We thought AU would at least get through SG election week before the tools would start coming out of their boxes. But alas, we were wrong.
The Board of Elections is currently punishing presidential candidate Ashley Mushnick for a music video she produced and circulated as part of her campaign. In particular. the BOE takes issue with Mary Graydon Center and a McDowell bathroom being featured in the video. Election rules prohibit campaigning in these places, but since when was a view of MGC's exterior considered the same thing as posting fliers inside the building?
In case you are wondering, the complaint was brought to the BOE by fellow candidates Rob Boisseau and Joe Vidulich, the current SG secretary. The BOE, might we remind you, consists entirely of members appointed by current SG execs, and it couldn't be more clear the group is desprately trying to protect its own against outside intruders.
Mushnick's video was an absolute riot and involved her and a coterie of supporters rapping her campaign platform. Some complain the video gives her an unfair advantage over the other candidates. An advantage,being what exactly? The fact she has more creativity- hardly. Clearly, in coming up with such ludacris suggested violations, the other candidates seem to have quite a bit of creativity. Oh, maybe the fact she has the support of several influential groups on campus. Yes, that would seem to be an advantage. And since when was having an advantage unfair in an election anyway?
Even if Mushnick broke a few rules, the offenses did not demand pontificating from on high, or more SG hyperbole. What all this does is prompt us to reiterate why we endorsed Ashley Mushnick in the first place- she offers fresh air into the executive offices, and a resume built working with students, not bossing them around.
