Fill-in sought for suspended S.C. lawmaker Courson

A longtime ethics watchdog asked Thursday for appointment of a temporary replacement for suspended state Sen. John Courson of Columbia.

John Crangle, a resident of the area that Courson represents, called for a fill-in until criminal charges against Courson are resolved.

Crangle made the request in a letter delivered to Gov. Henry McMaster.

But the request may go nowhere. “The governor’s office doesn’t believe it has the authority to do this,” McMaster spokesman Brian Symmes said.

No governor has ever made a temporary gubernatorial appointment to replace a suspended lawmaker, Crangle said.

But it’s allowed under state ethics laws adopted in 1993 after 18 lawmakers were indicted and all but one removed from office after Lost Trust, a previous federal corruption probe, he said.

The attorney general’s office has weighed in on the issue before, when lawmakers considered passing the same sort of law in the 1980s. A 1982 S.C. attorney general’s opinion said the move might “be constitutionally suspect,” said then-state Attorney General Dan McLeod. The Legislature has “autonomous control” over its members, the opinion noted.

Crangle lives in the Senate district spanning parts of Richland and Lexington counties that Republican Courson has represented for 33 years.

“That gives me standing to seek this,” Crangle said of a temporary appointment.

Courson has been indicted by the State Grand Jury on charges of misconduct in office and conversion of campaign funds to personal use. He has denied any wrongdoing.

His post likely will be vacant for months until the outcome of the matter, leaving no one to represent and assist residents, Crangle said.

Crangle, who describes himself as “politically ambidextrous” in supporting both Democrats and Republicans, said he has no candidate in mind for an appointment.

This story was originally published March 30, 2017 at 11:57 AM with the headline "Fill-in sought for suspended S.C. lawmaker Courson."