CORRECTION APPENDED SEE BOTTOM:Chief Justice James Ansorge '09 and Justice Robert Schwartz '08 both recused themselves from ruling on the case against Union Secretary Michael Goldman '08, with Ansorge pulling out Thursday and Schwartz withdrawing just 30 minutes before last Sunday evening's trial.

Goldman, who revealed vote tallies to candidates and friends of candidates during election periods last spring and this fall, was accused by Rivka Maizlish '10 of violating his post as elections commissioner and making the unconstitutional appointment of a technology assistant to his office. The court ruled against him on both counts.

Goldman's then counsel, Jacob Baime '08 (Senator for the Charles River Aparments Rachel Graham Kagen '09 has since taken over), accused Ansorge of bias against Goldman before the trial because he publicly announced his disapproval of Goldman's actions to several Union officials.

"The Chief Justice's comments have gone so far beyond the standard of impartial conduct as to render his sitting on this case a perversion of the course of justice," her motion for recusal, released last Wednesday, said.

In an affidavit submitted by Ziv Quad Senator Justin Sulsky '09, Sulsky wrote that Ansorge expressed his support for a petition circulated by Kerns condemning Goldman's actions. Union Technology Assistant Rajiv Ramakrishnan '10 also submitted an affidavit, claiming that Ansorge told him last Monday that "Mr. Goldman's alumni counsel would not be allowed to appear at trial." Ansorge added that Ramakrishnan's appointment to his current position was unconstitutional, Ramakrishnan wrote.

Maizlish's counsel, Village Quad Senator Michael Kerns '09, submitted a motion over the weekend requesting that Schwartz recuse himself because he is a good friend of Goldman's. Schwartz agreed that he couldn't judge impartially.

"I was bothered that he hadn't recused himself yet," Kerns said.

Jacob Baime '08, Samuel Dewey '06, Igor Pedan '05, Albert Cahn '07, Jason Brodsky '07 and Kagan all submitted the motion for Ansorge's recusal Wednesday at 3:40 a.m. Dewey and Pedan are former UJ chief justices. Kerns submitted a motion last week to dismiss the alumni.

"I feel very strongly that alums have had their opportunities when they were undergrads to experience the challenges of student leadership, and that they should leave such challenges and experiences to the current participants," Dean of Student Life Rick Sawyer wrote in an e-mail to the Justice Sunday morning.

Kerns, however, expressed concern that alumni were acting on behalf of Goldman.

"This is a Student Union case," he said. "It's an internal student body matter. I'm sure I'm irritated that it's me up against a Harvard law student and some buddies who are older and have graduated."

Correction: The article originally didn't clarify that Rachel Graham Kagen '09 wasn't Michael Goldman's '08 lead counsel and the one who submitted the motion. While she signed her name to the motion, Jacob Baime '08 was Goldman's lead counsel at the time.