Cutting brings election into doubt
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Graduate student Ed Cutting called the legality of Student Government Association bylaws into question today when he delivered a letter to the Chief Justice of the Student Judiciary - Jennifer Jean-Baptiste - asking for the results of last weeks elections made null and void.
According to Cutting, the SGA bylaws restricting a candidates to campaigning only with materials approved by the elections chancellor violate the First Amendment.
"This is simply unacceptable. It’s an ethical principle for me.," Cutting said. "I don’t care whose in the SGA. You simply cannot tell students what they can and cannot say to other students. That’s fascism. That’s why I’m making this stance."
Cutting said the verbal warning given to Derek Khanna after an unapproved campaign flyer was leaked to the Daily Collegian pushed him to the boiling point.
"The SGA shouldn't have the ability to tell you who to talk to," he said. "This is a free country."
According to Cutting, the SGA bylaws restricting a candidates to campaigning only with materials approved by the elections chancellor violate the First Amendment.
"This is simply unacceptable. It’s an ethical principle for me.," Cutting said. "I don’t care whose in the SGA. You simply cannot tell students what they can and cannot say to other students. That’s fascism. That’s why I’m making this stance."
Cutting said the verbal warning given to Derek Khanna after an unapproved campaign flyer was leaked to the Daily Collegian pushed him to the boiling point.
"The SGA shouldn't have the ability to tell you who to talk to," he said. "This is a free country."