If some members of UF's Student Senate get their way, Paul Drayton's decision to take a business internship in the Big Apple this summer could spell the end of his career as Student Body treasurer.
Five senators filed a resolution for Drayton's impeachment Wednesday. Drayton has spent most of his summer in New York City as an intern at JPMorgan Chase.
The resolution's sponsors are Orange and Blue Party members, but Sen. Sam Miorelli, the document's author, hopes the decision to impeach Drayton is not made along party lines.
Miorelli's resolution rails Drayton for failing to complete office hours, take part in several committees and boards or access his SG e-mail account since he headed north.
Miorelli said the glaring problem is that Drayton knew about the internship before swearing in and assumed office anyway.
"He thought that we would all be OK with him doing this," Miorelli said. "It's outrageous. In fact, it's illegal."
Drayton said in a telephone interview that Miorelli's claim about his knowledge of receiving the internship is untrue, as are the allegations about him not checking his e-mail.
Drayton said the call for him to be removed from office came as no surprise given the controversy his absence has stirred in Senate.
Kellie Dale, Student Senate president, said this is the first time an SG executive officer has been subjected to impeachment charges in recent years.
Dale said it is still undecided when the resolution will be voted on or what the special meeting's format will be because there is no case to serve as a precedent. A two-thirds vote by senators elected in the spring or by summer replacement senators filling in for spring seats is needed to suspend Drayton from office.
A trial following that vote could take place to permanently remove Drayton. In the trial, a three-fourths vote is required by senators elected in fall, according to statutes.
Drayton appointed a new chief financial officer, Rene Medina, to act as a liaison between him and the SG office when he announced his departure May 27.
Student Body President Kevin Reilly said he thinks SG hasn't "missed a beat" since Medina took office this summer. Reilly said the treasurer's summer duties can be easily done from a computer and a phone.
"It doesn't require him to be sitting in the office all day," he said.
