Ron Lee impeached by Student Senate

At last night’s Student Senate meeting, the body voted 13–3 to impeach Student Fee Committee member Ron Lee on seven of eight individual charges.

The charges are as follows:

– Lee used his position as an SFC member to threaten a student group for personal reasons
– Lee caused lasting damage to a student group due to personal reasons
– Lee destroyed confidence in the SFC budget process due to his personal agenda
– Lee undermined confidence of his position as an SFC member overall
– Lee jeopardized his integrity as an SFC member
– Lee acted outside of his position as an SFC member unethically
– Lee tainted his character as a member of the SFC through false accusations and ethical misconduct
   
Lee faced impeachment charges after accusing Pre-Law Society President Ashley McClain of financial mismanagement. These claims were made after Lee failed to receive $5 owed to him by the society.

The decision was made after testimony was given by McClain, PSU’s Alpha Pi Sigma chapter President Andrew William Bridge and Student Senator P.V. Jantz, who submitted the impeachment request.

Before reaching a verdict, the Student Senate discussed issuing a public censure reprimanding Lee for his actions. However, Bridge argued that McClain could not use the censure as evidence of her innocence if a state’s legal bar investigates the matter.

“[When McClain takes the bar exam, she] has to go to 16 states and check if [she has] ever been accused of embezzlement, [or] ever been accused of fraud. She has to check yes,” Bridge said. “She has to have an investigation, and a bar investigation lasts 12 to 24 months. You cannot get a license in 16 states until that investigation is done.”

Lee was not present at the hearing. In addition, no official affidavit was referenced by the Student Senate, though they requested that Lee submit one if he didn’t attend.