Impeachment Proceedings against Secretary of Forum Affairs Ilikeverin

[Sam Spade]

I intend to leave elected office with a bang.  So here it is.

By the powers vested in me by the constitution of the Atlas Forum, I hereby introduce impeachment proceedings against Secretary of Forum Affairs Ilikeverin for negligent activity in his position on the Cabinet in the past mid-term (August) elections.

[Emsworth]

I personally strongly oppose this measure. But whatever my views may be:

As required by the Constitution, the Senate is hereby empanelled as a Grand Jury to consider Articles of Impeachment. The Constitution provides that the Chief Justice must preside.

[PBrunsel]

This is madness. The elections went fine, every nation has election problems and I feel that we should not impeach a person because of some hic-ups of democracy.

[Sam Spade]

Just for the court's and the Senate's information:

I am not seeking a harsh penalty for the actions in this past election.  A removal from office will suffice, not even time banned from office is particularly necessary, though I will push for a month, maybe two.

However, it is clear that Verin acted negligently in his handling of this election. 

He took no steps to provide for his potential absence in the closing of the election booth, allowing two ballots to be cast post-election and allowed for the potential of editing or deleting of ballots in order to influence an election to potentially occur.

He also indirectly allowed the ballots of two voters to be counted, whose names were not present on the voter rolls at election time, an omission which is alreadying causing great election turmoil in the Southeast Region elections.  We can only be so fortunate that this omission played no major factor in the federal elections held at this time.

That is all for now.

[Colin]

Just one thing, do we still have the provision in the Constitution stating that an impeached member of government can never hold a federally elected office again?

[Emsworth]

Just one thing, do we still have the provision in the Constitution stating that an impeached member of government can never hold a federally elected office again?

No, the relevant clause is:

"Upon conviction by the People, the officer shall be removed from office immediately. Any person convicted upon impeachment shall be disqualified from holding any office under the Republic of Atlasia for a time period explicitly specified in the Articles of Impeachment."

Therefore, when the Grand Jury drafts actual Articles of Impeachment, it must specify the punishment.

[Colin]

Just one thing, do we still have the provision in the Constitution stating that an impeached member of government can never hold a federally elected office again?

No, the relevant clause is:

"Upon conviction by the People, the officer shall be removed from office immediately. Any person convicted upon impeachment shall be disqualified from holding any office under the Republic of Atlasia for a time period explicitly specified in the Articles of Impeachment."

Therefore, when the Grand Jury drafts actual Articles of Impeachment, it must specify the punishment.

Thank you Mr. Vice President for clearing up the constitutional concerns for me.

[CheeseWhiz]

Why?  He told you what happened, he thought he'd have internet access and his trip just messed up and he said that he'd appoint a back-up from now on.  I think some of you guys just have a big grudge against Ilikeverin and I can't figure out what it is.  I mean, he's nice to everyone, he's never held a grudge and he get's treated like he's someone who's not fit to be on the forum.

[Jake]

In my opinion, Secretary of Forums Affairs was and is the job that least suited Verin. Verin did not make proper arrangements for closing the election which caused his deputy to certify the results hours later and now his deputy must recuse himself from a court case, all because of Verin's negligence. I was perfectly fine with him goofing off and "having fun" when he was Governor or Lt. Governor, but when his negligence affects my region's elections and when he blatantly tells the Senate that he won't be availible to accomplish his most important task (closing the voting booths on time), that's when my tolerance for him ends.

[CheeseWhiz]

It was his first election as SoFA!  He didn't even mess up very bad and he wasn't goofing off, he merely had a trip where there was suppose to be internet access and there wasn't.  We all make mistakes, but you guys don't even seem to have the decency to give him a second chance!  I mean, come on!  It doesn't seem very fun for people to be watching your every move and one wrong step and everyone turns on you, does it?

[Emsworth]

I hope that the Grand Jury will not mind my (unofficial) two cents:

Was the handling of the election as good as it should have been? No, it was not. ILikeVerin admits that it was not handled absolutely perfectly, and so does the former DSoFA.

But does it deserve impeachment? I feel that it does not. There was no fraudulent behavior here. There was no maladministration. There was no gross negligence. The SoFA was only a victim of unfortunate circumstances.

Now, obviously, some feel that the handling of the election merits impeachment: and they are entitled to that view, although I respectfully disagree with it.

[Gabu]

Personally, I don't think that impeachment is in order.  I would consider impeachment to be in order if the official was guilty of either a) some sort of fraud, tampering, or otherwise compromising the ability of the results of the election to fully represent the will of the people or b) such gross negligence or incompetence that the election results must be thrown in the trash and a new one held.

Neither a) nor b) apply here.  The election was not run perfectly, to be sure, but the errors made were by no means either unrecoverable or deliberate, and as such, I don't feel that any issues arose that were grand enough to merit impeachment.  Numerous times as PPT I've made mistakes, whether opening a vote when it shouldn't, opening a vote on a bill when there's still an amendment to be considered, or what have you.  Nobody attempted to remove me from my position as a consequence; we just admitted that a mistake had been made and took appropriate action to compensate for it.  I see no reason why this cannot also be handled in the same sort of way.

As well as that, from what I've gathered, it was not entirely the SoFA's fault, either.

[DanielX]

I move that the impeachment proceedings be tabled. And fed to opebo's lions.

[PBrunsel]

I move that the impeachment proceedings be tabled. And fed to opebo's lions.

Second the motion, but lion's in the Senate chamber may get messy.

[Emsworth]

We'll have to wait for the Chief Justice to put this to a vote.

[MasterJedi]

I'm also against this. Yes things could have gone a lot better but nothing really bad happened that would make me want to vote to impeach Mr. Verin.

[KEmperor]

Ok, there is a motion that these prodeedings be tabled, and it has been seconded.  All those in favor say aye, opposed nay.

[minionofmidas]

I ask my Senators to open impeachment proceedings against Senator Sam Spade, on account of his wasting the Senates# time with frivolous impeachment proceedings.

[7,052,770]

i vote to table this ridiculousness...I haven't seen anything this ridiculous since Ridiculous Day down at the deli, where prices were so low, they were ridiculous.

[MasterJedi]

Aye for tableing the impeachment.

[MHS2002]

Aye to table impeachment proceedings.

Whereas ILV has not totally been on the ball as SoFA, I don't think his performance warrants impeachment (at least not now).

[Sam Spade]

Nay.

[King]

I ask my Senators to open impeachment proceedings against Senator Sam Spade, on account of his wasting the Senates# time with frivolous impeachment proceedings.

Spade is resigning after this is done with anyway.

[Sam Spade]

I ask my Senators to open impeachment proceedings against Senator Sam Spade, on account of his wasting the Senates# time with frivolous impeachment proceedings.

Spade is resigning after this is done with anyway.

I said I wanted to go out with a bang.  I'm surprised no one's getting the humor.

Nonetheless, these proceedings will look prescient come October when we get to the next federal election, the big one (Presidential) and Ilikeverin screws up big-time again.

[Sam Spade]

I ask my Senators to open impeachment proceedings against Senator Sam Spade, on account of his wasting the Senates# time with frivolous impeachment proceedings.

You've given me an idea, Lewis. 

Maybe I should resign the position of GM after I've accepted it and appoint someone to fill in the spot.