By Marijke Friedman and Natalie Weger

The University of Maryland SGA’s elections commission determined that Terps for Israel bribed students to vote unfavorably on the divestment referendum on this spring’s SGA ballot, according to documents obtained by The Diamondback.

Terps for Israel, which did not officially endorse a ticket in April’s election, offered students free Chipotle and Chinese food if they voted unfavorably on the referendum, according to Instagram posts earlier this month.

Terps for Israel, which is recognized as an official student organization by the Student Government Association, did not respond to The Diamondback’s request for comment.

Though the commission found Terps for Israel violated the rules, it ultimately decided to impose no sanctions or penalties against the organization, according to documents obtained by The Diamondback. The commission wrote it primarily made this decision because SGA election rules do not provide guidance on sanctioning student organizations.

SGA’s governance board announced Tuesday that the elections commission must reinvestigate an election violation claim against Terps for Israel. The commission first said it did not have jurisdiction over unaffiliated student organizations when they attempt to influence election outcomes.

[UMD SGA commission to reinvestigate claims that Terps for Israel bribed in election]

In an appeal to the governance board, a student who filed the initial violation report against Terps for Israel argued that the commission presides over unaffiliated student organizations when they attempt to influence election outcomes, The Diamondback reported Wednesday.

The governance board discussed the appeal last week and later unanimously agreed that the commission has jurisdiction over the actions of student organizations related to SGA elections, even if they are not officially affiliated with a specific ticket or individual candidates.

The board sent the case back to the commission so it could reinvestigate the election violations claims against Terps for Israel.

The commission reconvened Thursday night to determine if Terps for Israel was responsible for bribery and food distribution — both SGA election rule violations.

The election commission wrote that it is drafting recommended changes to SGA election rules related to sanctioning student organizations, such as reducing their SGA funding, according to an email obtained by The Diamondback.

The commission wrote that it is unlikely to allocate further sanctions against Terps for Israel during this election cycle, but this case is not completely closed, according to the email.

The elections commission did not respond to a request for comment.

During the SGA election earlier this month, students voted on whether to call on the University System of Maryland Foundation and University of Maryland College Park Foundation to divest from certain defense, military and security companies in a referendum question.

[UMD students vote in support of divestment referendum]

Students at this university have increased their calls for divestment after Hamas killed about 1,200 people and took about 250 hostage on its Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel, according to Associated Press. Israel declared war on Hamas the next day and its military forces have killed more than 51,000 Palestinians in Gaza since, the outlet reported Friday.

The nonbinding referendum passed with 55 percent of voters, or 3,260 people, voting in favor of divestment, the Student Government Association announced Friday.

This university wrote in a statement to The Diamondback on Friday that the results of the referendum have “no bearing on the operations or policies of the university or its foundations.”

“This referendum was led and undertaken by undergraduate students, as is their right to do so in accordance with SGA policies and procedures,” the statement read.

The JusticeUMD ticket wrote in a statement to The Diamondback on Friday that it’s glad the commission recognized Terps for Israel’s bribery, but was disappointed the commission did not sanction the student organization.

The Our College Park ticket declined to comment on the commission’s decision.