6 Stories In SC Politics This Week: Beer, BAR Fight, Bad Boys, And A (Spring) Break

....and we thought it would be a quiet week.

1. BAR fight

A new Republican Governors Association attack ad against Democratic candidate for governor Vincent Sheheen tries to imply that lawyers are guilty by association. See it.

The ad's message was essentially that, as a defense lawyer, Sheheen represented criminals who did horrible things. And that he later got their sentences reduced. (Although we're pretty sure the judge makes that decision)

So, the normally apolitical SC BAR Association fought back, creating a website defending the integrity of the profession. Democrats noted that many Republican members of the state legislature are also criminal defense attorneys.

Even an attorney connected with RGA president Chris Christie said the ad was "a disgrace."

After all, can you imagine what the world would be like if we DIDN'T have lawyers?

2. I am what I am

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It's yet another unusual political story in a state infamous for them.

Last month, retired Upstate judge (and one-time Democratic legislator) Tom Ervin made a surprise filing in the GOP race against Gov. Nikki Haley. But he dropped out of the primary a few days later, opting to instead run as a petition candidate. In his first TV ad, Ervin refers to himself several times as an "independent Republican."

This annoyed the current head of the SC Republican Party. SCGOP Chairman Matt Moore sent a cease-and-desist letter to Ervin Thursday, telling him to knock it off. "Tom Ervin is not a Republican," Moore told reporters. "He needs to stop saying that on his TV ads. It's misleading the public and we believe it's a violation of the law."

Ervin responded with one of the year's top back-handed compliments. After accusing Moore of simply doing the Haley campaign's bidding, Erwin added, "He seems like a sincere young man... I look forward to working with Matt -- or his successor -- as the next independent REPUBLICAN governor of South Carolina."

3. Bring on the beer!

South Carolina students may be able to proclaim "I majored in beer!" and their parents can be proud of it. The state wants to tap into the potential of brewpubs and a college hopes to train this new set of skilled workers.

Adding to that buzz, a new bill in the Statehouse would make it easier for brewpubs to sell more beer, in an effort to lure Stone Brewing (and 400 jobs) to SC.

Some lawmakers see the potential in combining distilleries and brewing with the state's top draw: tourism.

4. Bad boys, bad boys, watcha gonna do?

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In the past week, a South Carolina mayor was arrested, a police chief became the subject of a state probe, one of the state's most powerful politicians prepared for a potential criminal case, and a former state treasurer announced he was a "baby daddy" from a "reality show" relationship.

Ho-hum. Just another week at the office, eh South Carolina?

5. She went there, governor

Lexington Senator Katrina Shealy called on her Republican political pal Gov. Nikki Haley to fire DSS Director Lillian Koller. Lest there be any confusion, she said it three times on the same radio show. The call came as a Senate committee Shealy serves on continues its investigation of children's deaths under DSS care or oversight.

Shealy's comments came a day after Sen. Joel Lourie (who, unlike Shealy, is no pal of the governor) made a similar call. Haley does not want to fire her appointee Koller. In fact, the governor has praised Koller's efforts to get families off welfare.

Where will this end up?

Let's wait until a national ABC News investigation airs. It's in the works now. Despite all of the good local reporting on the subject and extended Senate hearings, this may end up being tried in the court of public opinion.

Considering what's at stake here, there is nothing funny to add.

6. Statehouse on spring break

Come on, everyone needs a break now and then. The House (on its second week off) and the Senate were out of the office this week. Perhaps they were trying to catch up on their real jobs, since South Carolina lawmaking is a part-time position -- at least officially.

We look forward to their return and the Statehouse being busy again.