Senate
postpones vote once again
By Todd Leland
On-line Forty-Niner
The
senator-at-large position for the campus
cultural community is still vacant, as the
Senate has again postponed its vote.
In Wednesday’s meeting, the Senate was prepared
to have a re-election between the two candidates,
Alejandro Negrete and Brian Roberts.
In opening announcements, Kelly Lake asked
that Roberts leave the vacant Senate seat
as to not create confusion in the Senate
during the meeting and the re-election.
In a comment showing how serious the situation
had become over the past few weeks, Sen.
Rebekah Smith pointed out that for the first
time this semester every senator was present
at the meeting.
In a formal statement to the Senate, Sen.
Adam Anderson said he would abstain from
voting in the re-election.
“The reason I am abstaining is based on
the process used by the executive branch
of our student government to get to the
election today,” Anderson remarked. “I cannot,
with good conscience, vote either way in
an action item that not only arose from
disregard of our by-laws and abuse of executive
veto power, but will also set multiple precedents
that could be detrimental to the immediate
and long-term future of the board and the
entire student government.”
Sen. Amy Cucinella also chose to abstain
from the vote, but for a far less complex
reason.
“I feel compelled to abstain because … I
have never once studied a government where
retroactive elections were conducted,” Cucinella
said. “I cannot vote today in a retroactive
election that I fear will jeopardize our
legitimacy as a governing body and will
also violate a universal principle in governance
that opposes retroactive elections.”
Sen. Sam Murarka also said he would abstain
due to the case of the election being retroactive.
Sen. Jorge Reyes said he would be making
a vote, though he did not mention whom for.
“I thought about abstaining due to the fact
that I am president of the La Raza student
organization of which Alejandro Negrete
is a part,” Reyes commented. “However, the
constituents have made their say and it
is my duty to serve those students. Government
should be a reflection of the people.”
Sen. Joshua Nettinga brought forth to the
board the fact that a student had filed
a petition for declatory judgment against
A.S.I. President Danny Vivian’s veto and
therefore the re-election to the A.S.I.
Judiciary.
Associate Justice Anastacia Benzel then
confirmed that a petition had been filed
with the Judiciary concerning the matter.
Senate Chair and A.S.I. Vice President Shahrohk
Sheik then advised the Senate that it would
be unwise to vote without knowing a verdict
from the Judiciary.
At this moment the Senate was at a loss.
Sen. James Riturban summed up the Senate’s
position.
“We’re in limbo over this Senate seat,”
Riturban exclaimed.
Sen. Orvill Caraballo motioned to postpone
the reelection until the Judiciary could
make a ruling. The motion was seconded and
then passed by a vote of 16-0-4.
In a statement to the senators who said
they will abstain from the re-election vote,
Nettinga quoted Dante.
“’The hottest places in hell are reserved
for those who maintain their neutrality,’”
Nettinga warned. “Make a decision.”
Sen. Ricardo Carlos also commented to the
Senate to stand by its principles and remain
consistent.
In other news, Lara Worm was appointed associate
Justice by a vote of 17-1-3 and Michael
McCanne was made public defender by a vote
of 19-0-1.
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