U.S. concerned over possible Russia vote fraud

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton (Center) walks to her car on Dec. 5, 2011, in Bonn, Germany. / Pool,AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

BONN, Germany - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Monday the United States has "serious concerns" about the conduct of Russia's parliamentary elections.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's party saw its majority in Russia's parliament weaken sharply, according to preliminary election results released Monday.

Some opposition politicians and election monitors said that even a result of around 50 percent for Putin's United Russia party was inflated because of vote fraud. Their claims were backed by international observers, as Clinton noted during remarks in Bonn, Germany.

Election violations alleged as Russians vote
Putin's party barely clings to majority in Russia

She said her opinion matters less than that of Russian voters, whom she says deserve the right to know their votes were fairly cast and counted.

Clinton said that international monitors have raised questions about possible ballot-stuffing and manipulation of voter lists "and other troubling practices."

She said Washington is also concerned that internal Russian election monitors were harassed, including by cyber attacks on their web sites.

"Russian voters deserve a full investigation of all credible reports of electoral fraud and manipulation and we hope in particular that then Russian authorities will take action" on reports that come forward, Clinton said.

She said, "The Russian people, like people everywhere, deserve the right to have their voices heard and their votes counted. That means they deserve free, fair, transparent elections and leaders who are accountable to them."

She travels next to Lithuania for a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which monitors election fraud.

[rockychance]

Hillary would be well advised to look at all the democratic voter monkey business in this country and also, maybe check on Bill's extracurricular activities.

[expatriate2]

As usual, the United States shows its international arrogance with the illusion that it has ANY right to question the affairs of other nations. It destroyed Iraq, put Penochet into power in Chile, kidnapped Hugo Chavez and now dares express "concern" over an election in an indpendent nation.

[oldman67]

Thank goodness that doesn't happen in America.

[OnTheRoad01]

It is in the Bible, we have the authority to tell everyone what they should do/beleive! If you don't beleive that, then just ask our politicans!!!!

[rightbehind]

"Like Florida in 2000" was the first thought on my mind as well. Like calling the kettle black when 56% of the nation votes for one candidate and the other wins through the supreme court. We got no business telling others how to run their elections.

[rightbehind]

I forgot to mention the 2004 election. Bushco got over 6000 votes in one Ohio district with less than 1000 registered voters. Ohio's election information was routed through servers in Tenn. Very interesting article on this site called, "Republican IT guru dies in plane crash". We got no business telling others how to run their elections.

[Mark869]

With all of the allegations of voter fraud in the USA, I think we need to get our own house in order before we presume to lecture others. As Jesus was alleged to have said, "Hypocrite! First remove the pole from your own eye; and then you can see clearly to take out the speck from another's eye."