Eason removed from SGA race
By Danny Gillham
Staff Reporter

Elections and Regulations Chairman Nick James said late Wednesday night Blake Eason had been eliminated from the Student Government Association presidential race.

“All I will say is the (House Judiciary Board) found that Blake Eason was in violation of the Election Code,” said James, a junior political science major. “The violation has resulted in his removal from the presidential race.”

James said further documentation about specific violations and the next steps to be taken in determining SGA’s new president will be provided at a later date.

Eason, a junior finance major, would not comment on the phone, but said in an e-mail he would appeal the decision.

“We hold ourselves to the highest possible standards of ethics,” Eason said. “As the leader of my campaign, our behavior and actions must be congruent with the expectations we have of others.”

Eason said his code of ethics appears directly opposed to that of those running the election.

He said he was sad his fellow SGA members do not support someone who “strives to meet these expectations that are prescribed to us.”

Presidential candidate Jason Ruth said he feels sorry for Eason.

“I had a tremendous respect for Blake and really started growing close to him in the time up to the election,” said Ruth, a senior entrepreneurship, marketing and e-business major. “I really don’t know what to say at this point.”

James said official results of the races for vice president of house and treasurer will be made available sometime today to the Skiff. On Tuesday, he said Megan Brown and David Watson had won each position respectively, but refused to give margin of victory, saying he did not want to insult their opposing candidates.