TheState.com: S.C. Politics

S.C. official arranged ‘so gay’ tour

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 22:34 EDT

A South Carolina tourism official set up a three-day tour of the state to try to win inclusion in a London ad campaign to attract gay tourists.

The campaign — calling the state “so gay” as a destination — was pulled by Gov. Mark Sanford and tourism officials after it was discussed on a political blog. The state also refused to pay the $4,942 cost of the campaign.

Andrew Roberts, the chief executive of the tour company that touted the state as a gay destination, said he toured the state because he initially was skeptical about how welcoming South Carolina would be toward gay tourists. To find out, Roberts said he met with local tourism officials in Myrtle Beach, Charleston and Hilton Head in April.

South Carolina “was not an obvious destination” for international gay tourists, Roberts told the Q-Notes Web site, saying he needed to visit the state himself.

The State newspaper’s efforts to reach Roberts for comment Wednesday were unsuccessful.

Goal is to fix school funding formula

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 22:01 EDT

The summer homework assignment for S.C. lawmakers is to fix the complicated math formula the state uses to pay for its public schools.

The formula long has been criticized for being inflexible, ignoring the needs of poorer districts and shorting the amount paid to fast-growing districts.

A state House of Representatives panel met Tuesday, with some members leaning toward tying school money to students, not programs or school districts. The concept, known as “backpacking,” has been advocated by Gov. Mark Sanford and others as a way to give districts more flexibility, leading to more efficiency.

A Senate committee also is working on the issue.

State Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-Laurens, said he had three objectives in changing the way the state pays for public schools:

Richland County Council rejects funding for buses

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:01 EDT

Richland County Council killed a plan Tuesday night that would have funded the city bus system for eight years — a move that could cost the struggling system all of its federal funding and bring buses to a halt by June.

Council would have to extend the vehicle registration fee past its October expiration date to keep the system afloat — or risk reducing service by 75 percent for a system that makes nearly 2.5 million trips per year.

After more than an hour of spirited debate, council members Bill Malinowski, Norman Jackson, Val Hutchinson, Joe McEachern, Joyce Dickerson and Paul Livingston voted to kill a proposal for a one-cent on the dollar sales tax increase that would have gone on the November ballot.

Those who voted against the proposal could call for the vote to be reconsidered. But they would have to do so by Aug. 15, the deadline to get the referendum on the November ballot. That appears unlikely, since council is not scheduled to meet in August.

The proposal included a plan, which council spent two years and $500,000 crafting, to spend an estimated $521 million in tax revenue that also would have paved roads, built bike lanes and removed the railroad crossings on Assembly Street.

Video: Colbert on 'S.C. is So Gay' campaign

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:09 EDT

Warning: This satirical video contains adults themes and makes fun of the queen of England, Gov. Mark Sanford, the state of Georgia, and the S.C. state seal.

S.C. economy worsens

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 06:54 EDT

South Carolina’s state budget continues to worsen, as high gas, food and other prices put a crimp in consumer spending and sales tax revenues.

But while the short-term news is bad, economists saw a silver lining: Employment and business tax collections are up. Consumers are not spending, but S.C. businesses are making money, said John Rainey, chairman of the state’s Board of Economic Advisors.

“This thing is moving fast, and it’s impossible to predict,” Rainey said of the factors affecting the economy. “It’s hard to understand.”

The board Monday lowered its estimates of the state’s expected revenue. The decision means $140 million will have to be cut from the state’s $7 billion budget.

In addition, the state finished its budget year that ended June 30 about $100 million in the hole.

Senator criticized for post on his blog

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 06:46 EDT

A Republican state senator is being criticized for a post on his blog that shows photos of Barack Obama and Osama bin Laden wearing similar clothing, along with a line that states the difference between the two is “a little B.S.”

The image was posted on Anderson Sen. Kevin Bryant’s blog Friday. It appears to be a photo of a T-shirt, with images of bin Laden and Obama wearing turbans and the words “OBAMA” and “OSAMA,” with the “B” and “S” each highlighted in red.

Efforts Monday to reach Bryant were unsuccessful. The chairwoman of the state Democratic Party called the posting a “desperate and juvenile attempt” by Bryant to get attention for his re-election bid.

Senate race may have cost $1 million

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 21:24 EDT

Sen. Jake Knotts and Katrina Shealy might have waged the state’s most expensive campaign for a state Senate seat — spending an estimated $1 million.

And Knotts, a Lexington County Republican, has the state political establishment — including many Democrats — to thank for a last-minute cash infusion that helped him fend off Shealy.

According to campaign finance reports, television ad contracts and other expenses, Knotts, Shealy and nearly a dozen third-party groups spent at least $738,000 during the primary campaign and June runoff election.

But that total does not include the dozens of mailings, get-out-the-vote and polling phone calls and other campaign services paid for by third-party groups, some of which will never be disclosed under South Carolina law. So it’s unlikely the total price tag will ever be known.

According to tallies provided by the Knotts and Shealy campaigns — as well as some of the third-party groups — the estimated total mailing costs were in the ballpark of $225,000 to $250,000. An unknown number of phone banks, polls and other services would add to that figure, which, when added to the $738,000, could increase the total cost, possibly to more than $1 million.

DeMint sees progress in loss

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 21:24 EDT

WASHINGTON — A defiant Sen. Jim DeMint said last week his failure to reduce the cost of President Bush’s $48 billion global AIDS program won’t deter him from continuing to compel lawmakers to take tough votes on government spending.

DeMint responded a day after the Senate overwhelmingly approved a significant expansion of the AIDS initiative Bush launched in 2003 to stem the disease’s spread in Africa.

“Folks in South Carolina want accountability in Washington, and I’m not going to be shy to pull back the curtain on Congress’ misplaced priorities and deficit spending,” DeMint said.

“Before we forced a debate, few Americans knew our tax dollars are being funneled to a Chinese organization that promotes forced abortions and sterilizations,” DeMint said. “That’s an outrage that everyone should know about, but the bill’s supporters wanted to keep it quiet.”

Before voting 80-16 to pass the AIDS bill, the Senate defeated DeMint’s amendments to cut its cost to $35 billion over five years and to prohibit funds from being used for alleged “coercive abortion and forced sterilization” in China or other countries.

‘So Gay’ flap might damage S.C. tourism

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:45 EDT

The flap over an ad promoting South Carolina as “So Gay” will cost the state tourism dollars, according to an industry expert.

Gay and lesbian travelers will likely be turned off by the political posturing surrounding the ads, which were pulled by the state tourism agency and led one employee to resign.

“We experience discrimination every day, so we certainly don’t want to when we travel,” said Wesley Combs of the Washington-based communication firm Witeck-Combs, which specializes in gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender travel.

Combs noted that national media attention about the ad, including jokes on Conan O’Brien’s late-night TV show, sends a sour message to gays and lesbians who spend an estimated $712 million a year in travel.

“We read,” he said. And S.C. government leaders “are sending a signal that gay people are not welcome in South Carolina.”

DeMint loses bid to limit AIDS program

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 09:38 EDT

WASHINGTON -- The Senate on Wednesday overwhelmingly defeated Sen. Jim DeMint's bid to cut the $48 billion cost of expanding President Bush's global AIDS initiative to dozens of countries beyond Africa.

DeMint's amendment to a five-year reauthorization of Bush's signature program lowered the price tag to $35 billion and removed funding for new efforts to fight malaria and tuberculosis.

"What we're doing here this week I consider obscene -- completely unacceptable," DeMint said in an angry Senate floor address before the vote. "We're talking about creating the largest foreign aid program in the history of our country, with no thought."

The Senate's 64-31 vote against the DeMint measure indicated strong bipartisan support for Bush's heralded 2003 campaign targeting AIDS in Africa, which supporters say has saved 2 million lives.

Two hours after defeating DeMint's amendment, the Senate voted 80-16 to pass the AIDS bill. Its total cost is $50 billion, with senators voting earlier in the day to divert $2 billion to domestic benefits for Native Americans.

DeMint presses Obama on Afghanistan

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 22:14 EDT

Democratic candidate’s campaign says S.C. senator’s actions ‘politically motivated’

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint injected himself into the presidential debate on national security by writing U.S. Sen. Barack Obama a letter Tuesday urging the two senators hold hearings on Afghanistan.

On Tuesday, DeMint made a high-profile appearance with Sen. John McCain’s senior foreign policy aides as McCain and Obama delivered speeches laying out sharply differing views on Iraq, Afghanistan and the broader U.S. effort to defeat fundamentalist Muslim forces.

Obama is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s subcommittee on European affairs, and DeMint is its senior Republican member. The subcommittee has jurisdiction to convene hearings on Afghanistan because NATO troops there are allied with U.S. forces.

“The success of Afghanistan is critical to the future of NATO and vital to our efforts to defeat al- Qaida and the Taliban,” DeMint wrote Obama. “As the situation in Afghanistan grows more tense, it is time for us to hold a hearing on the mission there.”

Clerk of Court: Attempt for place on ballot fails

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 22:14 EDT

The Richland County woman trying to get 10,000 signatures so she could run for clerk of court has failed.

“Overall, we did really well,” said Sherri Abbott, who said she was short about 1,000 signatures at the noon deadline. She did not turn in her petitions to be counted.

Abbott was hoping to challenge Jeanette McBride, the Democratic nominee, who after winning the primary came under fire for failing to pay her federal income taxes from 2001 to 2004. McBride is unopposed in the November election.

It was the first time in memory that someone had attempted to get on a countywide ballot by petition, according to the county election commission.

McBride — making her first comments since Thursday, when Abbott started her petition drive — said she had not been concerned but was pleased nonetheless.

City disputes sexual harassment claim

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 22:14 EDT

Columbia has denied charges of sexual harassment in a lawsuit against city manager Charles Austin, accusing former 911 communications director Judy Spell in court filings of making false accusations to mask her incompetence and blame others for her problems.

The city last week filed its response, which includes letters from Austin and Mayor Bob Coble and records indicating Spell was suspended for three days in 2006 for not attending a meeting.

According to records, Spell told city officials she had evidence — including “compromising e-mails” from Austin — but did not disclose them during the city’s internal investigation in the spring of 2006.

“This allegation was thoroughly and aggressively investigated. Every opportunity was given to have the evidence produced that was claimed to exist,” Coble said. “We took the extraordinary step of putting all parties under polygraph, and I think these allegations were false and not true and I am very supportive of the city manager.”

In her lawsuit filed June 20, Spell said Austin approached her during City Council meetings and asked her for sex. She also said Austin and assistant city manager Allison Baker, who is also named in the suit, retaliated against her after she refused Austin’s advances.

Two to face off for Camden mayor

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 23:52 EDT

Jeffrey Graham, a real estate professional, will run against incumbent Camden Mayor Mary Clark in the Nov. 4 election for the highest city office.

Filing in the nonpartisan race closed Tuesday.

In other races for the five-member council, incumbents Alfred Mae Drakeford and Patrick Partin are unopposed.

About 5,400 people are registered to vote in city limits.

Shumpert wins seat on S. Congaree council

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 22:14 EDT

Wayne Shumpert won Tuesday’s special election for a seat on South Congaree Town Council, Lexington County elections director Dean Crepes said.

Shumpert easily defeated Shari Lee, a write-in candidate who received 58 votes.

Shumpert will complete about two years of an unexpired term left vacant by Bobby Vining, who was elected mayor this spring.

— Clif LeBlanc

Sanford stumbles over CNN question

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 22:14 EDT

Gov. Mark Sanford acknowledged a poor weekend interview on CNN, noting he has never been the most eloquent speaker.

Sanford stumbled Sunday when CNN host Wolf Blitzer asked him to point out differences between U.S. Sen. John McCain’s and President George W. Bush’s economic policies. That clip has now circulated on TV talk shows and the Internet.

“I’m an imperfect messenger of ideas,” Sanford said Tuesday. “God gave me the gift of conviction. I know exactly what I believe in. My ability to articulate it, as you’ve seen over the last six years of my life, is less than perfect.”

Sanford said he could have dodged the question but took it on instead. Sanford said he intended to point out Bush’s and McCain’s differences over bills that some perceived as taxpayer subsidies to the agriculture and steel industries, both of which Bush supported.

Sanford acknowledges flubs on CNN interview

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:46 EDT

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford says he knows he bumbled a CNN Sunday talk show interview, the Associated Press is reporting.

Sanford today said talk shows only give you a second or two to respond and "sometimes your brain works well; sometimes it doesn't. But that's being human."

Political observers online and on television Monday wondered if a gaffe-filled Sunday TV appearance by Sanford has eliminated him as a viable Republican vice presidential candidate.

Sanford was interviewed on CNN Sunday morning, billed by the network as a candidate on presumptive Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s short list of vice presidential options.

When the governor was asked by Wolf Blitzer, the host of “Late Edition,” how McCain can draw distinctions between himself and President Bush on the economy, Sanford lost his train of thought, struggling for several seconds to come up with an example.

NAACP continues S.C. Confederate flag boycott

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 07:05 EDT

The national NAACP has again said it will step up a campaign against South Carolina for flying the Confederate flag at the State House.

The organization declared it would exert continued pressure to discourage NCAA sporting events and film production in South Carolina.“This is unfinished business,” said Lonnie Randolph, state NAACP president, echoing the message delivered Monday by NAACP interim president and CEO Dennis Hayes, at the organization’s 99th national convention in Cincinnati.

Hayes told the Associated Press the organization is still working on its plan to discourage tourism and film production in the state. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People continues to protest the Legislature’s decision in 2000 to remove the Confederate flag from atop the State House and place it on the grounds at the Soldier’s Monument.

The NAACP National Board of Directors passed a resolution earlier this year calling on the organization to address S.C. tourism “a little more aggressively,” Randolph said.

The organization has persuaded the NCAA not to allow championship college basketball events in the state, denying fans and sports arenas such as USC’s Colonial Center a piece of an 11-year, $6.2 billion contract with CBS to televise games, Randolph said.

Political leaders support S.C. offshore drilling

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 06:28 EDT

Political leaders support S.C. offshore drilling

Prominent S.C. Republicans have embraced drilling offshore in recent weeks. U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint and U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson of Springdale changed their opposition to drilling last month and now support it.

Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer and Republican Party chairman Katon Dawson have joined an effort to encourage drilling in South Carolina in recent weeks.

Georgia board OKs port terminal with S.C.

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 06:57 EDT

SAVANNAH

The Georgia Ports Authority board voted Monday to move ahead with plans to develop a new port terminal on the Savannah River to be owned jointly with South Carolina.

The board voted unanimously to buy 1,518 acres of land in Jasper County, S.C., on which the port would be built. The land will be bought at $5,000 an acre — with both states sharing a total cost of about $7.6 million.

The S.C. State Ports Authority is scheduled to consider a similar resolution today. Georgia officials said the deal could close as early as July 28.

From staff reports