NoticeofFormalComplaintUndertheUHSGAElectionCode
ThisdocumentservesasformalnoticeofcomplaintagainstPowerHouseparty,specifically
JohnFields,underthefollowingsectionsoftheUHSGAElectionCode:
Article3,Section4,Clause3,and/or
Article6,Section2,Clause1,and/or
Article6,Section2,Clause2,and/or
Article6,Section2,Clause4,and/or
Article6,Section2,Clause5,and/or
Article6,Section2,Clause6,and/or
Article6,Section2,Clause10,and/or
Article7,Section2,Clause3,and/or
Article7,Section2,Clause6
Thesechargesareboldedonthefollowingtwopages.
Abstract
PriortoFebruary22nd,2016,JohnFields,headofthePowerHouseparty,hadcampaign
picturestakenofhimandhisVice-Presidentialrunningmate,VidhaDixit.CoryRodriguez
tookthosepicturesforMr.Fields.Fieldsandhisparty,PowerHouse,usedthesepictures
duringthecourseofthecampaign.
ThesepicturestakenbyMr.RodriguezwereneverdisclosedonPowerHouse’sfinancial
disclosureform.FieldsandPowerHousehadaresponsibilitytodiscloseallexpendituresat
marketvalue,evendonationsthatdidnotinvolveanyexchangeofmoney.This
requirementislaidoutintheElectionCodeandwasemphasizedbytheElection
CommissionatthemandatorySGAcandidateseminar,specificallythroughtheuseofan
exampleaboutdonatedphotographyneedingtobereportedatmarketvalue.
Byfailingtoincludeamaterialfactonadocumentthatisrequiredtobeaccurateandupto-dateandincludeallexpendituresatmarketvalue(includingdonations),PowerHouses’s
financialdisclosureformassubmittedonFebruary22ndisfalse.Alieofomission,
specificallytheomissionofamaterialfactwhileunderdutytoreportisanactof
falsification.FalsifyingcampaigndocumentsisclassifiedasaviolationoftheElectionCode.
ThoughMr.Fieldsdidnotpersonallysignthedocument,acampaignstaffmembersigned
thedocument.Falsificationbycampaignstaffmembersisalsospecificallyclassifiedasa
violationundertheElectionCode.TheElectioncodealsostatesthatpartiescanbeheld
responsible(inwholeorinpart)fortheviolationsoftheirstaffmembers.Fields,whohad
knowledgeoftheMr.Rodriguez’sphotowork,isresponsibleforbeingawareofand
abidingbytheElectionCode,andisresponsibleforallpartydocumentsastheheadofthe
party,shouldbeheldresponsibleforthisfalsification.
Additionalevidenceandreasoningisattached.
ApplicableSectionsoftheUHElectionCode
Art.3,Sec.2,Cl.2:“Candidateswillbeheldresponsibleforanyactivitiesbytheir
supportersthatareinviolationoftheprovisionsofthiscodeifevidencesupportsthata
candidatehadactualorconstructiveknowledgeofillicitactivitiesand/orauthorizedor
acquiescedinsuchactivities.”
Art.3,Sec.2,Cl.3:“Candidateswhoaremembersofapartyareheldindividually
accountabletotheprovisionsofthiscode,althoughpartiesasawholemaybepenalizedfor
violationofthiscode.”
Art.3,Sec.4,Cl.1:“Individualswithinandcomprisingpartiesshallbesubjecttothe
responsibilitiesofcandidatesenumeratedinArticle3.”
Art.3,Sec.4,Cl.2:“Partiesasawholeorinpartmaybeheldresponsibletoinfractionsof
thiscode.”
Art.3,Sec.4,Cl.3:“Partiesmustaccountforthetotalamountofexpendituresofthe
candidateswhoareaffiliatedwiththem.”
Art.6,Sec.1,Cl.7:“Politicalpartiesarelimitedtoexpenditurestotalingnomorethanone
thousandandthreehundreddollars.ThislimitisnotincreasedintheeventofaRunoff
Election.”
Art.6,Sec.2,Cl.1:“Eachcandidateforofficeisrequiredtokeepaccurateandup-to-date
recordsofallcampaignexpenditures.TheElectionCommissionmayrequesttoviewthese
recordsattheirdiscretion,andcandidatesmustpresenttheserecordstotheElection
Commissionwithin48hoursoftheCommission’srequest.”
Art.6,Sec.2,Cl.2:“Itemsandservicesdonatedtoacampaignshallbereportedatthe
closestpossibleapproximationofmarketvalue.”
Art.6,Sec.2,Cl.3:“Candidatesthatarenotamemberofapartyarerequiredtofilea
statementoffinancialdisclosureweeklyoneachMondayfromthefirstMondayafterthe
startofthecampaigningperioduntilandincludingthefirstMondayaftertheendofall
elections.TheChiefElectionCommissionerhasthediscretiontochangethedaythatthese
financialdisclosuresareduetothecommission.”
Art.6,Sec.2,Cl.4:“Thefirststatementoffinancialdisclosuremustdetailthenamesand
monetaryvaluesofeachexpenditurethecampaignhasmadethusfar.Eachsubsequent
statementoffinancialdisclosuremustdetailthenamesandmonetaryvaluesofeach
expenditurethecampaignhasmadesincethesubmissionofthelaststatement.”
Art.6,Sec.2,Cl.5:“Politicalpartiesmustsubmitafinancialdisclosureformthataccounts
forthespendingofallmembersoftheparty.Thisformmustbesubmittedonaweekly
basis,definedinthesamewayasprescribedforindependentcandidatesinClause3ofthis
section.”
Art.6,Sec.2,Cl.6:“Eachpartymustbeawareofthetotalexpendituresofitsmembersand
isresponsiblefornotexceedingitstotalexpenditurelimit.”
Art.6,Sec.2,Cl.8:“Statementsoffinancialdisclosureaswellasrunningexpendituretotals
arepublicrecord.Thisinformationmayberequestedatanytime.TheElectionCommission
mustprovidethisinformationinatimelymanner.”
Art.6,Sec.2,Cl.10:“Nocandidateorcampaignstaffmembershallfalsifyanyentryona
statementoffinancialdisclosure.”
Art.7,Sec.2,Cl.3:“ClassAviolationsinclude,butarenotlimitedto:anyviolationofthe
StudentCodeofConductand/orlocal,state,and/orfederallaws;ElectionFraud;falsified
campaigndocuments;identitytheft.”
Art.7,Sec.2,Cl.4:“ThepenaltyforaClassAViolationisthedisqualificationofthe
candidate(s)fromtheelectionandanautomaticreferraltotheDeanofStudent’sOffice.”
Art.7,Sec.2,Cl.6:“ClassBViolationsinclude,butarenotlimitedto:deliberatelydefacing,
altering,ordestroyingthecampaignmaterialofanothercandidatewithoutthatcandidate’s
explicitwrittenpermission;theobstructionoftheElectionCommissioninthedischargeof
theirofficialduties;exceedingcampaignspendinglimits;and/orfailingtoappearbefore
theCourtofAppealsforhearings.”
Art.7,Sec.2,Cl.8:“ClassCViolationsinclude,butarenotlimitedto:pre-campaigning;
failuretosubmitrequiredcampaigndocumentstotheElectionCommission;and/orfailure
toattendmandatorymeetings.”
Evidence
PlaintiffExhibit1:VerbalstatementsbyChiefElectionCommissionerCrawfordatthe
mandatorycandidateseminaronFebruary15th.Thisisprovablebyalargenumberof
witnesseswhoheardMr.Crawford’sstatements.
PlaintiffExhibit2:TextmessagesfromCoryRodriguez(included)
PlaintiffExhibit3:PowerHousefinancialdisclosureforallexpendituresthroughFebruary
22ndat5:00PM(notincludedinthisdocument–authenticatedcopyinpossessionofChief
ElectionCommissionerandAttorneyGeneral).
PlaintiffExhibit1:AtthemandatorycandidateseminarforallSGAcandidates,Chief
ElectionCommissionerCrawfordinformedallcandidatesthatanyworkproductorservice
donated(orofferedatadiscountedprice)mustbereportedatmarketvalue.Specifically,
Mr.Crawfordusedtheexampleofsomeonetakingphotosforacampaign.Mr.Crawford
statedthatthosephotosmustbereportedonthecandidateorparty’sfinancialdisclosure
formatfairmarketvalueregardlessoftheactualcostpaid,inaccordancewithArt.6,Sec.2,
Cl.2oftheUHSGAElectionCode(“Itemsandservicesdonatedtoacampaignshallbe
reportedattheclosestpossibleapproximationofmarketvalue.”).
PlaintiffExhibit2:ThenoteabletextmessagehereisfromCoryRodriguezstatingthathe
tookphotosforJohnFields.ThesephotosweretakenaspartofthePowerHousecampaign.
ThesepicturesweretakenofatleastJohnFieldsandhisVice-Presidentialrunningmate,
VidhaDixit,andhavebeenusedinthePowerHousepromotionalmaterialsduringthe
campaign.
NOTE:IntheinterestofprotectingCory’sreputation,itshouldbenotedthathehasno
dislikeofPowerHouseorJohnFields.Infact,heconsidersthemfriends.Inrelationtothis
complaint,hehasagreedverysimplytoofferbasictruthfulfactsandhasstatedthathewill
notofferanyopinionsoranythingfurtherthanafactualaccountoftheeventssurrounding
thecampaignphotoshetook.
PlaintiffExhibit3:PowerHousefiledtheirfirstfinancialdisclosureformonFebruary22nd.
PerArt.6,Sec.2,Cl.4oftheUHSGAElectionCode,thisfinancialdisclosureformwas
requiredtoincludeeachexpendituremadebyallPowerHousemembersuptoFebruary
22ndat5:00PM.YetthereisnomentionofanyphotographyworkdonebyCoryRodriguez,
eventhoughthatphotoworkwaspriortoFebruary22ndandshouldhavebeenreported.
ThoughthereisanentryforvideoworkdonebyMr.Rodriguez,thiswasaseparateproject
thatMr.RodriguezperformedforPowerHouse.Forthatproject,Mr.Rodriguezwas
contractedtofilmapromotionalvideoforPowerHouse,whichhassincebeendistributed
byPowerHouseduringthecampaign.Thisseparatevideoprojectwasrecordedproperlyat
fairmarketvalueandlabeledbyPowerHouseasanexpensefor“video.”PowerHousenever
reportedMr.Rodriguez’sphotowork,despitethefactthattheywererequiredtobebythe
ElectionCode.
TheChiefElectionCommissionermaintainstheofficialcopiesoffinancialdisclosureforms.
TheAttorneyGeneralhaspossessionofanauthenticatedcopyoftheFebruary22nd
PowerHousefinancialdisclosureform,whichfailstoreportthephotoexpenditure.Though
acopyisnotincludedhere,theplaintiffwillobtainandsubmitcopiesofthisdocumentfor
anylegalproceedingsthatoccurinrelationtothiscomplaint.
ItisimportanttonotethatbasedonArt.6,Sec.2,Cl.4(citedbelowforclarification),each
subsequentfinancialdisclosurefilingmustcontainonlytheexpendituresmadesincethe
lastsubmission.Therefore,PowerHousecouldnotsubmitanupdatedcopyoftheir
February22ndfinancialdisclosureformorincludeMr.Rodriguez’sphotoworkontheir
nextfinancialdisclosureforminanefforttoavoidpunishmentfortheirviolation.
Forclarification:
Art.6,Sec.2,Cl.4:“Thefirststatementoffinancialdisclosuremustdetailthenamesand
monetaryvaluesofeachexpenditurethecampaignhasmadethusfar.Eachsubsequent
statementoffinancialdisclosuremustdetailthenamesandmonetaryvaluesofeach
expenditurethecampaignhasmadesincethesubmissionofthelaststatement.”
DiscussionofResponsibility
Thedefensemayattempttoallegethatonlythepersonwhosignedthefalsifiedfinancial
disclosuredocumentcanbedisciplinedforthefalsification.However,thatisnottrue.
AdrianCastillo,whoisnotacandidate,signedthefinancialdisclosureformfor
PowerHouse.ItmayhavebeenastrategicdecisionbyPowerHousetohaveMr.Castillosign
theformsduetothefactthathepersonallycannotbedisqualifiedbecauseheisnota
candidate.However,Mr.Castilloisasupporter/volunteerforPowerHouseandhasbeen
involvedwithmanagingtheircampaign.TherearenumeroussectionsoftheElectionCode
whichdiscusshowparties(inwholeorinpart),canbeheldresponsibleforviolationsof
volunteersandsupporters.
Art.3,Sec.2,Cl.2,“Candidateswillbeheldresponsibleforanyactivitiesbytheir
supportersthatareinviolationoftheprovisionsofthiscodeifevidencesupportsthata
candidatehadactualorconstructiveknowledgeofillicitactivitiesand/orauthorizedor
acquiescedinsuchactivities.”Thisresponsibilityalsoextendstopartiesandtheir
supporters,perArt.3,Sec.4,Cl.1(“Individualswithinandcomprisingpartiesshallbe
subjecttotheresponsibilitiesofcandidatesenumeratedinArticle3.”)
Mr.FieldscertainlyhadknowledgeofMr.Rodriguez’sphotoshoot,sinceMr.Fields
wasasubjectofthephotos.Mr.Fields,astheheadofthePowerHouseparty,isalso
responsibleforsupervisingthefinancialdisclosureformanditscontents,aswellas
beingawareofthetotalexpendituresofitsmembers,perArt.6,Sec.2,Cl.6:(“Each
partymustbeawareofthetotalexpendituresofitsmembersandisresponsiblefor
notexceedingitstotalexpenditurelimit.”)
Art.3,Sec.2,Cl.3:“Candidateswhoaremembersofapartyareheldindividually
accountabletotheprovisionsofthiscode,althoughpartiesasawholemaybepenalizedfor
violationofthiscode.”
Partiescan,andoftenare,punishedfortheactionsofonememberorsupporter.
Sincethisfalsificationaffectedtheentireparty,thiswouldseemtobeatextbook
caseofwherethepartyasawholewouldbepenalized,oratleasttheheadofthe
party,whohadknowledgeofthephotoshootandwasresponsibleforoverseeing
theparty’sforms,includingthefinancialdisclosureform.
Art.3,Sec.4,Cl.2:“Partiesasawholeorinpartmaybeheldresponsibletoinfractionsof
thiscode.”
Thissectionindicatesthattheentirepartydoesnothavetobeheldresponsible,but
thattheAttorneyGeneraland/orSGACourtofAppealscandetermineonlypartsof
thepartytoberesponsibleforinfractions.Inthissituation,itseemsreasonableto
notholdtheentirepartyresponsibleforthefalsificationofasupporterandthehead
oftheparty.However,itwouldalsobefairtoholdtheentirepartyresponsible,
sincethefalsifieddocumentdoesrepresenttheentireparty,andtheheadofthe
partyisresponsibleforensuringthelegalityofthepartyasawhole.
Ultimately,itdoesnotmatterthatMr.CastilloistheonewhosignedtheformorthatMr.
Castillohimselfcannotbedisqualified.PowerHousepartyasawhole,andJohnFields
individually,astheheadoftheparty,areresponsibleforMr.Castillo’sactions.
Furthermore,FieldsisresponsibleforanyPowerHouselegalforms,asheistheheadofthe
party.
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SummaryofCase
Allexpendituresmadebycandidatesandpartiesmustbereported.These
expenditurerecordsmustbeaccurateandup-to-date(Art.6,Sec.2,Cl.1).
Anydonationofproductorservicemustbereportedonaparty’sfinancial
disclosureform.Donationsshouldbereportedatmarketvalue(Art.6,Sec.2,Cl.2).
CoryRodrigueztookcampaignphotosforJohnFieldsandPowerHouse.
Mr.Rodriguez’sworkwasneverreportedonthePowerHousefinancialdisclosure
form,eventhoughitwasrequiredtobereportedatmarketvalue.
Nocandidateorcampaignstaffmembershallfalsifyanyentryonastatementof
financialdisclosure(Art.6,Sec.2,Cl.10).Byomittingamaterialfactonadocument
thatwasrequiredtobeaccurateandincludeallexpenditures,thedocumentwas
renderedfalse.
“Falsifiedcampaigndocuments”arespecificallylistedasaClassAviolationofthe
ElectionCode,whichisanautomaticdisqualification(Art.7,Sec.2,Cl.3&4).
Becausethisviolationaffectsthepartyasawholeandpartiesareoftendisciplined
fortheactionsofafew,itwouldseemreasonabletoenforcepunishmentagainst
PowerHouseasawhole.However,ifonlyonememberofPowerHouseistobeheld
responsiblebasedonthefactthatothermembersofPowerHousemaynothave
beenawareofMr.Rodriguez’sphotowork,itshouldbetheheadoftheparty,John
Fields,thatisheldresponsiblebasedonthefollowingreasons:
a. FieldsclearlyhadknowledgeofMr.Rodriguez’sphotowork,ashewasa
subjectinthepictures.
b. FieldsisresponsibleforknowingtheElectionCode
c. FieldsmostlikelyattendedthecandidateseminarwhereChiefElection
CommissionerCrawfordmaderemarksaboutreportingphotographywork
atmarketvalue
d. Astheheadoftheparty,Fieldsisultimatelyresponsibleforpartyactions,
decisions,andfinancialdisclosureforms.