Author: Paul Gable

SCGOP Executive Committee Backs Chair, Lawsuit Expected

The SCGOP, High Crimes and Misdemeanors

Despite winning the party primary for House District 3, Ed Harris will not be the Republican candidate in the November general election.

Instead, that spot on the ballot will go to incumbent Rep. B.R. Skelton who lost the primary to Harris by 73 votes.

After Harris’ victory, Skelton challenged Harris’ legitimacy as a candidate on the basis of his filing of the Statement of Economic Interests. Harris’ victory in the primary election was upheld in an election challenge hearing before the SCGOP Executive Committee June 21, 2012.

Pickens County party chairman Phillip Bowers testified, under oath, at the June 21st hearing that Harris had provided both the SEI and the Statement of Intention of Candidacy along with the party pledge and check for the filing fee on March 20, 2012 when he filed for office.

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SCGOP Must Sacrifice Leadership to Preserve the Party

Sacrifice Leadership, Preserve the Party

This election cycle has not been a simple one. Many disqualified candidates and several unsuccessful appearances in court by party attorneys have made headlines.

However, in his most outrageous action yet, state GOP Chairman Chad Connelly recently took it upon himself to disqualify Ed Harris as the party nominee for S.C. House District 3, even though Harris is fully qualified.

Harris was certified to be on the ballot, won the primary election and withstood a challenge to certification as the Republican nominee. Yet, faced with the threat of a lawsuit and another hearing before the Supreme Court, Connelly folded like a cheap suit and disqualified Harris at the 11th hour.

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Demand S.C. Public Pension Fund Audit

Demand S.C. Public Pension Fund Audit

A complete audit of the S.C. Retirement System Investment Commission and its internal policies should be undertaken by an outside firm as a result of last week’s discussion before the state Budget and Control Board. This discussion came only days after commission chairman Reynolds Williams became the focus of investigations by both SLED and the S.C. Ethics Commission.

The commission is responsible for making the investment decisions for the state’s $25 billion public retirement investment fund. In addition to tracking the funds themselves, an audit of risk assessment, due diligence, evacuation and cross trades, among other things, should be looked at by outside professionals.

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MBIA

Is Myrtle Beach Tourism Tax Working?

Local television stations carry daily ads telling us the Myrtle Beach tourism tax is ‘working.’ The ads are run by the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce and its associated entities in the hospitality and business community.

Beneficiary of approximately $18 million per year from revenue generated by the tax, the Chamber has good reason to advertise the tourism tax is working. Its marketing arm, the Myrtle Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau receives the proceeds from the tax to spend in ‘out-of-area’ advertising to promote tourism to the Grand Strand.

But, going beyond the advertising message (dare we call it propaganda?) one has to ask how is the tax working.

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Gary Sinise, A Really Good Guy

The Bob Hope Of Our Time

Gary Sinise, A Really Good Guy!

With the exceptions of Bob Hope and Martha Raye, there may be no other American entertainer who has served our armed forces more. That person is Gary Sinise, actor, director, producer writer, musician, a bit of a down home, foot-shuffling, aw-shucks guy from the Midwest who has probably spent as much time in war zones as many members of our over-worked military, and certainly more than any Member of Congress. Sinise is one of those rare humans who is easy to sum up in quick terms: a really good guy. Or if you wish to add accolades as I’m sure many in the military would: a really damned good guy, among many other unpublishable terms of praise.

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"Public pensions must be more transparent, accountable." Curtis M. Loftis Jr.

Better Oversight, More Transparency Required

“The treasurer has a legitimate concern. He has the right, if he is putting his signature on there, to have staff to give him confidence that what he is doing is right for the people of the state.” Governor Nikki Haley

Better oversight and more transparency of investment decisions for the state’s $25 billion pension fund may result from a vote taken by the S.C. Budget and Control Board Thursday.

The board, chaired by Gov. Nikki Haley and including Treasurer Curtis Loftis, Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Hugh Leatherman and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Brian White as members, unanimously (5-0) approved a motion by Loftis to “hire a counsel to determine the fiduciary and statutory responsibilities of all trustees, custodians and commission members” with regard to investment decisions and contracts of the pension fund.

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Mark Keel, SLED Raid Internet Cafe's

SLED Raids Internet Sweepstakes Cafes

Two internet sweepstakes cafes, one in Richland County and one in Lexington County, were raided and shut down yesterday for illegal gambling by a combination of SLED agents and sheriff’s deputies.

End of problem right? Business owners trying to get around the state ban on gambling, except of course for the lottery, are now out of business.

Not really. Despite yesterday’s raids, an earlier opinion from Attorney General Alan Wilson that sweepstakes cafes are illegal gambling and confident statements by SLED chief Mark Keel that the games are illegal, they are NOT gambling.

In point of fact they are worse, but we’ll get to that later.

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The Investigation of Reynolds Williams and the $25 Billion S.C. Public Pension Fund Moves Forward

Williams Investigation Moves Forward

An investigation of alleged misconduct and conflict of interest against S.C. Retirement System Investment Commission chairman Reynolds Williams moved forward Tuesday when the S.C. Attorney General’s office requested SLED and the S.C. Ethics Commission to investigate the charges.

A Statement from AG Wilson’s Office: Based upon the nature of the allegations in the Treasurer’s letter, we are today forwarding the material we have on file to both SLED and the State Ethics Commission. (The Treasurer’s letter alleges activity that would fall under each authority, criminal and ethical.) When both entities have completed their reviews, we will then determine what, if any, prosecutorial action is warranted.

Enumerated in a letter from S.C. Treasurer Curtis Loftis to Attorney General Alan Wilson, the allegations stem from work Williams’ law firm did for American Timberlands, LLC while the company was being considered as a partner on an investment by the SCRSIC.

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Reynolds Williams, The Timber Company And Our $25 Billion Pension Fund

Reynolds Williams and… that timber company

S.C. Treasurer Curtis Loftis has requested S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson to investigate the actions of S.C. Retirement System Investment Commission chairman Reynolds Williams with respect to a joint investment the commission made with American Timberlands, LLC.

Loftis said the investment seemed straightforward at the time, but information he became privy to after the commission vote brings to light possible conflict of interest problems for Williams and possible criminal violations.

The investment commission took up the matter of the investment during its November 2011 Wampee Reteat and business meeting. Commission members, less Williams who was not present for the vote, approved the investment.

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Nikki Haley and The State, Simpatico in Every Respect

Nikki Haley and The State, Simpatico…

It is obvious that Gov. Nikki Haley has a direct, sympathetic line into the editorial rooms of the mainstream media.

Please read, Will lightning rod Knotts retire soon?, Haley relishes role of ‘kingmaker’ and or Haley dodges political jabs, lands on feet (See links below).

Sunday we heard that Haley’s hopes of being Mitt Romney’s vice presidential nominee are stronger than ever after she was cleared of ethics charges by a two day investigation.

Let’s be clear, Haley was not ever tried for ethics charges against her. The “two day investigation” was nothing but a staged, friendly hearing before a House Ethics Committee pre-destined to dismiss the charges.

No witnesses were called to make a case against her. How can you have an investigation when the only witnesses called were those that would exonerate her?

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