MSA leaders react to impeachment

By Jenna Youngs

Published May 4, 2004

Missouri Students Association President Brian Laoruangroch and Senate officers are trying to run their respective offices as if everything is business as usual.

However, both are dealing with the stress of the looming trial to decide whether Laoruangroch should be removed from office. Laoruangroch was impeached Tuesday night after 32 senators signed a petition to do so. The trial will be Wednesday night.

"It's a stressful time for everybody, but as Senate officers, we can't back down on our job, and we're going to do it just as we would any other week," Clerk Greg Chase said.

Laoruangroch said he's been delegating work to chairman of Four Front Jesse Berrios, Vice President Kara Heppermann and Chief of Staff Joshua Judy.

"Jesse and Kara are meeting with Chancellor (Richard) Wallace and (Strategic Planning and Resource Advisory Council) this week about adding &#39diversity' to the Statement of Values," Laoruangroch said. "A lot of the faculty knows about the impeachment. Jesse and Kara will be able to give a presentation without the distraction of the impeachment."

Over the weekend, Judy resigned his position as Academic Affairs Committee chairman because he said he felt it was a conflict of interest to continue to occupy both positions.

"Back when I accepted the job as chief of staff, I made it clear that if there was a conflict of interest, I would take a stand and choose a side," he said. "I had to pick where my loyalties were, and I felt I could serve students best if I maintain my position of chief of staff."

Judy said he thought the im-peachment was a desperate move.

"I see them as grabbing at straws," Judy said. "On the original censure resolution, one of the reasons was sexual harassment, but that's been dropped. I think they pulled out anything they could throw at Brian and tried to see what stuck."

In the original resolution to censure Laoruangroch that was passed by committees this past week, Laoruangroch was accused of sexually harassing a senator. When Ferlazzo later clarified the accusation was in reference to Laoruangroch saying, "fuck you" to a senator during a heated discussion, the Operations Committee voted to remove the section of the resolution.

Ferlazzo said Laoruangroch has displayed a pattern of behavior that shows he is not performing his duties, but ended his public silence for the impeachment when Laoruangroch, 20, drank alcohol at the Geyer Awards dinner in Jefferson City.

"If the impeachment was only as a result of what happened in Jefferson City, they wouldn't have gone to such a stretch about sexual harassment," Laoruangroch said.

Ferlazzo said Laoruangroch's "disgraceful behavior and complete lack of regard" prompted the effort to impeach him.

"He blatantly violated the law in front of university officials and state legislators," Ferlazzo said. "When we confronted him, he boasted about previous behavior. That comment pushed it all over the edge."

Ferlazzo said Laoruangroch bragged about drinking alcohol at nine of the past 10 university events.

Ferlazzo said he has no personal or political reasons for pushing for the impeachment.

"I didn't want to do this at first," he said. "If anyone should be doing it, it's me. Brian does come up with good ideas for the students, but his behavior is detrimental to the association. I'm sure he feels like this is a stab in the back, but sometimes student leaders have to step up and do things they don't like."