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Senate censures Union Secretary Goldman
by Miranda Neubauer
Senior Writer
News | 9/25/07
Posted online at 9:03 PM EST on 9/24/07
/ Last updated at 12:22 AM EST on 9/24/07
"We surveyed the senate and it became clear there was a deadlock," the anonymous senator said.
"Had they had the numbers in the senate, I am certain that they would have continued to seek that remedy," Goldman said of the E-board's desire to impeach him. "The fact that censure was chosen is a clear indication that the senate rejected this proposal."
The censure condemns Goldman's behavior, calls on the senate to reform the Union bylaws to address the infraction, and bars Goldman from accessing the voting software in the future. Student Union Vice President Alex Braver '09 and Zachary Pyle '09, the junior representative to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, can still access the system, Director of Union Affairs Jason Gray '10 said.
Goldman said he will propose giving access to Rajiv Ramakrishnan '10, a former senator for the Class of 2010.
When the E-board requested Goldman's resignation, Sinha said Goldman asked that the board sign a contract promising not to disclose information about the incidents to the senate or to the Brandeis community.
"I respect the senate's decision to censure Michael Goldman," Sinha said. "However, as the Student Union, we need to address and discuss when the constitution serves as a ground for our judgment and when our own integrity as elected officials comes into play."
Goldman questioned the E-board's motives, saying Sinha told him the board hoped to remove him from office because he had taken some contrary positions on recent issues, such as her appointments to the E-board.
Goldman also alleged that he isn't the first elections commissioner to share voting information.
"There have always been an incredible number of leaks from the executive office," he said. The anonymous senator agreed that this isn't the first time a secretary has given candidates insider voting information, but he couldn't offer any specific examples.
Goldman already received a warning after disclosing voting tallies last spring, Sinha said, adding that she learned of the most recent allegations last Wednesday from students who came forward with evidence that Goldman had released information. Goldman denied that he had been warned last semester.
Jacob Kamaras and Rachel Marder contributed reporting.
THE JUSTICE CANNOT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANY COMMENTS THAT ARE POSTED BY STUDENTS.
"Had they had the numbers in the senate, I am certain that they would have continued to seek that remedy," Goldman said of the E-board's desire to impeach him. "The fact that censure was chosen is a clear indication that the senate rejected this proposal."
The censure condemns Goldman's behavior, calls on the senate to reform the Union bylaws to address the infraction, and bars Goldman from accessing the voting software in the future. Student Union Vice President Alex Braver '09 and Zachary Pyle '09, the junior representative to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, can still access the system, Director of Union Affairs Jason Gray '10 said.
Goldman said he will propose giving access to Rajiv Ramakrishnan '10, a former senator for the Class of 2010.
When the E-board requested Goldman's resignation, Sinha said Goldman asked that the board sign a contract promising not to disclose information about the incidents to the senate or to the Brandeis community.
"I respect the senate's decision to censure Michael Goldman," Sinha said. "However, as the Student Union, we need to address and discuss when the constitution serves as a ground for our judgment and when our own integrity as elected officials comes into play."
Goldman questioned the E-board's motives, saying Sinha told him the board hoped to remove him from office because he had taken some contrary positions on recent issues, such as her appointments to the E-board.
Goldman also alleged that he isn't the first elections commissioner to share voting information.
"There have always been an incredible number of leaks from the executive office," he said. The anonymous senator agreed that this isn't the first time a secretary has given candidates insider voting information, but he couldn't offer any specific examples.
Goldman already received a warning after disclosing voting tallies last spring, Sinha said, adding that she learned of the most recent allegations last Wednesday from students who came forward with evidence that Goldman had released information. Goldman denied that he had been warned last semester.
Jacob Kamaras and Rachel Marder contributed reporting.
THE JUSTICE CANNOT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANY COMMENTS THAT ARE POSTED BY STUDENTS.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 20
James Sanders
posted 9/25/07 @ 1:26 PM EST
Comeon...I expect better from the Justice. The senate held such an important meeting in CLOSED session and the Justice doesn't see this as a problem? You are supposed to be advocating for open government! How do you know what deals were reached under closed session? How does a secret debate on his impeachment benefit the students? I expected at least an editorial denouncing this if not a UJ case challenging it! Back in th good old days of I don't know four years ago, the Justice would not have let this crap fly. (Continued…)
Alana Granis
posted 9/25/07 @ 7:21 PM EST
It's a hard thing for me to do this but I have to come out with it. I know alot about what pretend government can hide from the public, but hear me out. (Continued…)
Camillus
posted 9/25/07 @ 11:24 PM EST
You're incorrect in your assertion. I know someone who got a text message saying how many votes they needed to get. It was more than one person both rounds. (Continued…)
Daniel Silverman
posted 9/25/07 @ 11:28 PM EST
"There have always been an incredible number of leaks from the executive office," he said. The anonymous senator agreed that this isn't the first time a secretary has given candidates insider voting information, but he couldn't offer any specific examples. (Continued…)
Concerned Citizen
posted 9/25/07 @ 11:56 PM EST
In my humble opinion, the only reasonable form of censure for this high crime and misdemeanor would be to taser Mike Goldman.
Julius P. Butterworth
posted 9/26/07 @ 12:57 AM EST
Don't tase me, Sreeya.
It seems to me that our current Student Union government is full of corruption and nepotism. What Goldman did was obviously wrong, but the actions that followed were most definitely for political reasons. (Continued…)
Jason, Michael
posted 9/26/07 @ 1:07 AM EST
The following statement was co-written by Jason Gray, Director of Union Affairs, and Michael Goldman, Union Secretary, in an attempt to state the fact regarding false accusations and liable in the post by Alana Granis:
"We disagree about a lot, particularly in this case, but we agree upon one thing:
Tamar Ariel did not ask about the results of the election, did not know about the results of the election, and was not told about the results of the election, until after the election was over. (Continued…)
Jehuda Reinharz
posted 9/26/07 @ 1:12 AM EST
Arm the police with guns, I say!
Jacob Cohen
posted 9/26/07 @ 1:25 AM EST
I'm outraged by this conspiracy against Mike Goldman--he couldn't have leaked the results, he was with me that night!
Igor Pedan
posted 9/26/07 @ 1:32 AM EST
Claire,
It's a public forum so the Justice is only accountable as a moderator and not to the facts the post had. That said, as a former news editor of the Justice, I do suggest that you check the facts out and perhaps assign (or write yourself) a follow up article reporting factually on what is alleged in the post. (Continued…)
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