Student Government President-elect Samantha Mims will begin her term with a 10-day suspension after a March 9 Supreme Court hearing.

The judicial complaint, filed by chairwoman of the United Party Katherine Thames, said Mims defamed the United Party by misrepresenting the party through Mims’ original complaint (see below).

“Mims goes beyond simply accusing the United Party of actions, but attempts to represent its intentions,” Thames stated in her complaint.

“Not only was the statement printed and written, but it was done in such a manner (a Judicial Complaint) to damage the reputation and turn court and readers of the JC (which would be made accessible to the student body population of UNF as a public record file) against the UNF United Party.”

Mims could not attend the judicial hearing due to a medical appointment.

Student Advocate Cole Poppell, Mims’ defendant, used the defense that Mims didn’t have malicious intent and she wished to keep everything solved ‘in-house,’ before she filed a judicial complaint and did not want things to be public. Attorney General Will Godwin, the prosecutor, argued that by making a judicial complaint Mims decided to make things public.

Mims was found guilty of committing written, printed or verbal defamation, and covering up evidence or misrepresenting a fact pertaining to a violation as an SG officer/employee. Mims will receive a written reprimand, make a formal apology at the next Senate meeting.

After Mims is sworn in, she will be suspended from the presidential office for ten business days. Vice President-elect Tajmaus Johnson will serve as president in her absence.

Who Really Did start the 25 Free Prints? Supreme Court Clarifies

A complaint was filed by Mims against the UNF United Party. She stated that the United Party claimed that two of their “party accomplishments” were false. The two party accomplishments in question are the Veterans Memorial and the 25 Free Prints Initiative.

Godwin chose not to pursue the claims about the Veterans Memorial. The 25 Free Prints Initiative, however, was started by the UNF Red Party and the United Party should not have claimed to launch the initiative, but rather that they chose to continue it, according to Godwin.

According to the Supreme Court’s decision, the United Party was in violation of misrepresenting facts, however they were not in violation of, “misrepresenting any campaign materials or actions as being the property or undertaking of any candidate or political party organization.”

The punishment for the United Party was a formal written reprimand due to this being their first violation.

According to the SG website, the Senate convenes March 27 to discuss and vote to confirm the validity of the election results. However, if any elections violations are still pending, Senate will not be able to confirm the election.

—

For more information or news tips, or if you see an error in this story or have any compliments or concerns, contact [email protected].