Message posted on Stardate 07111.8 at 1723 hours
Posted by Fleet Admiral Sarah Hemenway (President).
Edict #62
This time it will be a long one.
Due to my own involvement in the election and a desire to remain outside of things election-oriented as a result, this edict has been investigated and written by Vice President Symon Silvester. However, I have to be the one to make it official through edict, so here it is. :) The penalty was decided jointly by Sy and I. Thank you, Sy, for your hard work in resolving this matter.
=/\=
Recently on the Election Ship, TJ Morgan made a claim to our members that he was undertaking negotiations with media sources, such as newspapers, to advertise STF. He had claimed he already had some deals in place and also had other deals in the pipeline. This was an election promise on his part and included such publications as the Delhi Times and USA Today.
When challenged to provide proof about these deals, TJ refused claiming that he would not show these agreements until such time as things were ready. The claim was that these were legal contracts between STF and these potential advertisers.
STF has an elected government and as such of only the President is authorised to represent the club in any form of negotiations, or their duly appointed deputy, like the MAC position. Even then all decisions have to have the final approval of the President.
At no stage was STF or the Office of the President, or the Marketing Coordinator, informed as to these negotiations or consulted.
This situation should not be underestimated. If the claims were true a member of STF may have been entering into business contracts with agencies. As such this could have meant costs or legal action undertaken against STF, indeed even threatening the future of STF. This was also assuming authority where none was given in the club, at best through gross ignorance, at worst deliberately and fraudulently.
As a result of these claims an immediate investigation was launched with the co-operation of the Election Coordinator. An immediate restriction was placed on the Election Ship regarding discussing the subject and the Morgan/Martin ticket was contacted to explain the claims. At this time they were asked not to discuss this matter with any other parties until the investigation was completed.
Mr Morgan was emailed asking for a full explanation and to forward to the investigating officer all of his correspondence with these contacts and emails about these contacts. Shortly thereafter, Mr Morgan posted on the ES that he had broken off contact with these parties, despite being informed that he was not to post about the subject on the ES. He additionally noted that he had destroyed all of his emails.
The investigating officer then asked Mr Morgan why the emails had been destroyed, were they recoverable and to either forward his contact email addresses, or to contact them asking for the chain of evidence.
At this stage TJ was informed as to the seriousness of his claims and that potentially this could result in legal action regarding financial restitution against STF, or potentially misrepresenting STF fraudulently. He was advised that if he was making these claims up he should admit it immediately.
In his next email TJ advised the investigating officer that he was not lying, that he had mistakenly assumed authority, and that he was emailing his contacts for proof.
About 11 hours after this email TJ emailled the investigating officer admitting he had made it all up and posted as such on all his ships apologising.
Throughout this business TJ has lied to the members of STF, impeded and lied to an authorised investigation, and ignored restrictions placed upon him by both the investigating officer and the Election Coordinator.
For making unauthorized contact with the potential of creating legal trouble for the club, impeding and lying in an authorized investigation, and for violating posting restrictions placed upon him during the course of this election, TJ Morgan is hereby banned from STF for a period of 30 days and demoted to the rank of Ensign. He shall not be promoted above this rank for 120 days from today. PDept, please place his account at Guest level access and scramble his password.
For official record, the investigation revealed that Tim Martin had no involvement in this incident. He was not aware of nor involved in TJ’s actions.
- Sarah