6 Things That Happened In S.C. Politics This Week

From guns in bars to bans on drones, here's what happened this week in South Carolina politics.

1. Political play in ethics investigation?

The state's most powerful legislator is getting bogged down in an ethics investigation that has now moved to a grand jury. Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell is accused of using his position to get favorable treatment for a pharmacy he owns and reimbursing himself for flights in his private plane during state business. Harrell calls the original complaint “baseless” and says it is a smear campaign.

After the state's Attorney General announced Monday the investigation will go to the State Grand Jury, Harrell -- who has been sick and was later hospitalized -- says the announcement was politically motivated.

Meanwhile, there is the matter of a SLED report that Harrell says will exonerate him of wrongdoing. But the Attorney General's office has said it cannot release it and Harrell refuses to release his own report.

And we're all waiting for someone to make it rain.

2. Robocop may have a tougher time operating in South Carolina

Via tumblr.com

The future has a bit more bureaucracy than we expected from the "Robocop" movies.

The S.C.House of Representatives has passed legislation that places restrictions on how law enforcement agencies can use unmanned aerial drones.

While it doesn’t ban the drones outright, the legislation requires that police departments get permission from a local governing body (such as a city council or the state legislature) before buying one. They also could not use a drone to search for a suspect without a warrant. It would also require that photographs of people that are taken by drones be destroyed unless they’re part of an authorized investigation.

The bill now heads to the Senate after a unanimous 100-0 vote on Thursday.

This isn't drone country ...

3. You can't smoke in many SC bars, but guns soon to be OK

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Many S.C. metropolitan areas have now banned smoking in restaurants and bars -- but the S.C. legislature thinks some things should be allowed where you drink: specifically, guns.

State senators have given their approval to an amended bill that would allow a concealed weapons permit holder to carry their gun into a South Carolina bar or restaurant that serves alcohol, provided they do not drink. The legislation now heads to the House, where it is expected to easily pass — possibly as soon as next week.

South Carolina is one of only three states that do not allow the practice (North Dakota and Louisiana are the others), according to the National Rifle Association. The bill includes language that allows a property owner to ban the weapons inside a restaurant, so long as the owner puts up a sign. It also sets a $1,000 fine and up to a year in jail for carrying in a restaurant against the owner’s wishes. A violator would also have their CWP suspended for 5 years.

Thursday's vote was not recorded, but lawmakers voted 34-3 on an amendment that cleared the way for the bill’s passage. All three “no” votes were Democrats.

4. State employees data compromised, employee says she was framed

Via giphy.com

The S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce is notifying more than 4,600 current and former employees after learning their personal information — including names, addresses, birthdates, and Social Security numbers — was improperly downloaded onto a mobile storage device.

The employee accused of the lapse is fighting back saying she's been framed.

SCDEW said the information download occurred on Dec. 18, and officials were notified by security software notified right away. The State Law Enforcement Division launched an investigation the following day and recovered the device with the information still on it. The employee was suspended without pay. DEW would not identify the employee, but said they had been fired on Tuesday.

If you're one of the thousands of South Carolinians who had their personal data hacked, you feel the 4,600's pain.

5. Government re-structuring -- actually happening

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It's rare to see agreement between Democrats and Republicans. But we found something this week that even rival gubernatorial candidates can agree on: re-structuring S.C. government and possibly eliminating the state Budget and Control Board.

Heads up, BCB, lawmakers be like ...

6. Gubernatorial candidates begin to square off

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It's not come to blows just yet as the 2014 election season heats up. In fact, not much happened at all this week between Republican Gov. Nikki Haley and her likely Democratic opponent state Sen. Vincent Sheheen. But they were in the same room together.

Both Haley and her expected opponent in this year's governor's race spoke to a prominent business group in Columbia. While Haley largely avoided mentioning Sheheen, Sheheen jabbed at the governor for not expanding Medicaid eligibility and not making education a top focus until her fourth year in office. Both Haley and Sheheen spoke to the Business and Political Education Committee (BIPEC).

Cue fan-girl excitement.