Congresswoman Tubbs Jones to Object to Certification of Ohio Electoral Votes 

Distribution Source : PRNewswire

Date : Thursday - January 06, 2005
 

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6 /PRNewswire/ Today, Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones will enter a formal objection to the certification of the State of Ohio's Electoral Votes. She issued this statement:

"This past Tuesday, I took my oath of office as a member of the United States House of Representatives to preserve and protect the U.S. Constitution, and I renewed my commitment to the people of Ohio and this country.

"Today, the House and Senate will convene a joint session of Congress to certify the electoral ballots of the November 2004 Presidential election. I have decided to raise a formal objection to the counting of the State of Ohio's electoral ballots. I am pleased to know that Senator Barbara Boxer will join me in this effort.

"I raise these objections neither to put the nation in the turmoil of a proposed overturned election nor to provide cannon fodder or partisan demagoguery for my fellow Republican Members of Congress. I raise these objections because I am convinced that we as a body must conduct a formal and legitimate debate about election irregularities. I raise this objection to debate the process and protect the integrity of the true will of the people.
 
  
"While some have called our cause foolish, I can assure you that my parents, Mary and Andrew Tubbs did not raise any fools and as a lawyer, former judge and prosecutor, I am duty bound to follow the law and apply the law to the facts as I find them.

"In this case the facts are clear: There were numerous irregularities in Ohio, including large percentages of rejections among Provisional ballots, numerous problems with voting machines, significant flaws in registration processes and procedures, just to name a few. How can we possibly tell the millions of Americans who came out to the polls in record numbers, particularly our young people, to simply get over it and move on.

"It is on behalf of those millions of Americans who believe in and value our democratic process and the right to vote that I put forth this objection today. If they are willing stand at the polls for countless hours in the rain as many did in Ohio, then I can surely stand up for them here in the halls of Congress.

"The Constitutional rights of the American people, particularly the right to vote, are very serious business. If we can send our young men and women overseas to give their lives so that the people of Iraq and Afghanistan can have the right to vote, then surely we here in Congress can begin the discussion to improve our system so that we can ensure that every eligible American is afforded their vote as well. If we can send people all over the world to monitor elections in other countries, then surely we can have a system in place to monitor our own elections.

"Again, this objection does not have at its root the hope or even the hint of overturning or challenging the victory of the President; but, it is a necessary, timely and appropriate opportunity to review and remedy the most precious process in our democracy."
Office of Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones