Ticket supporters stuff newspapers with unpaid fliers

Connect ticket supporters were found stuffing Indiana Daily Student newspapers with party fliers Tuesday without written or verbal consent from the newspaper. As IU Student Association tickets flooded campus with their supporters distributing handbills, Livestrong bracelets and using personal laptops to help students vote, the Connect ticket's efforts resulted in a problem -- not paying the IDS for the inserts. \nAccording to the IUSA election code, tickets must report all expenditures that are spent before and during the elections, and they must not spend more than they are allowed, which is $3,170. There is a possibility of ticket expulsion if a ticket does not report all expenses. IUSA Election Coordinator Derek Molter said if a ticket writes a check for a campaign expense, they must report it even if the party receiving the check refuses payment.\n"If something of value is used for campaign purposes, then it must be reported," he said. "The point of the finance report rules is one, to make sure there is a cap on spending so all tickets spend the same amount, (and) two, to make sure everyone is reporting their expenditures."\nConnect Presidential Candidate John Palmer and his ticket's executives apologized to IDS staffers Tuesday, offering a formal explanation and a check of $67.50 to cover the expense of the inserts. The IDS can file suit against parties who circumvent advertising protocols or attempt to tamper with distributed materials, but under these circumstances elected not to press charges.\nIDS Editor in Chief Josh Sanburn is responsible for all content within the paper, including advertising content such as Connect's insert. Sanburn said this is not the first incident where an individual has circumvented newspaper advertising rules and placed inserts in the newspapers improperly. \n"We talked to Palmer earlier in the day, and he gave us a check for the ads," he said. "Through IUSA rules, because we have the check (Connect) can report it (in its expenditure report). After (the IDS received) money for the ads, the matter is in the hands of IUSA and its election commission."\nIDS Publisher Dave Adams said all potential advertisers, which include IUSA tickets, should use the proper channels to place their ad. The IDS budget is solely generated from advertising revenue and would lose considerable amounts of money if inserts were placed for free. \nBut Adams said he felt the Connect ticket was not acting maliciously.\n"I have talked to a number of people," he said. "It's my belief the top people of the ticket didn't know this was happening, and we have accepted a check for roughly 1,000 inserts."\nPalmer has chosen not to comment at this time, wanting to wait to hear from Election Coordinator Molter and the election advisory council. \n-- Contact Staff Writer Eric Tash at etash@indiana.edu.