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Thank you to everyone for your support. I would ask that you please redouble your efforts in contacting the US media and news outlets in your home countries. Please share my letters to Mr. Donahue and the Office of Inspector General with the media; translate them into your local languages and publish them, or forward them to your national newspapers. Please relate your stories; they are poignant and heartbreaking. It is imperative that your stories are told so that US government officials and the public understand the scope of this tragedy. Please send me (white@bridgewest.com) links to any DV–2012 newspaper articles and videos. Thank you.

If you have a US citizen or permanent resident relative or friend, please contact them and request that they contact their senator and congressman. Here are the links to the offices of senators and congressmen: http://senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm http://www.house.gov/representatives/ Please forward to your friend/relative in the US our two letters to the Department of State (posted on this blog — to David Donahue and to Office of Inspector General), and have them send those letters to the senators and congressmen. Please keep me posted on any progress by e-mailing me at white@bridgewest.com (request: please indicate Congress in the subject line). Thank you for your help!

Attached is our letter to the Office of Inspector General at the Department of State calling for an investigation into the DOS decision to invalidate the results. OIG is the “watchdog” in the Department. It ensures that action by DOS officials is not wasteful; does not result from mismanagement; and is not detrimental to American policy goals. As detailed in the letter, the Department’s decision to invalidate the results will come at great expense to the American taxpayer; is a result of DOS mismanagement of the situation; and will irreparably harm US image abroad. Therefore, an investigation is warranted, with a view towards rectifying this malfeasance by permitting the 22,000 selectees to remain winners and holding a drawing for the remaining slots. oig letter final signed

If you were selected in the DV–2012 Lottery, are currently studying or working in the US, and have not contacted me yet, please send me an e-mail at white@bridgewest.com Thank you.

As you all have noted, American public image overseas has been severely damaged because of this fiasco. It is absolutely critical to share your experience with the public and shape the court of public opinion in your home countries. Thank you to those who have created and posted videos. Here are a few links: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK_23uMN0d0&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gihogZrd8sw&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp-pAVUu5D4&feature=related