“I think most people agree that, first of all, it’d be a good thing if we went back in time and killed baby Hitler. But obviously, it just goes to show that these people don’t really understand a simple joke.”
That’s Mason Yonover, talking about a post from his Instagram campaign.
The creative writing sophomore was recently disqualified from the 2025 USG election for um, creative language -- more like dropping F-bombs. We had a chance to speak with Yonover and ask him about his true intentions behind his satirical campaign.
“The main point was to sort of expose the hypocrisy of the student government. And for lack of a better term mock them both for a laugh and for sort of a larger, you know, intellectual point -- not to give myself too much credit here.”
He said he wanted to be the candidate that you vote for to say ‘I - don’t - care.'
Yonover believes a vote for him would send the message that students understand -- as he claims -- that USG doesn’t really do anything. But he was surprised by the organization’s reaction.
“The reaction has just been, ‘Let’s just kick this guy out of the election.‘”
Yanover was booted from the ballot this weekend.
USG drafted a 4,000-word document explaining why Yonover was being disqualified. The candidate told us he’s read it -- and true to form, he says he found it “boring and circular”.
We asked him about a specific incident between him and a fellow candidate; Yanover made some pointed comments toward the student for allegedly supporting Trump.
“I stand by the sentiment that I imparted that you should be ashamed if you voted for Donald Trump. But it’s not something I really want to discuss. Just because I don’t want there to be any bad blood with any specific [person], and I didn’t want that part to be public at all,” said Yonover.
Yonover also recently came under fire after being accused of trying to legalize smoking cigarettes on campus. USC policy prohibits it. He claims this was not his actual intention.
“Legalizing it is the opposite of my point. I’m saying it doesn’t matter if it’s legal, no one’s going to stop you if you do it anyways.”
When asked about his thoughts about USG, Yonover explained that he isn’t criticizing the students but the institution’s hypocrisy as a whole. He believes that nobody knows what goes on in USG, because nobody cares. Additionally, he doesn’t think USG has any real power when it comes to representing the student body.
We reached out to USG and did not receive a response.
“They’re not really a governing body, you know, they don’t really have any real power to do anything that the people want or that they want. So I don’t blame any of them. It’s really about the institution and not any specific individuals.”
He believes that USG has the right to bar him for his language but thinks universities should be a place to speak freely. Yonover says he has the right to say what he wants, as do other students, and doesn’t believe his “excessively crude” language is grounds for disqualification.
“It’s not as though I’ve said anything defamatory or slanderous...There was no hate speech, there was no sexism or racism or anything like that. They’re getting me for saying, you know, f***.”
Yesterday, the 2025 USG election ballot closed but Yonover’s campaign is not over. He plans to appeal his disqualification, making him the first person to do so in USG’s history.
“I just think, you know, the senators should let the people decide. And that’s the argument I’m gonna make.”
Overall, he doesn’t want USG or the student body to take his comments very seriously.
“Let’s have a sense of humor about this, please,” said Yonover.
His appeal to rejoin the ballot remains pending.