Tag: ethics violations

Will Haley be Next Political Casualty of 2012?

In this strangest of all political seasons, the number of political casualties continues to rise by the week as new disclosures are made about challengers and incumbents. And it is not over yet by a long shot.

Over 200 state and local candidates for elective office have already been removed from the June 12th primary ballots and more seem destined to be disqualified in the upcoming weeks.

Two front running candidates for the new 7th Congressional District seat ended their campaigns after being arrested for what can only be called “extremely stupid acts” on their part.

Now, Gov. Nikki Haley’s ethics, while a state representative, are getting a second look and it appears that there is a lot more fire than smoke in the complaint against her.

Nikki Haley and Lost Trust II

Twenty-two years ago, it took a sting operation by the FBI to clean up some of the corruption and vote buying prevalent among General Assembly legislators and lobbyists.

Known as Operation Lost Trust, the sting resulted in 27 people, 17 of them legislators, going to jail. It was called the largest legislative public corruption prosecution in history.

Has anything really changed over the intervening period? Yes and no. The corruption is still there, only the tactics have changed.

Last week, the House Ethics Committee decided to take another look at the ethics charges filed by Republican fundraiser John Rainey against Gov. Nikki Haley.