The Viendenbourg scandal looks like it will put a premature end to Scott's leadership of the Council. A new leadership election will now take place on Wednesday 18 October.
By CORINNE HATHAWAY
Council Leader Camryn Scott received a stunning vote of no confidence late yesterday afternoon following an all-day closed session of the City Council. As a result, the upcoming election for Council Leader has been moved forward and will now take place on Wednesday, 18 October. The vote comes after yesterday's revelations that the Academy has been conducting highly unethical experiments into dangerous wartime technologies using human subjects. According to documentation provided by the Master of the Academy's daughters, both Master Sente Kiteway and Camryn Scott knew about the program and personally approved and ran it.
Scott gave a brief press speech this morning addressing the vote and the brewing scandal. "Yes, there is a program at Viendenbourg, and it has used human volunteers for experimentation resulting in some loss of life," she admitted. "However, I assure you that all of the brave young men whose lives have been lost in this effort have been volunteers, and were very clear on the risks they were shouldering. ... I have served the city faithfully and have done nothing out of the scope of my position and responsibilities. I hope that the voters of Perplex City keep this in mind when they submit their ballots on Wednesday." Scott refused to take questions from the press following her address.
Council Member Nathan Earlywine clearly stands to benefit from the scandal, as popular opinion is sure to swing toward backing him. He refused to comment on the exact proceedings of the council's closed session, however, nor on how it will affect his odds in the election on Wednesday.
The political move uses a little-known clause in the city's founding charter providing the opportunity for a swift restructuring of the government when the existing leader's administration has become too troubled to continue to govern. The so-called Yancy Clause can only be invoked by a unanimous vote of the City Council and all of the sitting judges on the city's High Court. Although the measure has been voted on in the past, most notably in 187 at the height of the Rose Crescent Affair, it has never before carried.
It is not yet clear whether Kiteway and Scott will be prosecuted for their roles in the scandal. "We need to shed some sunlight on this situation and find out for sure what is going on," said High Court Justice Georgia Fenton. "I suspect we will see the matter before a grand jury by the end of the year."
