Greg Abbott: defending Texas from nonexistent enemies everywhere

[the_archfiend]

You've got to hand it to Texas AG Greg Abbott: he sure knows how to make people forget what a waste of space Ranger Rick is.

First there was his deranged attempt to use Federal anti-terrorism law to go after Planned Parenthood in Texas because - well, because. Then there was his ridiculous attempt to come off as a theocon Tarzan in his defense of the Kountze Independent School District's use of biblical verse banners during high school football games (helpful hint: the original letter of complaint, although using a firm tone, doesn't seem to be full of the "menacing and misleading intimidation tactics"  Abbott whined about). Now he's decided that it's time to take on the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe Union and its menacing legion of - wait for it - election observers:

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.”

We've seen this kind of nonsense before: Governor Goodhair took a pro-secessionist tone (even if he weaseled out of openly advocating it) himself a while ago when he was busy posing as a viable Presidential candidate (which he most certainly was not). If Abbott isn't following in Perry's footsteps in preparation for his own run for the Governor's mansion in Austin, I'd be surprised. He's certainly shoring up his credentials with the religious right and Solid South types. But considering that the ODIHR director seemed a little, well, perturbed by his threat, Abbott might want to rethink his tone before he causes one of the dumbest international incidents in history:

Ambassador Janez Lenarčič, the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), expressed his grave concern today over the threat of criminal prosecution of OSCE/ODIHR election observers.

This threat, contained in an open letter from the Attorney General of Texas, is at odds with the established good co-operation between OSCE/ODIHR observers and state authorities across the United States, including in Texas, Lenarčič said, adding that it is also contrary to the country’s obligations as an OSCE participating State.

The ODIHR Director shared his concerns in a letter to United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

“The threat of criminal sanctions against OSCE/ODIHR observers is unacceptable,” Lenarčič said. “The United States, like all countries in the OSCE, has an obligation to invite ODIHR observers to observe its elections.”

The ODIHR Director also stressed that any concerns or reports that the election observers intended to influence or interfere with the election process were groundless. He underlined that OSCE/ODIHR election observers adhere to all national laws and regulations, as well as a strict code of conduct.

“Our observers are required to remain strictly impartial and not to intervene in the voting process in any way,” Lenarčič said. “They are in the United States to observe these elections, not to interfere in them.”

So what, precisely, is Abbott going to do if ODIHR observers still want to go to Texas polling places despite his threat? Have them arrested for - what? Pollwatching without a license?

Maybe Texas does want to be considered part of the Third-World, after all.