Former US electoral observer to the 1994 election in the DR, Mark Hall sees much irony in the US electoral crisis. In an open letter to President Mejía he writes to request "the Dominican statesman’s help in organizing a seasoned and experienced Dominican observer delegation to help the US resolve its election crisis." Hall says that the US elections experts, the National Democratic Institute is "out of the country observing other elections, which leaves the country a little short-handed." The former US observer of Dominican elections urges the participation of a Dominican observer team "since the DR possesses enormous experience in resolving close and difficult elections". He recommends that the mission serve five objectives: 1. To demonstrate Dominican Republic’s support for the democratic process in the US 2. To review the election process and the tabulation of the results to date 3. To review the widespread irregularities to determine whether they could have affected the outcome of the election 4. To provide the international community with an objective assessment of the election 5. And to "suggest" (keeping in mind that no country has the right to intervene in the electoral process of another) ways to resolve their impasse. He brings to the attention of President Mejía a letter that President Clinton sent to members of the US Congress during the 1994 Dominican election impasse over a virtual tie between Peña Gómez and Balaguer quoting: "We are keenly interested in seeing the popular will respected and Our dealings with the future Dominican government obviously will be influenced by the degree of legitimacy it enjoys." In Hall’s opinion, if the US doesn’t accept our offer to send a delegation, the Dominican government takes the same position! Mark Hall served as part of the 26 member international delegation sponsored by the National Democratic Institutes for International Affairs to observe the election in the DR. In the US, Mark Hall is senior vice president and director of corporate development for Hunneman Real Estate Corporation.
