."
On Thursday, July 8, 2004, several members of the signers held a news
conference on Capitol Hill. Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, of Texas,
led the group, saying their efforts were aimed at helping to protect the
rights of every person to vote and to have their vote counted.
"It is imperative that there be some type of independent monitoring for
this fall's election," Congresswoman Johnson said during today's news
conference. "The United Nations provides this assistance for other Member
countries. Why not the United States? We are not above the law. Nor are we
above asking for assistance.