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The GW Hatchet

AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904

The GW Hatchet

Serving the GW Community since 1904

The GW Hatchet

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Segal files election spending complaint

A complaint filed with the student court March 30 may take Student Association candidates into the courtroom for another round.

The complaint, filed by Adam Segal accuses the Joint Elections Committee of failing to abide by its own rules. Segal, who supported Alexis Rice in her failed bid for the SA presidency, said he filed the complaint because he believes President-elect Phil Meisner exceeded spending limits imposed by the JEC.

Segal said he also believes the JEC did not adequately enforce its spending limit rule in this instance.

“There is irrevocable evidence that Phil Meisner lied on his financial statement and excessively exceeded the campaign spending limits,” Segal said. “This case will set a precedent for all future questions on JEC rules, and whether or not candidates and the JEC are obliged to follow simple and explicit JEC rules.”

“We stand behind our campaign, especially our financial statement,” said Steven Mandelbaum, who spoke on Meisner’s behalf. “We were actually $30 under.”

Segal said he believes the JEC’s failure to enforce campaign rules gave some candidates an unfair advantage.

“I think there is a misinterpretation on the part of the people who filed the case,” Mandelbaum said. “It is just a desperate attempt to change the electoral process.”

“In the runoff election, one candidate handed out 25-cent Coke cans, while another candidate, following candidate spending rules, handed out two-and-a-half-cent pieces of gum,” Segal said. “This case could very well decide if SA elections can be bought.”

“Everyone has their own campaign style,” Mandelbaum said. “I think they sent out more mailers than we did . so everyone is different.”

Despite Segal’s status as a former member of Rice’s campaign for president, Rice said she has no involvement in the court case.

Student court Chief Judge Matthew Leddicotte said the court has not yet decided whether it will hear the case.

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