By Paul Gable

Horry County politician and retired businessman Dick Withington was arrested today by the Horry County Police Department.

Withington is currently being held at the J. Reuben Long Detention Facility.

According to multiple sources, Withington was arrested after soliciting a bribe from Horry County Council member Gary Loftus.

According to those sources, after announcing he would be a candidate challenging incumbent Loftus in the upcoming June Republican Primary, Withington sent an email to Loftus offering to drop out of the race if Loftus would pay him an, as yet, undisclosed amount of money.

According to sources, Loftus reported the incident to Horry County police. A meeting was set up at which Loftus would offer to pay Withington a down payment with bills marked by HCPD. After the exchange took place, Withington was arrested with the marked bills in his possession.

As has become his pattern of running for more than one office in the same election cycle, Withington also was a candidate for the SC Senate District 34 seat. Several unconfirmed reports state Withington also sent an email to SC Rep. Stephen Goldfinch, a candidate for Senate District 34, with the same offer.

This year has been uniquely unusual in politics with the Republican Party establishment going out of its way to undermine frontrunning GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump, so I guess anything is possible.

But, Withington’s actions, especially considering his abysmal polling record to date in seeking numerous political offices in the area, makes one shake one’s head.