Aftab Pureval and Deb Mason, presidential and vice presidential candidates for Ohio State’s Undergraduate Student Government, have denied that the Pureval-promoted Red Wanting Blue concert Friday was used as campaigning.

The USG Judicial Panel ruled yesterday that promoting the concert was an act of campaigning. According to the ruling, Pureval and Mason will have to include the promotion of the concert in their budget, which must be submitted to the Elections Governance Board today by 5 p.m.

An e-mail forwarded to The Lantern indicates that Pureval invited people in the OSU community to attend the concert. The e-mail was sent by Suzanne Scharer – a member of Pureval and Mason’s campaign team – and is signed by Pureval. The subject of the e-mail was “FREE Red Wanting Blue Tickets from Aftab Pureval.”

According to the e-mail, Pureval said, “As most of you know, I’m promoting this weekend’s Red Wanting Blue concert … as part of the deal, I have about 200 free tickets to pass out to anyone interested in seeing the show.

“This is how you get them – e-mail me back (to [email protected]) with your full name and your friends who want to see the show … Your names will appear on a specific list at that ticket booth.”

An anonymous member of Alpha Phi said her sorority received free tickets to the show. Mason is Alpha Phi’s vice president of program development.

Mason denied that Alpha Phi received free tickets. When asked about the tickets, Mason said, “No, I don’t think so; not that I’ve ever heard of.”