Southern Journal - Issue XXVII: PM Powers, Missing Cabinet

[Benjamin Henrikson]

I am...
Going to ask is this meant as satire?

You will have to fogive me . Some of the sentences within it sound a bit odd, so I thought I would ask instead of assuming
I never heard of Salaxanism, could you tell me a bit about it? (I am unlearned about quite a few things, including the TSP political sphere)

[Kringalia]

Salaxanism is a complex religious doctrine that was invented about an hour ago as a result of a joke on IRC. Since we are currently having a Great Council, it seemed like a good idea to propose it!

Take a good look at the Southern Journal logo on the article, and compare it to the logo in the OP!

[Benjamin Henrikson]

I knew I sensed something!
(I would support it, but I am not a TSP person )

[RiderSyl]

I'm sure Sal was very in-depth about it on IRC.

[Southern Journal]

Minister of the Army Recalled; Nominations Open
by Feirmont

CrimsonTideFan was recalled today from his position of Minister of Army due to his inactivity. The vote passed the required 75% of voter support with 78% in favour of the recall.

Special elections for the position have been started. Nominations began today at 4pm EST and will continue until the 27th of January 2015 at 4pm EST. Current nominees are ProfessorHenn, Darkstrait and Belschaft.

Voting will begin on the 30th of January at 4pm EST and campaigning is allowed until the end of the election.

Voting ends on the 2nd of February at 4pm EST.

[Consular]

I only just noticed that interview with Max. It was sadly rather brief, but amusing nonetheless.

[RiderSyl]

Only inactivity? Here I was expecting to see it be for something awful like forum-crashing. Silly me, people in GCR military positions are never resigned due to...
... if you haven't gotten the self-depreciating humor in my comment by now, you're never going to get it.

[Kringalia]

I only just noticed that interview with Max. It was sadly rather brief, but amusing nonetheless.

We did hope to make it slightly longer, but unfortunately Max appeared to be rather busy at the time, and could only answer a few questions.

[Southern Journal]

In the last few days we have had a lot of developments, in terms of elections and legislative debates. These articles were published at roughly the same time, in the last few days, and deal with government appointment and special elections.

---

Minister of Army Special Elections: Candidate Previews
by Feirmont

With the voting for the Special Elections for Minister of Army set to open on the 30th of January at 4pm EST, the Southern Journal met with a few of the candidates and what they had to say about the election.

“Good luck to all candidates and may this election be for the best.
To all voters: Read the campaigns in detail, and vote for your preferred candidate. Do not vote for the one with the highest amount of votes. Vote unless that is your preferred candidate.”
-ProfessorHenn

"Whilst the High Court has yet to rule on the legality of joint campaigns, I am hopeful of a verdict in our favor and look forward to serving as join Minister of the Army with my college Henn. Should the Court not reach a verdict in time, or fail to rule in our favor, then only one of our names will officially appear on the ballot but I would like to emphasize that Henn and myself stand together as the strongest option for both TSP and for the SPSF."
-Belschaft

"I joined the SPSF, oh, maybe two months ago. Since then, I've been an active participant in it. Ever since QuietDad resigned, I've been trying to fill his shoes by training and advising the only new recruit we have: Corporal Clegg.
I promise reform and recruitment if I am elected to the MoA."
-Darkstrait

The candidates, along with their campaigns, are:

ProfessorHenn | Distortilla | Darkstrait | Belschaft

The voting period ends the 2nd of February at 4pm EST.

We wish all of the candidates a good election.

Deputy Minister for Regional Affairs Announced
by Punchwood

Kris Kringle has appointed Feirmont as the Deputy Minister for Regional Affairs in the early hours of today. The Fellowship Programme has given Feirmont plenty of success in the Ministry. Feirmont was appointed to the Advisory Council shortly after he had joined the Fellowship Programme and he is currently a Director for both TSP’s Radio Project and the Southern Journal.

Kringle said in the announcement that Feirmont has been “very dedicated despite his short time in the government, and during the past few weeks he has been incredibly helpful, and a good adviser”. In the announcement, Kringle said that Feirmont would help him oversee all projects in the Fellowship Programme, but the Directors would still be the main power in the Programme.

Feirmont told the Southern Journal this:
“I honestly wasn't prepared when Kris approached me with the proposition of becoming deputy minister. I've only been around the forums for a few short months after all. I've been with TSP for almost 2 years, just watching from the shadows; lurking around. Watching how much fun the other nations of TSP were having. I am honoured at the opportunity and thrilled that I can help make a bigger difference around the region. I joined the forums in hope to make TSP a funner place for every nation, forum and RMB dwellers alike. Every director in the MoRA have been really busy lately with their projects. I'm glad that I can help Kris and the rest of the ministry in seeing these projects through.”

However, the move was a shock to some as Kringle did say at one point that he would not appoint any Deputy to the Ministry. The Journal asked Kringle what was with the sudden change in how the Ministry works: “I didn't say I wouldn't appoint a Deputy at all. I just didn't see the need at that point. I preferred to let things take their own course, and only appoint a Deputy if I saw both a need and a good candidate.” 

We at the Southern Journal wish Feirmont well and we are sure he will do a great job as Deputy Minister of Regional Affairs.

Court Justices inactive; Special Election Called
by Feirmont

Court Justice Llamas and Chief Justice Gustave-Berr have lost their positions in the High Court due to inactivity, bringing the total number of Justices to two.

By the charter of the Coalition of the South Pacific; article 4, section 1.1:
“The High Court shall consist of four Court Justices.”

As the High Court is not in compliance with the Charter, the two remaining Court Justices, Awe (Awesomiasa) and acting Chief Justice Farengeto have put all High Court processes on hold until the two new members are elected.

Therefore, a special election has been called, and nominations are open.

To make a nomination, or to nominate yourself, the thread for the special election can be found here.

The nomination period will be from the 31st of January at 4pm to the 3rd of February at 4pm. Elections begin on the 6th of February at 4pm and will close on the 9th of February at 4pm (all times Eastern Standard Time).

[KaelThas Quilor]

Good luck to everyone running for an office.

Will the Southern Journal be providing post-election analysis of some kind?

[Kringalia]

Good luck to everyone running for an office.

Will the Southern Journal be providing post-election analysis of some kind?

I certainly hope so! We are seeing some interesting trends in the MoA election, and it'd be cool to take a closer look at them.

[KaelThas Quilor]

Good luck to everyone running for an office.

Will the Southern Journal be providing post-election analysis of some kind?

I certainly hope so! We are seeing some interesting trends in the MoA election, and it'd be cool to take a closer look at them.

Awesome. My political junkie-ness needs some fresh content

[Southern Journal]

Note: it is worth pointing out that Belschaft has since withdrawn his candidacy and is now supporting ProfessorHenn, following a failed inquiry into the possibility of jointly running for Minister of the Army, something that is not explicitly legal under our current laws.

[Southern Journal]

- BREAKING NEWS -

Belschaft is pressing defamation charges against Kringalia, Escade, Unibot, Glen-Rhodes and Cormac Stark, over their continue accusations of his participation in Operation Brave Toaster.

We will expand shortly.

[Benjamin Henrikson]

- BREAKING NEWS -

Belschaft is pressing defamation charges against Kringalia, Escade, Unibot, Glen-Rhodes and Cormac Stark, over their continue accusations of his participation in Operation Brave Toaster.

We will expand shortly.

What would these entitle?

[KaelThas Quilor]

They said they'd expand.

[Gest]

They said they'd expand.

This should be a quick case.

Truth is usually a defense for defamation and the guy has admitted doing something that sounds very conspiratorial. Seems like he's toast, just summary judgment this case. Naturally since it's a feeder this case shall drag on for a couple weeks before being dropped.

[Xoriet]

They said they'd expand.

This should be a quick case.

Truth is usually a defense for defamation and the guy has admitted doing something that sounds very conspiratorial. Seems like he's toast, just summary judgment this case. Naturally since it's a feeder this case shall drag on for a couple weeks before being dropped.

Was that a pun? Please tell me that was a pun.

[Glen-Rhodes]

Truth is usually a defense for defamation and the guy has admitted doing something that sounds very conspiratorial. Seems like he's toast, just summary judgment this case. Naturally since it's a feeder this case shall drag on for a couple weeks before being dropped.

Basically this. Though our court has been quick before to dismiss meritless cases. Unfortunately, there's currently a special eleciton being held to fill two vacancies. This means there are only two Justices until the election concludes, but three Justices are required for quorum in a criminal case. So this will be sitting until the 10th at the very least.

Belschaft's case basically boils down to an assertion that using the word "crime" counts as defamation because charges were never filed against him for Operation Brave Toaster. If he wants charges, I say let's bring them: he will lose, and he will get the same treatment Milograd got. He freely admitted to wrongdoing and went into a self-imposed (albeit short) exile after the Assembly stripped him of everything short of his citizenship. The only difference is that he doesn't personally call what he did a crime.

He came back to TSP and thought that maybe he could salvage his reputation. He got involved in our Great Council, then tried to run for Minister of the Army. He lost that, and now is running for one of those two vacant Justice position. Because those of us named in the defamation suit (Kris, Escade, Unibot, Cormac, and myself) didn't sit idly by and let him reassert himself into the highest rungs of political power in TSP, we're being accused of defamation for simply restating history and what he has already admitted to doing. It's ridiculous. He's overplayed his hand here.

[KaelThas Quilor]

What exactly was 'OBT' ? Didn't it not happen (if its what I think it was)? So what would be charged with? Just conspiracy?

(*is unfamiliar with TSP's legal code, is genuinely curious*)

[Glen-Rhodes]

OBT = Operation Brave Toaster

Unibot and I were running in Cabinet elections. Belschaft didn't like this, so he freaked out and told everybody we would literally destroy the region and force it to go defender. Like many others, he believed there was some conspiracy to turn TSP defender, and TNI dissolving their treaty was proof of it.

So he talked to all his political allies, and a few of them agreed to do something about it. "Doing something about it" would mean flooding the region with people who would get citizenship for the sole purpose of ensuring Unibot and I wouldn't win elections. Todd McCloud was part of this, creating a hidden forum in TEP's forum, along with several other people: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/o3hddh866qe0 ... -ra?dl=0#/

Belschaft and God-Emperor (who partook in the hidden forum) were both on TSP's High Court at the time. Belschaft was also a member of the CSS, which is TSP's main security organ in charge of ensuring that shit like this doesn't happen. They were both stripped of their positions, and both went into a self-imposed exile. The Cabinet didn't press charges at the time, because we believed Belschaft's reputation was beyond repair and he wouldn't bother coming back. If the Cabinet had brought charges, those charges probably would have been treason and fraud. Those are defined in Article 5 of our Code of Laws.

Fast forward to now. He runs for multiple offices, his campaigns are derailed when people bring up this nasty little bit of history. So he brings defamation charges against those of us who brought it up.

[Solorni]

So much drama

[KaelThas Quilor]

So the vote-stacking did actually go through, or no?

But since your law doesn't separate conspiracy from the act itself (a reasonable policy, all said and done), it seems like it would work either way.

Thanks for clarifying.

[Belschaft]

That's Glen's version of events. The significant problem he has is the following; accusing someone of committing treason but being "unwilling" to bring treason charges is a textbook case of defamation. There are certain facts that are not in dispute; that I had a number of discussions with amongst other people Cormac and Todd in which we discussed a suspicion that electoral fraud had been committed, during which attempting to prove such was discussed and also potential actions if it couldn't be proven to the satisfaction of the courts but our own satisfaction. Everyone agrees that this happened, as it is freely admitted. I, as a serving CSS member, discussed and investigated allegations of electoral fraud that it appeared may be occurring.

What is in dispute is what happened next; Glen, Unibot, Escade, Kris and Cormac claim that I orchestrated a huge criminal conspiracy to commit vast electoral fraud that only ended when Cormac exposed it in October 2014. I maintain that after concluding that no electoral fraud had probably occurred I moved on and no further discussions of the matter happened.

At no point in time has any proof been presented to suggest that anything happened after July the 27th or to substantiate any claims that my version of events is not accurate.

Despite this I am regularly accused of treason. I have invited my accusers to bring charges against me; they have refused. I have asked them to substantiate their accusations; they have refused. I have sought a public retraction; they have refused.

Despite never being charged with any crime, and despite no evidence of such ever being presented, I am being accused of having committed treason. I am no longer willing to tolerate this.

[Glen-Rhodes]

That's Glen's version of events. The significant problem he has is the following; accusing someone of committing treason but being "unwilling" to bring treason charges is a textbook case of defamation.

"Unwilling" isn't a word I have used. The Cabinet didn't find it necessary to go through an entire court case, when the punishment we would have sought was being self-imposed anyways. You may very well get your wish, though.

At no point in time has any proof been presented to suggest that anything happened after July the 27th or to substantiate any claims that my version of events is not accurate.

You've admitted to conspiring to commit electoral fraud, to undermine the elections of the Coalition. That's all the proof that's needed, but we have additional proof anyways. I don't know why you're so focused on when you (allegedly) stopped the conspiracy. The crime was that you conspired in the first place.