Funding Of Election Monitors A Concern (Ds and Rs at odds on Ukraine vote)

[Rose Siding]

After the first round of Ukraine's presidential election a few weeks ago, a group of Democratic former congressmen observing the vote declared that it was basically free and fair and "geared toward the finest methods of ensuring fairness and accuracy."

Their positive assessment ran counter to those of most other observers, including the State Department, a group affiliated with the Republican Party and a coalition of European monitors, who all cited widespread irregularities and called it "a step backwards."

What the congressional group did not say was that its members were recruited and paid $500 a day by a Washington-based lobbyist who is a registered representative of the pro-Russian candidate in the race, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych. The prime minister and the chief opposition candidate, former prime minister Viktor Yushchenko, each received 39 percent of the vote on Oct. 31 and will face each other in a runoff tomorrow.
.............
Carr said members of his delegation were told once they arrived in Kiev that a Ukrainian American was financing the trip, which cost $125,000. He said that, aside from Whitman, none of its 12 members had a business interest in Ukraine or went intending "to develop an interest."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A63732-2004Nov19.html