Texas AG Threatens Foreign Poll Watchers Here to Monitor the Election

[amborin]

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/10/greg_abbott_un_poll_watchers.php

".....Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott made it clear this week he does not want international elections observers anywhere near the polls in his state.

In a letter dated Tuesday to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Abbott threatened to prosecute any of its monitors who step within 100 feet of a Texas polling place on Election Day. The threat came even though U.S. State Department officials earlier this year had invited the monitors to observe the election.

“If OSCE members want to learn more about our elections processes so they can improve their own democratic systems, we welcome the opportunity to discuss the measures Texas has implemented to protect the integrity of the elections,” Abbott wrote. “However, groups and individuals from outside the United States are not allowed to influence or interfere with the election process in Texas.”

[Angry Dragon]

1. Too bad the US signed the agreement

perhaps the AG could be arrested for a federal crime

[smackd]

2. they should go to Lubbock...

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/texas-judge-warns-possible-civil-war-president-obama-230545603.html

that.would.be.AWESOME.

[LisaL]

3. Think about this. If TX seceded, it would become the hell easier for us to win elections.

[LongTomH]

4. International vote monitors warn Texas: Don't mess with us!

From Reuters:

International election monitors took a dim view on Wednesday of Texas' threat to prosecute them if they observe voting in the state a bit too closely on November 6.

The exchange pitted the Vienna-based human rights watchdog Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe against Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, who warned the OSCE not to interfere with polling in state elections.

"The threat of criminal sanctions against OSCE/ODIHR observers is unacceptable," Janez Lenarcic, director of the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) monitoring arm, said in a statement.

"The United States, like all countries in the OSCE, has an obligation to invite ODIHR observers to observe its elections."

Read the rest here: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/25/us-usa-elections-texas-idUSBRE89O01720121025