January 06, 2001

CONGRESSWOMAN BARBARA LEE AND CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS OPPOSE FLORIDA ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTES

Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee today joined members of the Congressional Black Caucus in opposition to counting Florida's 25 electoral college votes for George W. Bush.

formal objection to counting Florida=s electoral votes must be presented in writing, signed by at least one Senator and one Representative, under 3 U.S.C. section 15. Unfortunately, not one single Member of the Senate submitted an objection, thereby rendering the objection out of order.

Rules may prevent the hearing of our challenge, but they do not relieve us of our responsibility to the people in this country who voted, only to find that their vote was not counted, said Lee. AWe will not stand silently by while African American voters are intimidated, dismissed from polling places, forced to use antiquated machines, and denied their rightful voice.

The Congressional Black Caucus and civil rights organizations have pursued various initiatives and legal action in the months following the election. Congresswoman Lee, other members of the Congressional Black Caucus, and civil rights leaders met with Attorney General Janet Reno to request a Justice Department investigation into widespread voter intimidation and harassment, a disproportionate number of antiquated voting machines in minority communities, and other voting irregularities.

Congresswoman Lee also recently co-sponsored H.R. 57, which would create a 12 member non-partisan commission to take a systemic look at federal election practices such as voter registration rules, ballot design, technology for counting ballots, and rules for mail-in and absentee ballots, poll locations, and a variety of other election reforms.

I traveled to Florida to work to get out the vote for the same reason that I have served as an election observer abroad: because free and fair elections are the very lifeblood of a democracy and because the principle of one person, one vote must be more than empty rhetoric. said Lee.

It is deplorable that many voters faced intimidation and barriers to casting their ballot for President, only to have their votes not counted, concluded Lee. ALet the world know that we failed in upholding our democratic principles and that the Reagan-Bush Supreme Court, not the people of the United States, decided the outcome of this election. We must challenge the acceptance of Presidential Electors from Florida, and take concerted action towards election reform that ensures that this never happens again.

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