NoticeofFormalComplaintUndertheUHSGAElectionCode
ThisdocumentservesasformalnoticeofcomplaintagainstPowerhousepartyunderthe
followingsectionsoftheUHSGAElectionCode:
Article4,Section2,Clause1and/or
Article4,Section2,Clause2and/or
OtherSGAand/orUHpolicies
Abstract
OnTuesday,March1,SeanVelasquez,asenatecandidateofthePowerhouseparty,was
seenintheMoodyTowersDiningHall(officiallyFreshFoodCompany)campaigningand
distributingmaterialsthatsupportedallcandidatesofPowerhouse.
IncludedisavideoofVelasquezapproachingandinteractingwithstudents.Velasquezis
carryingastackofPowerhouseflyersandleavesflyersinthepossessionofstudentshehas
approached.Throughtheaudio(thoughitisquiet–loudandheadphonesorspeakersmay
berequired),VelasquezcanbehearddiscussingPowerhouseandvoting.Thereisnodoubt
thatVelasquezwascampaigninginthedininghall.
Campaigninginthedininghallisnotallowed.First,theUHSGAElectioncodestatesthatall
campaigningissubjecttotheauthorityofentitiesorindividualsthathave
jurisdictionoverthelocationinwhichcampaigningisoccurring.Thatapprovalwould
needtocomefromUHAuxiliaryServices.InaconversationbetweenDonYackley(Director
ofSHRL),SusanKimbrough(AssistantDirectorofSHRL),ShaneSmith(SeniorRAandSGA
Presidentialcandidate),andKaylaFischer(SeniorRAandSGANSMSenatorialCandidate),
SmithaskedMr.YackleyandMs.Kimbroughifcampaigninginthedininghallwasallowed.
Mr.YackleyandMs.Kimbroughexpressedthatitwasnotallowedandthatapprovalfor
thattypeofactivitywouldhavetocomefromUHAuxiliaryServices,adivisionheadedby
EsmeraldaValdez.
AtthemandatorySGAcandidateseminar,ChiefElectionCommissionerCrawford
instructedcandidatesthattheonlytimethatcandidatescouldcampaigninthedininghall
wasontheeveningoftheofficialmeetandgreat,whichwasFebruary23rd,andthatthe
dininghallwasnotallowedforcampaigningonotherdays.
FurtherEventsforClarification
AfterrecordingVelasquezcampaigninginthedininghall,membersofProjectRed
approachedVelasquezandinformedVelasquezthatcampaigningwasnotallowedinthe
dininghall,heleft.However,Velasquezreturnedashorttimelater,allegedthatChief
ElectionCommissionerJacksonCrawfordhadjustgivenhimpermissiontocampaigninthe
dininghall,afterwhichVelasquezcontinuedcampaigning.
CommissionerCrawfordhasstatedthathedidreceivethatphonecallandmayhave
mistakenlytoldthecallerthatcampaigninginthedininghallswasacceptable.Giventhis
conversationwithCommissionerCrawford,wearenotcitingVelasquez’scontinued
campaigningafterthephonecallasactionsthatconstituteoffense.Weareonlyalleging
thatthecampaigningdonepriortothephonecallwasillegal.CommissionerCrawford
statedthat,priortothatphonecall,hehadnotinformedanyonethatcampaigninginthe
dininghallwasacceptable.Therefore,Velasquez’sinitialactionsofcampaigninginthe
dininghallpriortothephonecallwereillegal.
Forclarification,CommissionerCrawfordstatedthathereceivedthephonecallinquestion
at7:52PM.ThevideoevidenceofVelasquezcampaigningistimestampedasbeginningat
7:47PMonaniPhone,withacomputerizedcreatedtimeof7:51.
ApplicableSectionsoftheUHElectionCode
Art.3,Sec.2,Cl.1:“Allcandidatesareheldaccountabletotheprovisionsofthiscode,
StudentGovernmentAssociationConstitutionandBylawsandallotherUniversitypolicies.”
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.4,Sec.2,Cl.1:“Allcampaigningissubjecttotheauthorityofentitiesorindividualsthat
havejurisdictionoverthelocationinwhichcampaigningisoccurring.”
Art.4,Sec.2,Cl.2:“Nocampaigningmayusepersonalpropertywithouttheconsentofthe
owner.”
Evidence
PlaintiffExhibit1:VideorecordingfromDeanSuchyofVelasquezcampaigninginthe
dininghall(attachedtoemaildirectly,titled“VelasquezCampaigning”).
PlaintiffExhibit2:VideorecordingofconversationbetweenDeanSuchyandVelasquez
(attacheddirectlytoemail,titled“VelasquezConversation”).
PlaintiffExhibit3:PictureofFreshFoodCompanytablesafterVelasquezdeparted.(1st
picturebelow)
PlaintiffExhibit4:2ndpictureofFreshFoodCompanytablesafterVelasquezdeparted.(2nd
picturebelow)
Witnesses
AmyTaylor(unaffiliatedwithProjectRed.WasapproachedbyVelasquezwhilesittingat
MoodyDiningHall.Willgivestatementoveremail–stillinprocess.Emailis
Amy.taylor2911@gmail.com)
DeanSuchy
KarisJohnson
YashDesai
ZeelVora
DiscussionofPunishment
WebelievethisoffenseshouldbeclassifiedasaclassBviolationagainstthePowerhouse
party,astheviolationwascommittedbyaPowerhousememberandthemember
distributedinformationthatcontainedthenamesofallcandidatesandbenefitedtheparty
asawhole.TheUHSGAElectionCodesaysthatClassBViolationsinclude,butarenot
limitedto,acertainlistofpotentialviolations.Thoughcampaigninginunauthorized
locationsisnotlistedastowhichclassitfallsunder,webelievethataclassAviolation
wouldbetooextreme,whileaclassCviolationwouldnotbeseriousenough.UnderclassB
violations,theAttorneyGeneralhastheauthoritytodeterminethelengthofsuspension.
Wewouldadvocatefora72hoursuspensionofpartycampaigningbasedonthefactthat
Velasquezcampaignedinanunauthorizedlocationthathehadevenbeeninstructedwas
off-limitsduringthecandidateseminar.
SummaryofCase
a. Velasquezcampaignedinthedininghall
b. Velasquezdidnothaveapprovaltocampaigninthedininghall
c. Candidateswereinstructedatthecandidateseminarthatthedininghallwas
notanallowedcampaigninglocation
d. VelasquezdistributedmaterialsthatbenefitedPowerhouseasawhole.