Candidate unloads in explosive e-mail
By Dan O'Brien, Collegian Staff
March 14, 2006
Upon hearing the news early Tuesday morning that he and his running mate could be banned from the Student Government Association's presidential and trustee elections at the University of Massachusetts, Trustee candidate Ed Cutting released a heated e-mail to members of the SGA, the UMass administration and editors at the Massachusetts Daily Collegian.
Cutting and his election partner, presidential candidate Rob Shepherd, were still allowed to participate in the elections after a ruling by the SGA's Election Commission that was made shortly before the e-mail was sent.
Questions surrounding the Shepherd/Cutting campaign surfaced shortly after televised debates between all of the trustee and presidential candidates on Monday night. In particular, the Sean Robinson for President and John Williams for Trustee campaign alleged that Shepherd and Cutting had illegally hung a banner on campus, used personal funds for campaigns and created an unauthorized campaign Web site, which are all against SGA by-laws.
Despite the Election Commission's ruling that Shepherd and Cutting would be allowed to remain in the election, Cutting released a strongly-worded e-mail to the Collegian, Vice Chancellor Michael Gargano, SGA President Pavel Payano, Speaker Sean Bliss and other members of the SGA.
In an interview with the Collegian last night, Cutting neither admitted nor denied the allegations against him. He also reiterated his campaign statements.
"UMass costs too much money. UMass violates students' civil rights," he said.
Here is Cutting's e-mail in its entirety:
"I HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO SAY ANYTHING I DAMN WELL PLEASE TO ANYONE WHOM I DAMN WELL PLEASE AND YOU DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO TELL ME THAT I HAVE TO GET YOUR PERMISSION TO DO IT. I can not explain just how amazed I am at hearing that I have been given the ability to open my mouth - I actually am amazed at the fact that (a) someone attending a Research I institution would actually comprehend the concept that he/she/it could stop me from doing so or (b) where I would go *first* to seek legal redress.
"Also the earth is flat - do you believe this too? I am really starting to wonder about the admissions standards of this institution!!!!
"We aren't even getting into those issues of due process, proper notification or even the little nicety of whatever the f*** it was that Rob Shepherd was actually supposed to have done - or are we just going with guilt-by-association here? In addition to all the professors whom I know qualified to teach legal issues, do I also need to list those qualified to teach about social justice?
"I am documenting this election proceeding for a national newspaper. I now wonder if anyone will honestly believe my article in light of just how bizarre things now have become. Bluntly - are you folks insane? And things would be worse were Mike Gargano to simply take everything over, and this is because????
"Ed."