Pending Student Court decision, Travis off MSA ballot
Travis says the Board of Elections Commissioners has mishandled complaints against his slate.
Published Nov. 11, 2010
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Junior Josh Travis speaks at the final Missouri Students Association presidential debate held Nov. 3 in Bengal Lair in Memorial Union. The Board of Elections Commissioners revoked campaigning privileges for the Travis-Horan slate Tuesday.
The Missouri Students Association presidential slate for Josh Travis and Michelle Horan was issued a second intentional infraction by the Board of Election Commissioners on Wednesday. This action, according to the BEC handbook, would keep the candidates off the ballot.
The BEC found Travis-Horan guilty of lack of documentation regarding PayPal donations, inaccurate reports resulting from the lack of documentation of the PayPal accounts and discrepancies involving expenditures. According to the second infraction, the BEC believes the action of Travis-Horan are intentional and are defined in the BEC handbook as the falsification of official BEC document forms.
According to the second infraction, the BEC requested Travis-Horan's financial records regarding their bank account and PayPal on Tuesday and has yet to receive a response.
"Our treasurer and I have very busy schedules and have not made it to the bank," Travis said. "We still have class and I am in Jefferson City for a YMCA conference."
Student Court Chief Justice Lischen Reeves said Travis is appealing the BEC's decision and that Student Court is meeting late Wednesday evening to decide if an oral appeal from Travis' slate will be allowed.
Travis said the BEC has mishandled the complaints brought against his slate.
“I think it’s clear what their (BEC) intentions are,” Travis said. “The BEC is trying to get us out of the election. This is voided due process — we were not given the chance to comment.”
The first infraction brought against Travis-Horan, which pertained to improper e-mail listserv use, came Monday and resulted in the loss of campaigning privileges for the slate.
Comments (7)
5:01 p.m., Nov. 11, 2010
Tyler said:
Well, clearly PayPal fundraising has no place in an MSA election. Let's be real here, Travis and Horan definitely must have taken lessons from Bernie Madoff. Can you say ponzi scheme?
9:49 p.m., Nov. 11, 2010
Drew said:
How is does PayPal not have a place in MSA elections? It's not unlike any other method of fundraising. You might want to read up on what a ponzi scheme is. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponzi_scheme?wasRedirected=true
12:04 a.m., Nov. 12, 2010
John said:
Wow... I can't believe how ridiculous this has become Travis and Horan are good people, this isn't right BEC is on a power trip and it needs to stop
10:41 a.m., Nov. 12, 2010
Sam said:
I'm confused as to whether or not you know what a Ponzi scheme is.
10:13 p.m., Nov. 12, 2010
Darrelle Edwards said:
MSA should do away with candidate-funded campaigning altogether. It would be simpler and easier to control if MSA set aside money each year for candidates to use for campaigning. Let the candidates use their quote of money however they see fit, and make it nice and even.
10:07 p.m., Nov. 13, 2010
Karl said:
Darrelle, That does not sound socialist at all. Let's use student fees to fund all candidates no matter the quantity or qualifications. I'd compromise and say we should have campaign limits.
4:52 p.m., Nov. 11, 2010
Landon said:
You were not given the chance to comment? I think you just did for the Maneater Mr. Travis. Or do you mean in private and not on the record?