After a two-hour hearing and hour long deliberation, the highly contested Student Government Association presidential run-off election between Elliot Sanchez and Andre Breaux came to an end Wednesday night with the court reversing its decision.
Chief justice Jessie Patton, mass communication senior, announced that by a vote of four to three, the SGA Court of Appeals overturned Sanchez’s disqualification from the presidential run-off election. Sanchez is officially the new SGA president.
Chris Cameron, SGA adviser, said the first decision made by the court was made without considering both sides of the issue. “This allows for everyone’s point of view,” Cameron said. Sanchez, political science junior, and Desiree Tirado, commissioner of elections, were able to present their sides of the argument to the justices, Cameron said.
As Sanchez received congratulations from supporters and a kiss from his girlfriend, Breaux, mass communication junior, spoke with several in attendance and shook Sanchez’s hand before leaving. Breaux said he had “no comments at the moment” as he quickly made his exit from the room.
“I’m overjoyed that the justices realized the importance of the student vote, Sanchez said after hearing the court’s decision. “The real victory was that the students spoke so overwhelmingly that they could not be ignored.”
The SGA court of appeals heard arguments from Sanchez and Tirado concerning the outcome of the SGA presidential run-off election.
On March 27 Sanchez was disqualified after winning the popular vote for violations of Tirado’s sanctions. The sanctions were issued based on Breaux’s complaints. The complaints included objectification of women, violating Jesuit ideals and violating SGA election codes. After the sanction was issued, two violations of the sanction occurred, according to Tirado. These violations, which were disputed by Sanchez, led to his disqualification from the election.
Patton began the trial by apologizing for any “rash decision that was made.” Patton also went on to say that all on the court must be impartial. “Justice Matt Cagigal has recused himself from the hearing,” Patton said. Cagigal’s role in Sanchez’s disqualification was questioned because of his fraternity’s endorsement of the Breaux campaign.
Tirado’s and Sanchez’s opening statements began the hearing. Tirado summarized her reasons for upholding the disqualification. Tirado focused on mulitiple violations of sanctions regarding active campaigning by Sanchez and his staff.
Sanchez maintains his campaign didn’t intentionally violate any written rule or verbal instructions. Sanchez believed he was not given proper instruction on how to appeal the complaints filed against him in violations of the sanctions.
Sanchez also said that even if all votes cast for him were thrown out after the sanctions were placed, he would have still won a majority of the popular vote.
Tirado and Sanchez heatedly disputed the interpretation of restrictions on active campaigning, which led to his eventual disqualification.
The hearing concluded with conversational discussion and questions from the justices for both Sanchez and Tirado. The discussion was followed by an hour of deliberation.
Before the deliberations were finished, Sanchez, Tirado and Breaux commented on the hearing.
“I felt frustrated at times on the focus (of the hearing). I was very pleased to get my side of the story out there and that both sides of the story were heard,” Sanchez said.
Breaux said he felt the trial was “a necessary step in the process for fairness.”
“If it’s ever going to be fair, it should be now. Obviously everyone has had enough time to think about things,” he said.
“I just wish that honesty would have been more on the other side; words were put in my mouth. … I think either one would do a great job,” Tirado said.
The official opinion of the court of review was issued Thursday afternoon.
Lizzie Ford-Madrid can be reached at [email protected]. Tara Templeton can be reached at [email protected].
