McMaster has received no kickbacks, governor’s office says

S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster has not received any money personally –whether rebates or kickbacks – from the Columbia-based political firm named in indictments that accuse a state senator of public corruption, his office told The State newspaper.

Republican McMaster also said he will continue working with Richard Quinn and Associates, the firm run by Richard Quinn, McMaster’s long-time political consultant.

“We’ve worked together for a lot of years on political things, and I will continue working with them,” he said in a statement.

In State Grand Jury indictments made public Friday, state Sen. John Courson, R-Richland, is accused of converting campaign cash for personal use by funneling money through First Impressions, a firm operating as Richard Quinn and Associates.

According to the indictments, Courson is accused of paying the consulting firm nearly $248,000 from his campaign account and receiving personally almost $133,000 returned from multiple payments to the firm from 2006 to 2012.

McMaster has paid Richard Quinn and Associates $504,000 since 2009 in successful races for lieutenant governor and attorney general as well as a failed 2010 bid for governor.

Courson is the third state lawmaker indicted in an ongoing corruption probe at the S.C. State House.

This story was originally published March 17, 2017 at 4:21 PM with the headline "McMaster has received no kickbacks, governor’s office says."