DFA blog: Cong. Pallone posts about challenging the election.

[madfloridian]

We should say thanks.

http://www.blogforamerica.com/archives/005758.html
Listening to Citizen Voices
Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. from New Jersey voted to challenge the certification of Ohio electoral votes. Tonight, he joins Blog for America to talk about his decision.

Today, I stood alongside my colleagues in an attempt to ensure that your voices are heard. I objected to the seating of the Electoral College members from Ohio.

After the 2000 election, we learned that many of our voting machines were outdated or faulty and that the officials responsible for protecting the rights of the voters were often more loyal to their party than to the voters, leaving serious doubts to the true motivations behind their decisions on Election Day.

After four years of "improving" our system, the results remain ultimately the same as they did in 2000. It is clear that we have not done enough to fix the shortfalls in our voting system to ensure that segments of our population no longer feel disenfranchised. There can be no denial of these failures. Our government must work to ensure that voter's rights are protected and that all votes are counted, even if 100% of the citizens go to the polls on Election Day.

Since the 2000 election, our government has spent almost one hundred billion dollars trying to ensure all Iraqis have the right to vote, but only three billion dollars to ensure we Americans have the same right. We have ATM machines on every corner that keep our financial records, yet we can not provide an adequate number of voting machines capable of recording our votes accurately. Voting is the most fundamental aspect of our democracy; we must do everything in our power to protect it.

Today, the outcome of the election did not change. However, the voices of those citizens who did not have their votes counted on Election Day were finally heard.

Thank you, once again, for the opportunity to share my position. It is always a pleasure to speak for those who must be heard.

—Rep. Frank Pallone Jr.

His website:
http://www.house.gov/pallone/

[FreepFryer]

1. Would someone pls. set up a 1-click-link? I've gotta read up on how.

It would be nice to send him a thank you as well.

[Osamasux]

2. Here's the press release from Pallone's website

CONGRESSMAN FRANK PALLONE, JR.
Sixth District of New Jersey

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACT: Andrew Souvall
January 6, 2004

or Jennifer Cannata
[phone]



PALLONE OBJECTS TO CERTIFICATION OF OHIO ELECTORAL VOTES IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) today objected to the certification of Ohio's Electoral Votes in the 2004 Presidential Election. While the New Jersey congressman does not dispute that President Bush won the 2004 Presidential, he voiced concern today over numerous voting irregularities that showed up in Ohio and in other states, and how important it is that Congress solve the problems discovered in 2004 better than it did after the 2000 election. Pallone issued the following statement after objecting to the certification.




"After the 2000 Presidential Election we knew we had to make changes in our elections system so American voters could be confidant that their vote would be registered and counted. The 2000 election taught us that many of our election machines were outdated, and unfortunately, some of our election officials served their political party over the voter who should have the right to vote on Election Day.

"Four years later, it's apparent that the irregularities of the 2000 election have not been rectified to the satisfaction of those voters who too often are disenfranchised by the faults in our voting system. There can be no argument to dismiss the failure of the voting system. There can be no excuse for not keeping up the pressure to fix these problems. The work started three years ago, through the creation of the Help America Vote Act, must move forward."

"In a time in our nations history when our government spends hundreds of billions of dollars on interests around the world and science has reduced the size of the common computer to fit in the palm of a hand, it's unacceptable that our government cannot provide the money or the technology to make the most simple, most straightforward, and most fundamental aspect of our own Democracy work in a way that is fair to every American citizen?"

"Never should citizens in a democracy be refused the right to vote, nor should they be made to wait ridiculous amounts of time to cast their ballots. Today, I urge both this Congress and the states to once again examine our voting systems so that these problems are solved by the next election."

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/nj06_pallone/pr_jan6_ohio_certify.html