This is beyond disguisting.
Kiev, Ukraine, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- The first round of Ukraine's presidential election has gained the basic approval of a group of Democratic former congressmen paid to observe the vote.
The group declared the Oct. 31 election was basically free and fair and "geared toward the finest methods of ensuring fairness and accuracy," the Washington Post reported Saturday.
But the assessment contradicts that of European monitors and U.S. state department officials, all of whom cited widespread irregularities and called the election "a step backwards."
The Democrats were recruited -- and paid $500 per day -- by a Washington lobbyist registered as an agent of pro-Russian candidate Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych. He and former Prime Minister Viktor Yushchenko each received 39 percent of the vote.
The Democrats' group was led Rep. Robert Carr, D-Mich., and included Rep. Norman D'Amours of New Hampshire, Ronald Coleman of Texas and Mike Ward of Kentucky plus several former Democratic Congressmen. The entire trip cost $125,000.
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