Student Congress talks impeachment and freeze of student body president elections

Student Congress put a hold on impeachment proceedings against Board of Elections chairperson Paul Kushner at its Tuesday meeting.

Speaker Pro-Tempore Chase McConnachie brought a motion for impeachment proceedings against Kushner.

The UNC Supreme Court said the Board of Elections needs to have five members present at a hearing for it to be valid. The board currently only has three, which played a role in the UNC Supreme Court requalifying student body president candidate Joe Nail after the BOE disqualified him. McConnachie said impeachment needs to be considered for Kushner.

Though two members of Congress will confirm the evidence against Kushner, there was debate in the meeting over whether or not he is at fault for the BOE not having enough members.

“Why was he not asked to resign?” said finance chairperson Ben Albert. “That seems to be a much more amicable solution that wouldn’t tarnish his record with the University.”

After the meeting, Speaker of Student Congress Cole Simons said they are putting a hold on proceedings until they can figure out a discrepancy in the Student Code. Simons said they are unsure if they need two or five people to testify to the evidence against Kushner.

“Because of the discrepancy between the two and five numbers, we felt like we needed to wait until there are five people able to aver to the evidence or until there is some legislation to clear this up,” Simons said.

Simons said Student Body President Bradley Opere will be appointing temporary members to the BOE so the current elections can continue. After the BOE has the appropriate number of members, the UNC Supreme Court will have to lift Sunday’s injunction against the BOE in order for elections to start back up.

“I believe (Opere) will try to appoint them by the end of the week,” Simons said.

Nail will have a new disciplinary hearing once the BOE has five members. The Joe for SBP campaign has said he is innocent of all charges, except for one.

“(This) in no way shape or form has anything to do with Paul’s character — it’s simply a matter of the constitution,” McConnachie said.

If Congress decides to take Kushner’s impeachment to trial, he will be removed from the BOE while under impeachment, meaning Opere will need to make three temporary appointments.

Congress also approved the plan for the government split.

“I am very excited to be this close to having an agreement that will put to rest something that has been a source of conflict for many years,” Student Body Treasurer Harry Edwards said.

A referendum for students to approve the changes will be on the spring general elections ballot and will pass if it receives a majority vote.

“In order for a constitutional change to occur, there must be a student vote,” Simons said.

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