Editor’s note: Some misspellings and inaccuracies in the print edition of this article have been corrected here. The University News regrets the errors.

A representative of Veterans For Freedom, an organization that has run advertisements against Sen. Barack Obama, contacted five Saint Louis University fraternities yesterday requesting that they hold signs at a demonstration outside of Washington University in St. Louis during the vice presidential debates. In return, the fraternities that could recruit at least 20 volunteers would receive “a sizable donation” and a free lunch.

Veterans for Freedom is a political action committee that describes itself as dedicated to backing candidates who support the war against terrorism. Laura Meyer, the employee of VFF who contacted the fraternities, graduated from SLU last semester. She was contacted by The University News, but declined to comment on VFF matters.

Scott MacArthur is president of the SLU’s Interfraternity Council and a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon, which is one of the fraternities that received the offer. According to McArthur, all of the groups that received the e-mail independently chose not to participate.

“We are happy with the various chapters’ reaction to the offer,” MacArthur said on behalf of the IFC.

Clayton Berry, director of university communications, said that participating in the demonstration in return for pay would have been allowed by the University, but the school was glad the fraternities had opted not to.

The fraternities that had not received the offer were alerted today by Kirstin Leih, coordinator for fraternity and sorority life. Leih referenced a story in the Huffington Post, an online news service and blog, that first reported the story.

The Huffington Post reported that Meyer said that each fraternity could earn between $200 and $250. She was also reported as saying that a similar offer was accepted by a fraternity in Mississippi during last week’s presidential debates.

The Huffington Post also reported that Judy Mayka, a spokesperson for the VFF national office, said that paying for demonstrators is not official policy and that the practice should not continue.

Fraternity presidents at SLU had mixed reactions to the issue.

Jay Breeden, president of Phi Kappa Theta, was surprised that the VFF “targeted people for money and not their views.” Tim Lonergan, president of Sigma Chi fraternity said that “[coverage of this] is being blown out of proportion.”