UPDATE: Even though UCF and SGA released copies of Jereme Pozin’s impeachment affidavit, KnightNews.com has learned UCF adviser Christa Coffey has instructed senators they can’t keep a copy of the impeachment affidavit filed against SGA President Michael Kilbride. UCF is claiming FERPA, the same privacy law UF cited when it lost a lawsuit to keep SGA records secret, is the reason why the senators can’t keep a copy of the affidavit to review it further.
ORIGINAL STORY:
The UCF Senate’s Legislative Judicial and Rules Committee voted again to move forward with the impeachment hearing of UCF SGA President Michael Kilbride, which is set to happen tonight during the 7 p.m. Senate meeting.
Last week, the committee had voted to do the same thing but Kilbride’s newly appointed attorney general issued an opinion that the meeting would not count because it started three minutes too late. SGA could not point to any other time during Kilbride’s administration when this policy was enforced.
Tonight, the Senate will review the impeachment affidavit and decide to go through with the hearings if they deem it has merit, which the LJR committee already has.
According to SGA statutes on impeachment hearings, the senators will only vote on whether the affidavit has merit. “Senators may not debate on the validity or plausibility of the Affidavit(s), nor may any additional evidence be presented or discussed,” according to Statutes.
SGA statutes also say that only senators, the attorney general and advisors are allowed to talk during tonight’s hearing and no one else may speak on it.
“At no time during the Impeachment Hearing shall anyone outside of the Senate be permitted to speak, with the exception of the Attorney General or Student Government Advisor, who may be asked questions
regarding statutory interpretation or procedure,” statutes state.
The LJR chair will read into the minutes of the vote count and decision made by the LJR committee during her report and the affidavit will be introduced for debate in miscellaneous business.
Senate meetings take place in the Key West ballroom of the UCF Student Union.
KnightNews.com will continue to update this story with what transpires tonight.
