4 More Things That Happened In SC Politics This Week: Barbs, Borrowed Writing, And Bribes

South Carolina Radio Network's irrelevant look at the week that was in SC politics.

1. Alternate realities

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U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham does not seem to hold a high opinion of his independent challenger Thomas Ravenel. Ravenel, the former Republican state Treasurer and current star of the Bravo reality show "Southern Charm," is making a longshot bid for Graham's seat.

In an interview with the Greenville News on Monday, Graham took a not-so-subtle shot at his opponent while explaining why he should get another 6 years in office.

“We’re not auditioning for a reality show,” Graham said. “We’re trying to be the best senator for the sake of South Carolina in dangerous and serious times.”

Ravenel had quick reply when contacted by the paper: Graham stars in his own "reality" show. "His has cost taxpayers trillions of dollars and thousands of lives,” Ravenel said. “And unlike my show, you can’t change the channel when his show comes on and you can’t stop paying for it either.

Oh, no they didn't!

2. I feel the Earth move under my feet

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The US Geological Survey last week affirmed something that we already know here in SC: we are due for a major earthquake at any time. And it could be big.

The survey remapped the hot zones for hazardous earthquakes that could cause major damage and yep, Charleston’s fault lines are as deeply rooted and temperamental as some of its family trees. (No, we're not going to make a Ravenel joke here)

South Carolinians may recall the 4.1-magnitude earthquake that centered near Edgefield back in February, or the 5.8-magnitude quake felt in parts of SC when it struck Virginia in 2011. And the Summerville region is the epicenter of much smaller tremors several times per year.

If the big one comes soon, we only hope we at South Carolina Radio Network will be as professional as THIS guy if we happen to be on the air at the time...

3. Your thoughts to my thoughts. My mind to your mind

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An op-ed column in the Charleston Post & Courier by State Rep. Samuel Rivers, R-Goose Creek, criticizing new EPA regulations likely didn't appear to be anything special at first glance. Rivers took the typical Republican position that the expanded regulations would have "devastating impacts" on home builders in South Carolina.

But political reporter Corey Hutchins with the Columbia Journalism Review noted the op-ed was a "near dead-ringer to a sample op-ed being circulated to cattle ranchers out west."

Cattle ranchers?

Anyway, when Hutchins confronted Rivers about the nearly word-for-word similarities, Rivers admitted he had relied heavily on another source, but wouldn't say what that source was. "I don’t care to share it with you at this point," he said, according to Hutchins.

Some Democratic operatives began accusing Rivers of "plagiarism," but it didn't appear to be plagiarism in the traditional sense. For why, we fast-forward to Friday, when Rivers posted a letter to his Twitter feed from Washington Cattlemen's Association executive vice president Jack Field.

Field angrily defended the legislator, calling the plagiarism accusations "blatantly false." Instead, he said, "a coalition of industries that are terribly concerned about the detrimental impacts this rule" created the column "to be used in part or in full as members of the industries see fit."

The Post & Courier pulled the piece from its website. Rivers probably won't try another anytime soon.

4. Take the money and run

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Libertarian candidate for governor Steve French has practically no chance to win in November. He could, however, certainly take votes away from other candidates. But are his political opponents really desperate enough to bribe him?

French, who runs a Mount Pleasant grease disposal company, told WQSC-AM in Charleston (an SC Radio Network affiliate) that somebody called his campaign manager and offered $15,000 each to manager and candidate if French dropped out of the race. French said the caller's ID led to a disconnected phone number.

He told radio host Bryan Crabtree that didn't know who the caller was, or if they were even associated with another candidate's campaign. "I think they think this is a joke or I lost a bet or something... Little do they know that I'm actually trying to start a third-party movement in this state," French said.

But he thought the call was most likely somebody's idea of a prank. I mean, really. $15,000? For a guy who runs a successful business in Mount Pleasant? That's the best you've got?