OC Candidate Lesiak Embroiled in Controversy [UPDATE 4PM]
Apparently there has been “multiple complaints” about our post “supporting” Cpt. Peter Freedom Lesiak. Good thing the ASUO Elections Board doesn’t understand the scope of their organization. Here it goes:
Regarding your recent post promoting Peter Lesiak for ASUO President-
While we as the elections board are glad that your publication wants to be involved with the ASUO Elections by supporting your candidate, we have had multiple complaints regarding your recent post endorsing Peter Lesiak for ASUO President. In order to prevent further actions being taken against Peter, it is in his best interest that the “poster” portion of your recent post be taken down by tomorrow morning. Please look at section 6 of the Elections Rules, and feel free to contact us with any questions you have regarding this issue.
Thank you, and we appreciate your cooperation in this matter.
–
ASUO Elections Board
EMU Suite 4
1228 University of Oregon
Eugene OR 97403
The Oregon Commentator decided to respond. Here’s what we had to say.
Regarding your complaints about the post on our website. We assume you are calling to question with regards to ASUO Elections Rules, section 6.7 A (vii) “Publications produced with University and/or student funds; But does not include publications where student funds are used for a subscription of a given publication which include, but are not limited to, the Oregon Daily Emerald” as well as ASUO Executive Rule 82.4 “No incidental fees may be spent to support the campaign of any individual, or party, for public office. Fees may be used to promote appearances and discussions between several candidates for public office, in order to increase student knowledge of the issues of candidates.”
You may also recall a situation two years ago in which Con Court decided that campaigns cannot pay for ad space. We then decided to donate an ad, which is not against the rules, to a campaign. You can read all about it in our editorial from that issue, titled “Con Court can lick our collective nuts”. You can find it here.
In any case, you’re in luck because the Oregon Commentator website — the place in which Cpt. Lesiak’s poster is hosted — is a privately-run website, free of Incidental Fee money. You don’t need to worry your pretty little head about the website because it is not paid for by any student funding.
Thanks for playing along. Maybe next time.
Sincerely,
The Oregon Commentator
Glad we could start this off on the right foot. As a show of solidarity, here’s yet another one of Cpt. Peter Freedom Lesiak’s posters.
Okay, just got another e-mail from the ASUO Elections Board, this time more pretentious than the last:
Dear Oregon Commentator,
We understand that your online publication is a privately run website, and while we understand that the Oregon Commentator can not be held accountable for this post, Peter himself CAN be. Please read section 1.2 and 1.3 to better understand the definition of campaigning. Also, we recommend you look over sections 6 and 7 of the Elections Rules again, focusing on section 6.12 and section 7.2. Part of our job is to make sure that every candidate has a fair opportunity in this election, and by posting the campaign poster on your website, we believe you are giving an unfair advantage to Peter, which is unacceptable. Again, while the Oregon Commentator can not be held accountable, the individual candidate can. Furthermore, your article of the Con Court ruling holds absolutely no merit in this situation, because the issue we are concerned about is the fact that the candidate is campaigning before the time designated for campaigning. Which is in direct violation of the current Elections Rules.
Again, we ask that you remove the poster portion of your post by tomorrow morning. If this is not done, the individual candidate will be contacted to discuss the issue.
Thanks for your cooperation.
And of course, our response:
ASUO Elections Board,
We would like to point out that Mr. Lesiak is not doing any campaigning, nor is the website a campaign in itself. From a technical standpoint, announcing your candidacy on our website is no different than other candidates announcing their candidacy in the Daily Emerald.Of course, you can use your rules however you want. We don’t really care. The elections board is out of its mind and its jurisdiction. The posters will not come down from the website, for reasons previously stated.
In the words of Cpt. Lesiak, “Yarrr! We must first battle the squalls to find the calmer seas, littered with the treasure chests of a thousand plunders!”
Sincerely,
The Oregon Commentator
It looks like the ASUO Elections board is challenging Cpt. Lesiak to a duel with that ultimatim at the end. Swords at dawn!
OK got another response form the Elections Board. Here it is:
Oregon Commentator,
Because you refuse to comply with our request, we will be notifying the candidate of the potential violation and consequences of your actions. Our only goal is to make sure the upcoming elections run as smoothly as possible, and that the elections are run fairly. Again, feel free to contact us with any questions regarding the Elections.
Your professionalism has been greatly appreciated.
Man they got us with a real zinger there at the end! Golly! Here’s our response:
Avast!
You’ll never make me walk the plank, you scalywags! I’ll surely join the depths of Davy Jones’ locker by plunging myself into the blue before I let you dogs push me end on end! Full about, broad side sweeps o’er their bow before we prepare to board, men! Their elections rules are no match for our 50lb. grapeshot! Aim for their masts! They’ll never take us alive!Sincerely,
The Oregon Commentator
Oh, here’s Cpt. Lesiak’s response to the Elections Board as well:
Dear ASUO elections board,
It has been brought to my attention that the Oregon Daily Emerald recently printed a front page article of candidates running and intending to run, with photos depicting their likeness and describing the basis of their campaign. I am merely advertising my intention to run and describing the basis of my campaign, exactly like the other candidates. But unlike the other candidates, my outlet is not run on the basis of student funds, where as the Oregon Daily Emerald is.
In all fairness I will comply with your demands to remove my “Intention To Run” image from the Oregon Commentator Website as soon as you remove all issues of the Oregon Daily Emerald featuring the other candidates from campus or arrange for my own front cover photo and interview in the Oregon Daily Emerald. Their names are already out there in a student funded publication, and students were able to read their names and what they are all about. Highly unfair to those students who were not included, don’t you think? Or have I been misinformed about what the ASUO elections board is supposed to be doing.
Maintaining A Fair Election.
Swashbuckling yours,
Captain Pete Freedom Lesiak
Keep it up. This is quality.
If I’m understanding their purported argument correctly, a student group/publication/website could theoretically endanger the campaign of a candidate they dislike by “campaigning” for them outside of the allowed period.
What about the circus bear…is he still running ? Make sure you get everyone in trouble. Ratfucking the ASUO process will enhance the new mushroom cloud brand.
“If I’m understanding their purported argument correctly, a student group/publication/website could theoretically endanger the campaign of a candidate they dislike by “campaigning” for them outside of the allowed period.”
Heyo, I think he’s got it!
Just b/c it deserves to be three out of the five current posts…
“If I’m understanding their purported argument correctly, a student group/publication/website could theoretically endanger the campaign of a candidate they dislike by “campaigning” for them outside of the allowed period.”
The ASUO Elections Board should practice some “professionalism” and shut the fuck up.
Wahoo! The Elections Board is yet againt an incompetent cesspool of garbage.
Did a student even file a complaint against Peter? The Board should only act in response to grievances filed by other campaigns or students.
We’re rooting for you, Captain Pete!
Yarr, mark my words, we’ll keelhaul these lubbers yet! This here be the meanest campaign on the Spanish Main!
There is absolutely nothing in the Elections Rules that requires the Elections Board to wait for a grievance to be filed to enforce the Elections Rules or ASUO Constitution. The Elections Board is not an appellate court and does not require prior action to enforce rules
P.S. If you find the Election Board’s reasoning asine, send them a polite e-mail … but first run it through a pirate translator.
For example: Arrr, dear Asuo Elections Board,
I am writin’ t’ state my disagreement with your recent decision t’ not allow Cap’n Peter Freedom Lesiak t’ announce his candidacy through the Oregon Commentator blog. If others be allowed t’ announce their runnin’ through the Daily Emerald, why not through the Commentator? Verily now, it makes you look a little silly. Swashbucklin’ly yours,
CJ Gar, Where can I find a bottle o’rum?
Ahoy!
Me only have one question, yarr. Are the Election Shanty men and the Bias Response Team the same the same scalwags? Aye, me thinks this is the case.
A pence for an old man o’de sea?
Nice to see the election board living up to its good name.
Why does the ASUO constantly feel the need to make fools of themselves? Please keep up the blend of comedy and exposure of douchebags.
“Ban on campaigning”? Sounds like prior restraint on protected speech to me.
Dear ASUO,
Stop embarrassing us.
Thanks,
The Students
Professionalism! IS DEMANDED BY THESE PEOPLE.
It’s not a poster it’s an image on a website. If they can not get that together what can they figure out.
Fantastic! Keep it up!
HAHAHAAHAHA My sentiments ran through Cozswain’s Pirate Translator:
Arrr, the Asuo Elections rapscallions is fuckin’ retarded. Aye.
So Curtis, you made an ass out of yourself on your own volition? Just wanted to clear that up.
Is the Daily Emerald’s Opinion Board not allowed to endorse canidates anymore now too? ASUO Executive Rule 82.4 “No incidental fees may be spent to support the campaign of any individual, or party, for public office.” I assume an endorsement would mean support.
I can’t think of a greater violation of Freedom of Speech. Not to mention the absurdity of students enforcing rules upon other students. It’s nice to know we have unconstitutional laws being enforced by students with no legal authority to uphold those arbitrary unconstitutional laws.
Crampton, welcome to the University of Oregon.
Aye, the only reason the Asuo is makin’ a stink about the issue is that they only want t’ have One preferred outlet for campaign news /exposure: The Daily Emerald. That couldn’t be any more blatantly ob’ious than that publication is explicitly worded in their own fuckin’ rules. Its just the student rapscallions’s way o’ tryin’ t’ clamp down some mechanism o’ control on somethin’ that legally that cannot do. Gar.
haha. First of all, don’t you idiots know anything? The ASUO is composed of the ENTIRE STUDENT BODY… So by bad mouthing the ASUO you all are effectively bad mouthing yourselves… which is great cause your all a bunch of morons… Its a beautiful thing.
Secondly, I find it quite ironic that the very first thing under the Commentator Mission is this:
“We believe that the University should be a forum for rational and informed debate–instead of the current climate in which ideological dogma, political correctness, fashion and mob mentality interfere with academic pursuit.”
Ironic in that the poster they choose to put up is clearly attempting to make a mockery of student government and the election process. So rather than engaging in a debate about issues involving ASUO, it seems they prefer some cheap Fox-News, SI Swimsuit edition bullshit over a discussion about who best can lead student government and what role ASUO should play in the lives of students.
Like the Teabaggers movement, the Commentator is merely a mouthpiece for angry people who have no answers, see their political power on the wane and have nothing positive to offer other than a sleazy poster of a weed-like waif.
A picture of a guy pretending to eat pussy is not a forum for rational and informed debate, it is an ignorant use of the first amendment, and it is an embarrassment to our campus community.
Shame on you, Oregon Commentator, and shame on all of you who commend a fucking douchebag pretending to be a pirate for running in the elections. Way to make a statement, and when I say that, I really mean way to make a fool out of yourself, your fellow students, and the entire UO campus. We already have enough shit going on with football players getting arrested and nazis parading around campus beating people up, among other things, and now we have to deal with some dumb ass who wants to bury all of our I-fee money on an island? Oh and its tasers, not taser’s. Fucking idiot.
-TheLegend, Defender of sanity and common sense, and protector against creepy pirates with bad tattoos.
@TheLegend: Yowza … your attempts at trying to link the current situation to Fox news, Teabaggers, and angry politicians (ie, everything you rant about in sweaty HuffPost or BlueOregon comment threads) demonstrates a skill of hyperbole-stretching that is lacking by most internet-troll standards … kudos!
Secondly, the ASUO is not the “entire student body” as you falsely claim … According to the ASUO Website, the ASUO is:
The ASUO is known as the Associated Students of the University of Oregon and is a non-profit organization funded by the University of Oregon. Its purpose is to provide for the social, cultural, educational and physical development of its members, and for the advancement of their individual and collective interests both within and without the University. The ASUO is the student government and is run by students for students and works on campus, city, state, and federal-level campaigns. Membership consists of all students at the University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, who have paid the current term or semester student incidental fee. (Emphasis added)
You see, the ASUO might be out to help students … but it is really just the small subset of students that make up the student government – our elected senators. And, as public and political figures, it is entirely our right (some might even argue duty) to criticize them when they fail to live up to their self-imposed standards. My method of criticizing them is to send them snarky emails in pirate-lingo. Gar. Its called satire … get a dictionary and look it up and what it can be used for, ye scurvy n’ sour dog.
Sorry that the UO climate, what with its nazis, athletes, and pirates (oh my!) is too much to bear for you that you must recluse yourself indoors and write comments so oozing with venom that its palpable … At least you can stroke one out at your laptop while re-living the high point of your day when you corrected some guy’s use of “taser’s” for “tasers”.
-1st mate Betz, Rapscallion with bad tattoos that also defends sanity and common sense … by deriding others who don’t exhibit those qualities that they claim to support in a douchey internet signature.
PS. Thanks for visiting the OC blog for the first time … please come again!
Who let the killjoy out of his cage? Could ze Legend be more obtuse?
Could someone at the OC address the specific charge that the post about Peter’s candidacy amounts to campaigning outside some designated campaign period. Does the OC (or Peter?) dispute this, or are you making a point that this is a stupid rule? In all fairness (and maybe fairness isn’t warranted when it comes to the ASUO elections board), the Emerald profiles seemed more like announcements of candidacies, not content put out by the campaigns, in apparent contrast to Peter’s poster.
@Willemberg: Your question is exactly the point: The Emerald profiles were classified as announcements of candidacies … why? Because the Emerald – a body staffed by journalists (who are ALWAYS objective and impartial!) – printed them? Those certainly could be construed as campaign posters … after all, they are announcing their candidacy (ie, intention to run, and thus a campaign) Furthermore, the ODE has printed ads and letters of support for candidates from their editorial staff in years past – isn’t that against the ASUO Election Rules?
So why can’t the Commentator post something on their own private media outlet of an announcement of Peter’s campaign? Aren’t they the same thing?
You can see where the ridiculouss-ness starts creeping in – what is justifiably, and concretely different about a news article declaring a candidates intent to run, and an article/ad/poster in support of a candidate? Its all subjective, but its just fodder for semantical arguments at this point; the ASUO elections board is just trying to exert its control to limit content to a single channel – the ODE – in the name of “fairness”.
And as a final thought … the OC put out the content (whatever it may be) in support of Peter. Did Peter put out the content? Not according to the above letters … Peter is just an innocent bystander, afflicted by a private news organization (The OC Blog). Why should his campaign suffer as a result of an independent news organization’s support? What would prevent the OC (or ANY other news organization, for that matter) from endorsing a candidate – potentially candidates they don’t like – just to get them into the doghouse of the elections committee?
There are a lot of sticky questions to address in this matter … that is where the ridiculousness factor creeps in.
The OC should make up and publish a campaign poster on this blog for every “declared candidate” so far. Maybe the Elections Board will throw a hissy fit that their sacred rules are not being followed, and they can just cancel the election.
This is going to be a bigger fuss than Puddles the Duck sleeping with those ASUO candidates last year.
Re-institute the Student Senate Dress Code!
The Legend
Maybe if you didn’t put nonsense URLs with the words “fuck” and “cock” in them our SPAM filter wouldn’t automatically filter you out.
The Legend: I believe you’ve lost the plot, sir.
And what Betz said Re: Student government. Your argument is like saying that it’s not okay for me to criticise the american government, because I am them.
And, FYI, I’m a bleeding heart democrat/liberal. I just read the commentator because they’re the only press outlet on campus that covers campus politics with any kind of complexity/rational thought.
Also: You suck.
@TheLegend
It’s “Tasers” not “tasers.”