[Congressional Record: September 30, 2002 (Extensions)]
[Page E1710-E1711]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr30se02-109]
INDIANS BOAST OF SUCCESSFUL INTERVENTION IN U.S. ELECTION
______
HON. CYNTHIA A. McKINNEY
of georgia
in the house of representatives
Monday, September 30, 2002
Ms. McKINNEY. Mr. Speaker, as you know, I recently suffered a setback
in my bid for reelection. I am beginning to get over the disappointment
that I will no longer be able to serve the people of Georgia in the
next Congress. I will miss serving.
However, there were some alarming things about the campaign to defeat
me that I think my colleagues of both parties should look out for. I am
not talking about the Republicans who crossed over to vote for my
opponent, but the heavy involvement of Indians in the primary. I am one
of the Members of Congress who has tried to get out the truth about
South Asia, and I am proud of that. Earlier this year, I was one of 42
Members of Congress who wrote to President Bush to urge the release of
Sikh and other political prisoners in India.
Apparently, this irritated the Indians because the newspaper article
I am inserting in the Record along with this statement shows that they
admitted that they invested heavily in the effort to defeat me. To my
colleagues of both parties who have also been involved in the effort to
expose India's brutal record, I say: Watch out; they are coming after
you, too.
India has a record of illegal interference in U.S. elections. Former
Ambassador S.S. Ray publicly urged the reelection of former Senator
Larry Pressler and in opposition to now Senator Robert Torricelli. An
Indian American immigration lawyer named Lalit Gadhia funneled money
from the Indian Embassy to Congressional candidates, according to the
Baltimore Sun. Most of the candidates were of my party, people I am
proud to have had as my colleagues during my service in Congress. But
it is still illegal and wrong for India to funnel Embassy money to
these Members' campaigns.
Now I have become the latest political officeholder in India's cross
hairs. I won't be the last unless their activities are exposed. Mr.
Speaker, whether I am in office or not, I don't intend to let a foreign
power determine the results of American elections if I can help it.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to insert the article showing Indian
involvement in my primary into the Record to help expose their
activities.
[lsqb]From The Times of India, Aug. 21, 2002[rsqb]
Indian-Americans Help Unseat US Lawmaker
(By Chidanand Rajghatta)
Washington.--The headlines credit the Jewish lobby for the
defeat of lawmaker Cynthia McKinney in the Congressional
primaries on Tuesday. But a neophyte Indian-American
activists group, which co-wrote the script for this unusual
Georgia election that attracted nationwide attention, is
happy with just the footnote that recorded their role.
They like to do it quietly. They are not as political or as
established as the Jewish lobby.
Congresswoman McKinney outraged a lot of people with some
bizarre remarks. Among her more provocative comments was her
theory that President Bush purposely ignored warnings about
9/11 to help the U.S. arms industry. The comment angered not
just the Jewish groups, but regular Americans as well.
The African American incumbent was not shy of expressing
her opinion on the subcontinent either--mostly ill-informed
repeats made at the behest of the Pakistani and Khalistani
lobby, according to Indian-Americans.
A sample: The Indian government is responsible for
terrorism against its own people. It engineered the massacre
of bus passengers in Kashmir and the blowing up of a
passenger airliner.
[[Page E1711]]
Community leaders said she recorded that kind of
``unsubstantiated nonsense, usually peddled by disgruntled
and discredited conspiracy theorists,'' in the Congressional
Record.
But it was when she began talking about the imminent
breakup of India because of its ``17 different separatist
movements'' that the Indians of Georgia lost it for her and
banded together.
One prominent activist sent out an e-mail to 3400 Indian-
Americans in the area reporting her remarks (under the
subject line--``Balkanisation of India--advocated by Rep.
Cynthia McKinney'') and urging them to work for her opponent,
a local judge named Denise Majette.
Led by a prominent dotcommer in the area, they were soon
holding fund-raisers for Majette, who like McKinney is also
African-American. They chipped in with $20,000, although much
larger sums came in later from Middle East groups--the Jews
backing Majette and Arabs and Muslims supporting McKinney.
Indian-Americans contributed in other ways too. Several
volunteers worked full weeks for Majette's campaign. She was
invited as the chief guest for an Indian-American beauty
pageant. A motel owner turned his electronic billboard next
to the main highway into her campaign sign.
It was much after the Indian-American effort began that the
Jewish lobby rolled into town. But the two sides joined hands
for a phono-thon and pooled other resources for the campaign.
When the results came in on Tuesday, Majette had polled 58
per cent to McKinney's 42 per cent. The Indian bush
telegraph--e-mail--was buzzing.
``Money is important. But volunteer and other efforts are
equally important. Even more important is that we need to be
on the radar screen of the candidate we are supporting. Ms.
Denise Majette hopefully knows that we made a difference in
her bid. Please keep in communication with her to further the
relationship between IA (Indian Americans) and her,'' one
prominent activist wrote. ``The good news is that we offered
our support before the poll numbers and Jewish money
transpired. Thus, we got noticed,'' another group leader
responded.
In keeping with the low-profile effort, none of them were
eager to be identified.
The Indian embassy also quietly celebrated McKinney's loss,
although, sticking to the principle of non-interference in
local elections, it declined any comment. The embassy has
been accused in the past of being a little too interested in
the Congressional races.
Democrat Majette will now go up against the winner of the
Republican primary for a seat in the Congress in the main
elections due in November. But for now, Indians and Indian-
Americans can breathe easy that they do not have to hear
Cynthia McKinney's conspiracy theories in Congress.
____________________
|
Attorneys
Stumble It! | 
Add to del.icio.us | 
Digg this!