Stanford College Republicans (SCR) filed a case to the Associated Students of Stanford University (ASSU) Constitutional Council alleging that the Undergraduate Senate’s rejection of the group’s funding request to host former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence violated the ASSU Constitution. The case was unanimously approved by the Council at a deliberation meeting Tuesday night. Proceedings are scheduled to start on Tuesday, Jan. 18 at 6:30 p.m. 

Details of the case date back to November 2021, when SCR Officer Stephen Sills applied for $6,000 in ASSU funding for a “winter quarter” event. Information obtained by The Daily revealed that the “winter quarter” event, now scheduled for Feb. 17, would feature Pence. 

In early December, the group’s request for funding from the Undergraduate Senate was rejected twice: once during a closed session vote on standard grant requests and again during a public revote on all funding requests at the end of the quarter. Upon the start of the winter quarter, SCR filed their complaint against the Undergraduate Senate, stating that the Senate is “constitutionally obliged” to approve their request.

On Tuesday, the ASSU Constitutional Council unanimously voted 4-0 to move forward with the case, providing both the Undergraduate Senate and SCR seven days before the start of Jan. 18 proceedings to gather evidence and organize witness testimonies.

The approval of the case makes this SCR’s second Constitutional Council case against the Undergraduate Senate. The first case was filed in 2019 over the denial of funds for hosting right-wing political commentator Dinesh D’Souza. This case concluded in favor of SCR, who received funding from the ASSU for their event with D’Souza.

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that the Constitutional Council will hear this case on Jan. 18 at 6 pm. The hearing will begin at 6:30 pm. The Daily regrets this error.