A Union Judiciary complaint has been filed against Student Union Secretary Michael Goldman 08. The complaint asked the UJ to deliberate upon the constitutionality of Goldman remaining in office while being denied access to election tallies, and challenged Goldmans appointment of Rajiv Ramakrishnan 10 to the position of Assistant Secretary of Technology.
The complaint also asked that the UJ declare Goldmans disclosing of Union election voting results unconstitutional and suggest action to the Union regarding impeachment. The petition was filed by Rivka Maizlish 10.
The UJ granted a writ of certiorari for two of the claims, and will hear the case Maizlish vs. Goldman within the next five academic days.
The Hoot obtained a copy of the complaint submitted by Maizlish. In it, she wrote that the challenge concerns what I believe to be unethical and unconstitutional behavior on the part of Student Union Secretary Michael Goldman.
Last week, Goldman was censured in an executive session of the Union E-board, after he was accused of disclosing Union election results before the election was over. As Union Secretary, Goldman oversees all Student Union elections.
The complaint urged the UJ to condemn Goldmans open disclosure of vote tallies during ongoing elections to friend(s)/candidate(s)/third parties on multiple occasions and in every election in which he had opportunity to do so since his election as Union Secretary [as] an inexcusable breach of his constitutional
duty.
It went on to ask the Union Judiciary to dissolve the position of Assistant Secretary for Technology, and to declare unconstitutional the creation of such an office by the Union Secretary Michael Goldman and the appointment of Mr. Ramakrishnan to that position.
Goldman is being represented in the case by Jacob Baime 08. The Hoot has also obtained Baimes Opposition to Cert, which was submitted to the UJ. In the Opposition document, Baime asserted that the Union Judiciary should deny certiorari to all three issues presented by Ms. Maizlishs complaint as she lacks standing to bring such a complaint, and should specifically deny the third question presented as it pre[s]ents frivalious [sic] attempt to subvert the Senates impeach power.
The document went on to state that by asking this court to hold trial on [impeachment] first, and then subsequently suggest a course of conduct for the senate to take, the petitioner seeks to invert the impeachment procedure and deprive Mr. Goldman of the due process afforded union officers under the Student Union Constitution. The Opposition to Cert is cosigned by Samuel Dewey 06, a former Chief Justice of the UJ, and Albert Cahn 07.
Goldman said, it appears that the complainant does not have standing, as she has in no way been specifically harmed. He added that, with regards to the impeachment complaint, that is a power granted to the Senate, and by attempting to go to the court shes breaking due process.
I would hope that its not granted a writ, said Goldman, but if it is, well deal with it at that time.
The UJ was unable to comment due to deliberations being in process.
