By Kelly Lucas
Campus Editor

In a less-than-brief trial, the Purdue Student Government court ruled that Jim Vaca and Patrick Mondi were cleared of 15 of the 18 counts of illegal campaigning filed against them.

Vaca, a junior in the School of Management, and Mondi, a junior in the School of Technology, will have 3 percent of their total vote subtracted from the final count adding to a 1 percent deduction from a previous trial, making the final percentage deduction 4.

Rick Ridenour, PSG senator and a member of the Clay Slaughter and Kurt Weiand campaign, filed the 18 counts of illegal campaigning after discovering Vaca and Mondi did not receive permission from the building deputies of approximately 10 University buildings before posting campaign materials. Ridenour took pictures April 3 and 4 of each of the campaign materials found in the buildings and presented them to the court.

However, the court found this to be untrue after Mondi provided proof of contacting each of the building deputies and receiving permission, prior to Spring Break, to post the materials.

Guy Trease, campaign manager for Vaca and Mondi, said, "This outrageous decision sets a precedent so that I could illegally post another campaign's materials, take a picture of it and infract them; of course I'm not suggesting that's what happened here, but the precedent has been set."

The 3 percent deduction stems from three violations. One from posting materials on a pillar within Knoy Hall of Technology and 2 for posting materials with staples on a bulletin board in Grissom Hall.

"I'm glad to see the court feels that regulations do need to be followed," said Ridenour.

Mondi said, "The court's decision is puzzling. Frankly, I find it hard to believe that the vote was influenced 3 percent by three small signs. Let the penalty fit the crime. The students' will should not be overturned due to minor technicalities."

The counts of illegal campaigning against Slaughter and Weiand are pending. A decision will be made as of today.