Madison Student Judiciary Dismisses Harry's Second Brief on Chair Election

The Associated Students of Madison student judiciary dismissed a second petitioner's brief from Rep. Michael Harry on Sept. 29.

Harry, who ran in the spring chair election, filed the brief on Sept. 22. He alleged that the judiciary mishandled its order on his first brief and that Chief Justice Chloe Sieman applied rules incorrectly during proceedings. The dismissal notice stated that a majority of student justices recused themselves, including Sieman, whose recusal Harry had requested. The judiciary did not assign a full panel as a result.

The dispute began with the April 24 election for chair of the 33rd session, which Harry lost. On April 30, he sent the student judiciary a brief arguing the results were invalid, alleging meeting rules were broken during the vote and that the Chief Justice did not preside. The judiciary issued an order on Sept. 8 allowing the brief to be discussed as a special order at the Sept. 16 meeting, modifying an earlier version issued April 30. Harry amended his first brief on Sept. 14 to add information and to request that alleged violators be disqualified from future chair elections.

At the Sept. 16 student council meeting, ASM representatives voted narrowly against adopting the special order. Adoption required a two-thirds majority. A majority of representatives voted in favor, but the motion fell short of the threshold. Had it passed, representatives could have re-elected the 33rd session chair by a simple majority vote. Harry's second brief argued that requiring a two-thirds majority to take up the first brief had no precedent.

ASM Chair Haia Al Zein said the judiciary's decision gives her hope for the remainder of the 33rd session. "I hope it serves as an opportunity for us to work more collaboratively and move forward in greater unity," she said. Sieman, Harry and the student judiciary declined to comment further on the brief.