The Student Government Association senators voted not guilty to all three charges served to Vice President Christopher Yancy last Tuesday in the Mafrige Auditorium.
Yancy was served a petition for impeachment at a regular Tuesday SGA meeting on Nov. 18. The trial was postponed to Dec. 9 after the original date of Dec. 1.
“I thought it went very well,” SGA President Michael Perkins said. “Both sides were treated fairly. They both got a chance to present their cases equally and respectfully. I think they did a really good job of keeping things civil.”
The three charges presented were malfeasance, dereliction of duty and gross inefficiency.
“I figured the only one I was really severe on was the dereliction of duty – that was something that they had really firm ground,” Yancy said. “The other stuff I had a really strong sense that it didn’t have any grounds for impeachment.”
Yancy recruited the Sam Houston State Debate Team to act as his defense. Members working for him at the trial were coach Adam Key, Adesuwa Omoruyi, Addison Reed and Clayton Goss.
“When I first heard about what they were going to be doing to Chris Yancy, I was appalled,” Key said. “This kind of thing reflects on everybody and at that point I knew the debate team would get involved.”
The jury was formed from the SGA Senate, ten of whom signed the petition for impeachment.
“I was pleasantly surprised at the results. With all the personal biases, we were pleasantly surprised that they came back with a not guilty verdict,” Key said.
After the trial, Yancy expressed his gratitude for the efforts of his defense team.
“They were somebody that I could really trust, and I was confident in that they knew the material and they actually knew that the situation I was involved in was wrong,” Yancy said. “If there was anybody who could represent a well-rounded and well thought out and structured argument or defense, I knew that the debate team could.”
Over the next semester, Perkins said SGA plans to look into modifying their existing constitution, especially the Impeachment Process.
“Constitutionally, we don’t have anything about double jeopardy, which we need to change,” Perkins said. “But Vice President Yancy had his rights and full duties and responsibilities the whole time and he will resume those,” Perkins said.
Key also pointed to the need to modify the existing Constitution, as well as the need to promote clear definitions and understanding of the document.
“The constitution definitely needs quite a bit of revision,” Key said. “It never defines what any of those [definitions] are. It leaves the door open for the kind of abuse we saw in this trial.”
“If you’re going to impeach somebody and take him out of elected office, there need to be clear examples of things they need to do, otherwise it becomes a popularity contest,” he said.
After the delivery of the verdict, the trial and all its official motions are completed, and the Yancy will continue his duties as Vice President of SGA.
“I think this severely damaged our public relations with the university administration and the potential to recruit on campus,” Yancy said. “I think office politics will always be there – I don’t think you can get rid of that. I hope this will allow people to realize there’s other was to work out problems in a more professional or political way.”