EO Referendum Roiled By Allegations Of 'Quid Pro Quo'

[HEM]

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"EO Referendum Roiled By Allegations Of 'Quid Pro Quo'"
HEM
Managing Editor

As the Europeian citizenry debate a referendum that would dramatically roll back the power of Executive Orders, ENN has learned that at least one signature on the EO referendum petition may have been obtained through a "quid pro quo" agreement that offered a "favor" or multiple favors in exchange for a signature.

A Discord screenshot provided to ENN shows Culture Minister Olde Delaware reaching out to Communications Minister Xecrio, asking him to sign the referendum petition, saying: "Wanna do me a favor and sign Drecq's petition?"

When Xecrio, who originally expressed his opposition to the referendum, asked Olde Delaware why he should change his position, OD responded: "Then he [Drecq] might owe you one."

After Xecrio publicly changed his position, Olde Delaware replied, "Thanks, now I owe you one too. "

In this Discord screenshot ENN saw, no substantial policy persuasion on the referendum occurred. Just the rationale of Senator Drecq "owing one" to Xecrio prior to Xecrio immediately changing his position on the referendum by editing his previous post -- then Olde Delaware confirming he now owed Xecrio a favor too.

"The favour isn't necessarily a 'favour'," Xecrio said when ENN reached out for comment. "I had discussed the matter with OD last night and he had explained his actions. I also expressed my desire for him to not suffer from his actions."

Xecrio told ENN that Olde Delaware explained his promise of a "favor" from Senator Drecq in more detail to him later, providing us this quote:

"When I said he [Drecq] may owe you one, I meant that if you needed something passed he might come to your defense," Olde Delaware allegedly told Xecrio, "I wasn't speaking for him, just for me."

When asked for comment, Senator Drecq fervently denied knowing anything about the matter: "I did not ask OD to whip and I did not whip myself. In fact, I assumed that due to the time constraints we would not receive sufficient signatures in the time left and the Senate would have to repass."

Was Drecq bothered that someone looking for a signature promised a favor from him without his knowledge? He told ENN:

"I really prefer he didn't do that. In EuroChat [Olde Delaware] responded to Aex by saying he didn't. I looked at the screenshot and while it implies I would owe a favour, it doesn't outright say so. Either way, I don't do favors and I don't ask people to do me favors."

Olde Delaware did not immediately respond to ENN's request for comment, but did deny the allegations in EuroChat when they were brought up by Aexnidaral Seymour and blocked Aexnidaral to "stop drama."

While this quid pro quo is different from past matters involving tangible exchanges like awards or positions of power, it is concerning that the implication of "a favor" and not policy judgment or arguments, may have changed someone's stance on a referendum petition. Especially when both involved are leaders in the region.

When asked whether the promise of a favor is what changed his stance on the referendum petition:

"Potentially," Xecrio said.

UPDATE: Olde Delaware has provided ENN with an additional screenshot where Xecrio expresses that he's feeling "bullied" and Olde Delaware insists he's not trying to "bully anyone". Olde Delaware says the screenshot "speaks for itself" has provided no further comment.

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[Common-Sense Politics]

This doesn't seem like such a big deal, given the information available, but words matter and peeps should be more careful in the future.

 

[Drecq]

For what it is worth, I do not do favors. So if anyone comes to you and says I might do you a favor, disbelieve them.

That said, the petition easily would have achieved the required number of signatures in the required time even without Xecrios, so Im not sure one can say the EO Referendum is roiled by these allegations. Its a sideshow. One potentially personally significant, but not one that should cause people to change opinions on the Referendum in any way.

 

[Aexnidaral]

This doesn't seem like such a big deal, given the information available, but words matter and peeps should be more careful in the future.

I do think there's a difference between canvassing someone to change their vote or support for something, but offering something (even untangible somethings) for a specific support switch is not great.

 

[GraVandius]

Other than OD making a stupid comment, this seems like a whole lot of nothing. The petition received more than the necessary number of signatures with or without Xecrio and Drecq clearly doesn’t do that type of thing anyway.

 

[Olde Delaware]

Called it

 

[Kuramia]

Man the tea is hot in Euro today. I don't think this was a good way to shift someone's vote. The Senate still had options.

 

[Darcness]

I really wasn't sure if this was satire or not while I was reading it.

 

[HEM]

Other than OD making a stupid comment, this seems like a whole lot of nothing. The petition received more than the necessary number of signatures with or without Xecrio and Drecq clearly doesn’t do that type of thing anyway.

I mean, here's the thing: I think it's important that people know their leaders are swapping favors for policy positions, and that could have a real impact somewhere in our government more consequential than the referendum petition per se. Just the visual of a Minister, someone with authority over me and everyone else, posting their stance and then physically editing it out because of a "favor" is what strikes a sour note for me.

I think it'd be a mistake to compare this to the truly career-stopping quid pro quo's in the past because it isn't that, but do I think it's information a voter is entitled to? Yes.

 

[Olde Delaware]

Good Article HEM, too bad it just missed the Eurochoice cut off.

 

[Kuramia]

Good Article HEM, too bad it just missed the Eurochoice cut off.

Huh?

 

[Xecrio]

Was this necessary? The relationship between OD and I is at the point where he feels he can no longer talk to me in private. I repeatedly told people that I did not want any article or any action to be taken as a result of the conversation we had. Yet, here you are. Thank you for that.

 

[HEM]

Was this necessary? The relationship between OD and I is at the point where he feels he can no longer talk to me in private. I repeatedly told people that I did not want any article or any action to be taken as a result of the conversation we had. Yet, here you are. Thank you for that.

Private media doesn't bow to the subjects of articles - I'd be embarrassed for any publication that did. Which actually alarms me a little bit...As Minister of Communications if you had a writer working on an important story, and the subject of that story asked you to cancel it because they didn't want it, would you cancel the story?

 

[Xecrio]

Was this necessary? The relationship between OD and I is at the point where he feels he can no longer talk to me in private. I repeatedly told people that I did not want any article or any action to be taken as a result of the conversation we had. Yet, here you are. Thank you for that.

Private media doesn't bow to the subjects of articles - I'd be embarrassed for any publication that did. Which actually alarms me a little bit...As Minister of Communications if you had a writer working on an important story, and the subject of that story asked you to cancel it because they didn't want it, would you cancel the story?

That hasn't happened yet. If it were to, I'd deal with it in a way I see fit. Aside from my resentment, this is a good article, so well done HEM. I don't intend for our relationship to falter due to this, and I won't express my pent-up anger anymore. I don't take things likely and if someone deliberately stopped an article because the other person wouldn't want it, then I'd have a word with them and make sure the article is done. I understand your point entirely.

 

[Lethen]

I really wasn't sure if this was satire or not while I was reading it.

I wasn't sure initially either.

Good Article HEM, too bad it just missed the Eurochoice cut off.

Oh so we're shifting into petty and somewhat troll-y OD?

Was this necessary? The relationship between OD and I is at the point where he feels he can no longer talk to me in private. I repeatedly told people that I did not want any article or any action to be taken as a result of the conversation we had. Yet, here you are. Thank you for that.

If you didn't want people to know, then (1) why did you tell anyone and (2) doesn't that imply you know this in the very least reflects poorly on your (and OD's) character?

 

[Xecrio]

Was this necessary? The relationship between OD and I is at the point where he feels he can no longer talk to me in private. I repeatedly told people that I did not want any article or any action to be taken as a result of the conversation we had. Yet, here you are. Thank you for that.

If you didn't want people to know, then (1) why did you tell anyone and (2) doesn't that imply you know this in the very least reflects poorly on your (and OD's) character?
[/QUOTE]
Aex thanked me for intially voting against it. I explained that OD had persuaded me to change otherwise, which I realise is gullible on my part. I did not expect anyone to say anything, perhaps I had my expectations too high. I am fully aware that this was have reprocusions on my reputation, but we all make mistakes and it's now my task to try and rectify this and not let anything like this happen in the future.

 

[Olde Delaware]

I really wasn't sure if this was satire or not while I was reading it.

I wasn't sure initially either.

Good Article HEM, too bad it just missed the Eurochoice cut off.

Oh so we're shifting into petty and somewhat troll-y OD?

Was this necessary? The relationship between OD and I is at the point where he feels he can no longer talk to me in private. I repeatedly told people that I did not want any article or any action to be taken as a result of the conversation we had. Yet, here you are. Thank you for that.

If you didn't want people to know, then (1) why did you tell anyone and (2) doesn't that imply you know this in the very least reflects poorly on your (and OD's) character?

What's to troll? I told him I'd owe him one and perhaps down the road Drecq would remember he helped him out and may rise to his defense one day. That's what I told Xecrio, that's what I told him after he told me he felt like he was being bullied to side one way or the other and I clarified that he should follow his heart and make his own decision and that I spoke for me, no one else.

The article reflects one side and that's fine, there's no point in trying to defend myself over the words "I'll owe you one" so I'm not even attempting and instead using my time to try to get more attention to something that does matter to me and thats EuroChoice.

 

[Lethen]

That's quite the stretch. Saying things like:

Called it

And...

Good Article HEM, too bad it just missed the Eurochoice cut off.

...reads as petty and a bit trollish. You're not defending yourself, but literally no one is going to read your dismissive comments and think "oh he's trying to drum up support for EuroChoice." They'll assume, like I have, that your comments are petty. It's not as if this is the first time you've used that tactic during arguments, debates etc on the forums or Discord.

 

[Lethen]

I really wasn't sure if this was satire or not while I was reading it.

I wasn't sure initially either.

Good Article HEM, too bad it just missed the Eurochoice cut off.

Oh so we're shifting into petty and somewhat troll-y OD?

Was this necessary? The relationship between OD and I is at the point where he feels he can no longer talk to me in private. I repeatedly told people that I did not want any article or any action to be taken as a result of the conversation we had. Yet, here you are. Thank you for that.

If you didn't want people to know, then (1) why did you tell anyone and (2) doesn't that imply you know this in the very least reflects poorly on your (and OD's) character?

Aex thanked me for intially voting against it. I didn't expect him to say anything about it. And yes I do know.

I wonder if the ENN will release this screenshot so we can see the full conversation with context

 

[Olde Delaware]

That's quite the stretch. Saying things like:

Called it

And...

Good Article HEM, too bad it just missed the Eurochoice cut off.

...reads as petty and a bit trollish. You're not defending yourself, but literally no one is going to read your dismissive comments and think "oh he's trying to drum up support for EuroChoice." They'll assume, like I have, that your comments are petty. It's not as if this is the first time you've used that tactic during arguments, debates etc on the forums or Discord.

It doesn't read that way to me Leth, but you've a habit of going after me for...whatever is convenient that day. The 'called it' comment was in reference to what I told Xecrio which was I guarantee that there would be at least one article about this because some people in Europeia enjoy making mountains out of molehills and I was right. Secondly, I used a 'dismissive comment' because it is quite literally making an immense mountain out of the tiniest of molehills. For whatever its worth, I have sent my screenshot of the rest of the convo between Xecrio and I to HEM which backs that A, I did tell him to vote his conscience, B, that I spoke for me and no one else and C, that he said he felt like he was being bullied to vote the no side.