Monte Ashqar

The chief justice of the Texas State student government is no longer at risk of being impeached. Monte Ash-car has more in this Bobcat Update.

Earlier this month, Senator Shanna Schultz brought up articles of impeachment against Chief Justice Mike Guzman on the basis that he allegedly violated A-S-G's code of conduct for discriminating against certain ethnic groups in a series of columns he wrote for the University Star.

Schultz says a student complained to her about Guzman's columns:

(Insert Schultz's sound bite)

In response to the charges, A-S-G formed a committee to decide whether Guzman should be impeached. Earlier this week the committee decided no -- he was not in violation.

(Insert Wood sound bite)

Senate Pro Tem Sarah Wood says Guzman has been cleared of the charges because of ambiguous language in the A-S-G constitution.

Guzman says he's the one who's been discriminated against.

(Insert Guzman's Sound bite in which he says that he is the only conservative columnist for the star)

Media Law Professor Gilbert Martinez says that even if the A-S-G had succeeded in impeaching Guzman, he probably could have won a lawsuit on First Amendment grounds.  The First Amendment, of course, protects freedom of speech.  Martinez says his newspaper articles would not have been sufficient grounds for impeachment:

(Insert Martinez's sound bite about conduct not words)

Martinez says that the courts usually rule in favor of more speech, not less.

(Insert Stand up)