IUSA Congress votes against Kelty impeachment

Neil Kelty, IU Student Association Chief of Staff, will keep his executive position for the remainder of the school year.
 
Congress voted 31-0 to keep Kelty in public office after Resolution No. 10-11-27 was presented to the floor Tuesday. The resolution proposed Kelty’s impeachment, accusing him of violating IUSA bylaws by unethically handling IUSA finances and student funds.

Twenty-nine Congress members voted against the resolution, while two abstained from voting.

“I didn’t think that at any point I did anything wrong. I asked the people who were experts on the subject what the best course of action was and took every matter of precaution to ask and confirm. That was my process. I though that the facts and my character spoke that I had not attempted to do anything wrong,” Kelty said.

Resolution 10.11.27 was the fourth resolution of the evening presented to Congress and was discussed for a total of 36 minutes.

After the resolution was read aloud in full, both Kelty and petitioner, IUSA president-elect, Justin Kingsolver spoke to explain their case.

Kelty was accused of using his personal business, Thrive44 Strategy Group, as a funnel for IUSA funds back in 2009, when he served in IUSA as executive director of new media and technology.

Kelty supposedly requested that IUSA reimburse him through his Thrive44 account for the payment of then-IUSA President Peter SerVaas’ smartphone data package.

During his statement, Kingsolver said he decided to pursue the issue, despite requests from IUSA executives and Congress members to stop, not because of personal motivations regarding last week’s elections, but rather in the pursuit of fairness.

“We need to have justice stand today,” Kingsolver said.

Kelty responded to the resolution, saying that his actions were signed off on by other members of the administration, as well as the SOA office.

Debate between Congress members followed the questioning period, with congress member Leah Simons calling the resolution “insulting” and “moot.”

“No one man shout be shot 30 days before leaving office,” Simons said.

The resolution was then voted upon by roll call. Usual resolution passing requires only a simple majority of Congress members present to vote in favor of a resolution.

Impeachment, however, requires the support of two-thirds majority of all Congress members, which is 32 out of the current 48 members said Jen Peterson, vice president of Congress.

“I hope this is done with, and I can commence with making sure the transition happens,” Kelty said.