Former Associated Student Government Senator James Demaree appealed his removal from the student leadership body yesterday.

“You have before you a very important decision, one that will be remembered and debated for years to come,” Demaree stated in his appeal letter.

Although Demaree filed his appeal at Student Activities yesterday, he was unable to attend the ASG meeting that was held later at 3 p.m.

ASG President Nathan Alonzo and ASG adviser Sean Henderson selected five people — Jan Benson, Student Success Club, Ron Marby, Student Success Club, Alicia Ross, former ASG elections commissioner, Ben Anderson, former Legislative Vice President of ASG, and Joshua Green, CIT-0 to be a part of the Constitutional Appeals Committee. The names were ratified by the senate.

The Demaree saga started following a series of events that began with a video he posted on YouTube. As the fall semester began, adviser Henderson temporarily suspended Demaree from ASG after a YouTube video he posted that attacked the actions of ASG Legislative Vice President Rachel McKinley and President Alonzo.

Sources say that the reason behind the suspension was that members of ASG felt threatened by Demaree’s video.

However, after Demaree met with Dr. Chris Villa, vice president of Student Services on Aug. 27, his suspension was lifted. Villa said that he was “convinced that [Demaree] should be able to participate in his role as an ASG senator.”

ASG voted to begin the official removal process of Demaree on Sept. 4.

The charges against Demaree were for, “conduct unbecoming” of a student leader and for speech that “incites towards violence.”

Demaree argued his case on Sept. 18, stating, “When America amended the Constitution and gave women the right to vote, was that unbecoming?” He added, “There is nothing unbecoming about trying to effect change according to procedure.”

Sen. Monique Reyna spoke about the work ASG is doing and how it is being overshadowed by the controversy.

“It’s kind of discouraging when all that work is kind of not being seen because the only thing that students have been focusing on and been having questions on, is the issue with Sen. Demaree,” Reyna said.

Demaree was voted out of ASG on Sept. 25 with 14 in favor of removal, two against and three abstaining.

For more on this unfolding story, visit therampageonline.com