Feminine charm
Get ready, get set
Columnist Heather Price-Wright has a few choice words about sexism. PERSPECTIVES, 4
Arizona men’s basketball team is set to play Oregon State in the Pacific 10 Conference Tournament. SPORTS, 14
ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT
thursday march ,
tucson, arizona
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DISQUALIFIED
Bills seek to limit abortions
Excess campaign violations force special election for ASUA president By Luke Money ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT James Allen and Daniel Hernandez were disqualified from the ASUA presidential race due to an excess amount of campaign violations. The candidates’ disqualifications will force a runoff election to be held at a later date. Michael Colletti, the elections commissioner of the Associated Students of the University of Arizona, said that both candidates had at least 10 violations of the ASUA elections code, which results in immediate disqualification. Campaign violations can include items such as campaigning inside the ASUA offices or within 75 feet of a polling place on election day, or exceeding spending limits, according to the ASUA Elections Code. Spending limits for presidential candidates are set at $400. The code also contains provisions for the proper placement of posters and says the elections commissioner must approve all campaign-related social networking sites. Colletti said he could not comment on the specifics of the violations. Had the election stood, Allen would have won in a landslide, garnering 66.7 percent of the vote, more than double Hernandez’ total. Allen said he did not know what election violations he had committed, but said he was planning to appeal some of the decisions. He also attributed the number of violations to the competitiveness of the election. “It’s not good for the post (of
By Michelle Weiss ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT
election results. Twin brothers Bryan and Brett Ponton claimed the offices of executive and administrative vice president, respectively. Brett Ponton served in the same position in ASUA last year. Bryan Ponton also worked in ASUA last year as a club advocate in the Club Resource Center. Brett Ponton said he had worked
The approval of two Arizona bills will place limitations on abortion availability and prohibit funding to programs. With a vote of 40-18, House Bills 2384 and 2416 both passed the House, according to the Arizona State Legislature. “The anti-choice legislators in our legislature have pretty much launched the most shocking attack on women’s health that I’ve ever seen,” said Michelle Steinberg, a public policy manager and lobbyist for Planned Parenthood. H.B. 2416 would prohibit outlying areas in Arizona, such as Prescott, Flagstaff and Yuma, from distributing abortion pills, Steinberg said. In order to dispense abortion pills, the health centers have to be set up as surgery facilities, like those in Phoenix and Tucson. “If you restrict availability to only Phoenix and Tucson, you’re creating a huge, huge burden for women who live outside those communities,” she said. Women living in rural communities will be losing a significant amount of care due to this limited availability, Steinberg said. Women will then have travel costs and be forced to delay their abortion procedure, Steinberg added. Prolonging abortion could result in women needing to have surgery.
ELECTIONS, page 5
BILLS, page 5
Ernie Somoza/Arizona Daily Wildcat
From right, James Allen, Associated Students of the University of Arizona presidential candidate and Bryan Ponton, newly elected ASUA executive vice president, react to the news that both presidential candidates are disqualified during the ASUA results session on Wednesday evening in the Student Union Memorial Center. A special election between candidates Allen and Daniel Hernandez will be held in the upcoming weeks.
president) for these sorts of violations to occur,” Allen said. “That was just the nature of the election this year.” Allen also praised the elections commission for staying consistent with the code. “It’s good to know we have a critical and fair elections committee,” he said. Hernandez said it would be an “interesting couple of weeks” heading into the runoff election and that
he planned to rededicate himself to turn around the result. “I just need to be making sure that when I’m out there (among the students) I’m giving it 100 percent,” Hernandez said. The disqualifications silenced an otherwise raucous crowd of approximately 200 in the Kiva Room of the Student Union Memorial Center, a crowd that had, just minutes before, been celebrating and mourning the
Forum held on concealed carry
Loughner pleads not guilty
By Lucy Valencia ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT Traci Sepp, a sophomore majoring in political science and theatre arts, said that at 110 pounds, she would be no match against a man threatening her in an emergency situation. Her need to carry a gun for self-protection inspired her to speak out at yesterday’s forum on Arizona gun legislation that would allow concealed weapons to be carried on campus. “My dad has always taught me that he might not always be there to protect me, as much as he would like to,” she said. Looking to University of Arizona Police Department Chief Anthony Daykin, she said police might not be there in time either. “They won’t be there when I’m faced with a criminal, though they can help me pick up the pieces after,” Sepp said. “I am asking you to please protect my ability and my right to protect myself by supporting this legislation.” Sepp was one of the few students who showed support of guns being allowed on campus at the public non-partisan speaker series, hosted by the Graduate and Professional Student Council and the Associated Students of the University of Arizona. About a hundred members of the UA and
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By Luke Money ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT
David Venezia/Arizona Daily Wildcat
Students, teachers, police and other concerned members of the community gathered outside of Old Main on Wednesday to discuss the pros and cons of the proposed gun legislation currently being considered by the Arizona Legislature.
Tucson communities gathered in front of the Old Main fountain at noon on Wednesday to discuss the impacts of the legislations.
Many students carried posters that read “GUN FREE ZONE,” and handed out stickers for people GUNS, page 5
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Jared Lee Loughner, accused of the shootings on Jan. 8, pled not guilty to all charges yesterday during his first court appearance in Tucson since the shooting that left six dead and 13 wounded. Loughner faces a 49-count federal indictment that includes the attempted assassination of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, attempting to kill two of her aides, and the murders of federal judge John Roll and Gabe Zimmerman, one of Giffords’ staffers. Loughner also faces four other murder charges for the deaths of Dorothy Morris, Phyllis Schneck, Dorwan Stoddard and 9-year-old Christina-Taylor Green. Federal prosecutors have indicated that Loughner could face the death penalty if convicted. “This indictment involves potential death-penalty charges, and Department rules require us to pursue a deliberate and thorough process,” said U.S. Attorney Dennis K. Burke
COMING TOMORROW
Jared Lee Loughner
in a press release. “That process is ongoing, and we will continue to work diligently to see that justice is done.” Loughner could also face additional charges brought on from the Pima County Attorney’s office after the conclusion of the federal trial, which Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall has confirmed is her intention. A hearing to determine his competency to stand trial has been set for May 25. Loughner is being held at a maximum-security prison outside of Tucson.
WEATHER
Take a hike The Arizona Daily Wildcat examines the recent study session of the Arizona Board of Regents, and it what it might mean for next year’s tuition.
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