A resolution censuring A.S. President Jeremy Paul Gallagher for sending an e-mail in which he announced his decision to vote for President-elect Jenn Pae in the A.S. runoff election was not considered by the A.S. Council on April 14.

As an item of immediate consideration, the resolution required a two-thirds vote to be discussed. The motion to make the resolution IOIC failed 6-13 with two abstentions.

Thurgood Marshall College Junior Senator Kate Maull submitted the item late on April 9 before the results of the A.S. runoff election were announced. However, she withdrew the resolution after the vote to make it IOIC failed.

“As a candidate … you are forced to watch what you’re wearing at all times, you have to learn to zip up your sweatshirt before you go into class and not walk in certain areas and watch what you say on the third floor [of Price Center],” Maull said. “I just felt that while we have to watch ourselves so closely for two weeks, elected officials are not held to the same standard and I think that’s inherently unfair.”

A press release sent by Students First! supporters on April 9 stated that the legislation was not aimed at Pae’s campaign. However, Gallagher said that the resolution was a direct attack against his character.

“I strongly believe that people are looking for someone to blame for [the] outcome of the election, and I am being unfairly targeted,” Gallagher said. “I did next to nothing in this election besides send out a single e-mail on Thursday of second week.”

According to both Gallagher and proponents of the resolution, Gallagher’s e-mail encouraged students to vote in the runoff election. The text also included “I am voting for Jenn Pae for president” and encouraged recipients to ask Gallagher about his choice. Finally, Gallagher signed the e-mail with his title as A.S. president.

“I think clearly, in advocating for Jenn Pae, he becomes her agent,” Maull said. “I think that that e-mail is an example of an active campaign on her [behalf].”

The resolution alleges that Gallagher’s endorsement of Pae “violated the spirit of ASUCSD’s objectivity and noninterference in elections.”

“I do not feel that by sending an e-mail with my name and title stating who I voted for was in anyway unethical,” Gallagher said. “I did not slander anyone, nor did I even directly advocate for one candidate or another.”

After extensive debate by councilmembers on the A.S. Council listserv, it became apparent even before the meeting that the resolution would not be considered.

“I think [the resolution] is immature and ridiculous,” said Revelle College Sophomore Senator Ashley Aluisi.

Revelle College Senior Senator-elect Ted McCombs, who ran with Students First!, spoke to the council during public input.

“This action was not in any way motivated by malice,” McCombs said. “This bill was never meant as a personal attack against President Gallagher, and if you suspect or feel otherwise, you should certainly vote it down.”

Even with the short debate on the council floor, Maull expressed satisfaction with the discussion the resolution produced.

“I think what is important from this situation is to take the good parts of the debate that we had and use them constructively in discussing bylaw changes so that it’s not just changing the bylaws for the sake of changing the bylaws, but changing the bylaws so that it means something,” Maull said.

Maull plans to submit elections bylaw changes for the council’s April 21 meeting that would remove the stipulation that candidates cannot use A.S. offices and resources to advocate for a candidate or slate. The changes would also allow candidates to actively campaign in classrooms.

“I think that A.S. needs to take a stand one way or the other in saying that this is unethical or saying that he’s allowed to do this,” Maull said. “And if he’s allowed to do it, we need to clean up the elections bylaws so that the accountability is equal, so that candidates and elected officials are held to the same standard.”