5 Things That Happened In SC Politics This Week: Corruption, Courts, And Careless Research

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

1. Guilt Ford Tough?

i.huffpost.com

Former state Sen. Robert Ford is back in the news nearly a year after he left the Statehouse in disgrace. Last year, Ford resigned his seat once Ethics Committee members learned he had used campaign funds to pay for gym memberships, a home improvement loan, and even items bought from an "adult" shop. Ford claims he left for health reasons, but also complains he was forced out all the same.

This week, the Senate Ethics Committee fined the longtime Charleston Democrat $30,000 on Wednesday and insisted that he pay back $14,000 he's accused of improperly converting from his campaign account.

Ford is essentially accused of taking his remaining campaign money and donating it to the "Twin City Outreach Mission Black Community Developer’s Program," (which doesn't use a cool acronym and has got to be the most long-winded nonprofit name in Charleston) then using the nonprofit to pay for his personal expenses. Ford's attorney said the ex-politician was a poor bookkeeper, while Ford insists he's "1,000 percent innocent."

South Carolina Radio Network listeners have told us Ford should be punished if these accusations are true. After all, we can't have someone smearing the good name of "Rob Ford" can we? Oh wait...

2. Jury of his peers

tumblr.com

A circuit judge on Monday ruled that Attorney General Alan Wilson must stop a grand jury investigation of House Speaker Bobby Harrell. Judge Casey Manning said only the House Ethics Committee has the exclusive power to investigate ethics violations by House members.

Harrell, as one would expect, praised the decision as vindicating him from a "politically motivated" investigation. Wilson, as one would expect, trashed the decision and said the ruling was unprecedented in state history. Wilson told South Carolina Radio Network that his office would appeal the decision... and would also continue its investigation while doing so. That angered Harrell, who insists the judge's order saying "stop the investigation" means "stop the investigation."

Several government groups joined with Wilson, saying Harrell's power in the House (he can fire Ethics Committee staffers and previously donated money to many of the committee members) means the committee would have a huge conflict of interest.

And then, the Attorney General... Actually, you know what, these posts are getting a little long. Let's just sum up Wilson's position in a GIF.

3. "See, what we meant was...."

media.giphy.com

South Carolina GOP efforts to portray Democratic candidate for governor Sen. Vincent Sheheen as soft on crime backfired on them this week. Big time.

Chairman Matt Moore called a press conference on Wednesday to talk about Sheheen's involvement in a 2012 bill that would have allowed some pardoned criminals to have non-violent crimes hidden ("expunged") from their records. "We think it's just another way Vincent Sheheen has continually put South Carolina criminals above South Carolina citizens," Moore said.

The problem? The bill had overwhelming support from Republicans too. As in "unanimously passed the Senate (and 98-7 in the House)" support from Republicans. In fact, the bill wasn't controversial at all until Gov. Nikki Haley vetoed it at the request of law enforcement officials. Haley said businesses have a right to know the histories of potential employees.

Moore didn't back down when asked about this (but probably should have), saying, “At times, things pass the legislature without much debate and scrutiny.” Since his own party effectively runs the legislature, that remark was too good for Democrats to pass up. And they didn't.

We'd imagine a GOP researcher has some 'splaining to do right about now...

4. Can we raise our own allowance?

tumblr.com

As they wrapped up two weeks of debate on next year's budget, the absolute last amendment senators voted to add would double how much they receive to pay their bills. Senators voted 25-20 to receive up to $24,000 per year (more than they technically receive in salary) to cover "in-district expenses" (well over the current $12,000 per year).

Opponents questioned if the bump was effectively a pay raise, since legislators don't have to show how they use the money. But sponsor Sen. Ray Cleary, R-Georgetown, said he needs more than $12,000 to cover the expense of representing constituents in four different counties.

Cleary then went further, saying the comparatively low pay discourages people from running. In fact, he said the low pay effectively guarantees that only financially well-off candidates will seek the office since they don't need the money.

Seriously, when was the last time you heard about a poor politician?

5. Legislature approves bill with "mammoth" implications

i.imgur.com

It took three months to complete, hours of debate, disagreement over final language, and even required a conference committee to negotiate the differences. But South Carolina Radio Network reported that legislators this week finally passed critical legislation to... designate the Columbian Mammoth as the Official State Fossil.

Yes, it took three months to do this.

8-year-old Olivia McConnell wrote Rep. Robert Ridgeway, D-Manning, last year and noticed that South Carolina is one of 7 states without an Official State Fossil. Like any good student, she had done her research and pointed out that South Carolina was one of the first states where woolly mammoth fossils had been found. Ridgeway agreed to propose the designation, which he expected to pass without much debate at all.

Silly him.

When the proposal reached the Senate, several senators delayed it so they could include language saying the mammoth was “created on the Sixth Day with the other beasts of the field.” Then, another senator became tired of what he considered wasted time, so he proposed a ban on future official "State Whatevers."

The House refused to go along with this. So both sides had to meet in conference to compromise. Except there was none. Senators agreed to take out all of their changes after a public backlash (and an angry mother).

There was also no debate once the bill returned to the floor. The story had gotten national attention by this point, and Senate leaders may have felt further debate would almost certainly guarantee even more of it.