TheState.com: S.C. Politics

Candidate for governor raises Confederate flag issue

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:35 EST

The Confederate flag must be removed from the State House grounds if South Carolina is to attract jobs, according to one Democrat running for governor.

Thursday, Mullins McLeod, a Charleston attorney, released a plan to create jobs and reopened an old S.C. wound about whether it's appropriate to fly the flag on Capitol grounds.

"We are not going to compete in a 21st century economy by prolonging 19th century arguments," McLeod wrote in a prepared statement.

"It is time for us to send a clear and unambiguous signal to the rest of the country, and the entire world, that South Carolina is better than what people see on the news, and that we are ready to make progress. By agreeing to move past this old argument once and for all, we will be telling the world that South Carolina is ready to lead again."

One other Democratic contender, Sen. Vincent Sheheen of Camden, said he too has believed for the past decade the flag should come down.

Ethics panel votes to charge Sanford

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:45 EST

Gov. Mark Sanford agreed Thursday to remove the last hurdle to a long-delayed House of Representatives impeachment investigation of his travel and campaign expenses.

Sanford's attorneys said they planned to turn over a disputed State Ethics Commission investigative report to the House, likely early next week. House leaders have been waiting to review the report, which has been shielded from the public, before allowing impeachment hearings to begin.

Sanford's attorneys provided some insight into the months-long ethics investigation Thursday, disclosing the commission has questioned about three-dozen instances of Sanford's travel and use of campaign funds.

One sponsor of the House impeachment resolution, Rep. Greg Delleney, R-Chester, said the special impeachment panel could meet before Thanksgiving.

Sanford and the House have been at odds over the report for months, even asking the S.C. Supreme Court to decide who could review the records. Thursday, House Speaker Bobby Harrell called on Sanford, who Harrell pointed out has always championed transparency, to allow the House to review the report.

GOP: Fun with faulty web site

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:05 EST

The S.C. GOP is having some fun with the Obama Administration and a faulty federal government Web site that is supposed to tracks jobs created by federal stimulus dollars.

In an e-mail blast Thursday, the state Republican Party asked South Carolinians to print out a "I can't find District 45" sign featured on the GOP’s Web site, take a picture of themselves holding the sign in their town or city and e-mail it in. The S.C. GOP will publish the photos.

At issue is the Web site, www.recovery.gov, which erroneously reported $40.7 million in stimulus money going to seven, non-existent S.C. congressional districts.

South Carolina only has six districts. There is no 45th congressional district in the state.

Panel finds probable cause for charges against Sanford

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:12 EST

A state ethics panel has found evidence Gov. Mark Sanford may have broken state law, charging him with "several" undisclosed violations after an investigation into his travel and campaign spending.

State Ethics Commission director Herbert Hayden on Wednesday would not provide details of the charges, nor would he clarify whether the violations were ethical or criminal.

But Sanford's attorney, Butch Bowers, said the charges were "minor, technical matters" that did not include criminal violations.

A three-member panel of the commission now must hear witnesses, weigh evidence and decide whether Sanford is guilty of the charges at a later date, Hayden said. Sanford can make that a public hearing, but has not yet chosen to do so.

"They found probable cause exists on several allegations," Hayden said, reading from a short, prepared statement. "(The commissioners) wanted me to point out that a finding of probable cause is not a finding of guilt. It is only one phase in the process."

Eckstrom calls for new way to count stimulus jobs

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:36 EST

S.C. Comptroller Richard Eckstrom is hoping to play a role in re-figuring how stimulus jobs are counted.

Wednesday, Eckstrom sent a letter to his fellow members of the National Governor's Association Job County Task Force, outlining several recommendations on how to count jobs created by federal stimulus funds.

Some Republicans and Democrats became upset this week after learning a federal Web site reported $40.7 million in stimulus money had gone to seven nonexistent congressional districts in South Carolina to save or create 46 jobs. The Palmetto State only has six U.S. House districts.

"Current federal guidelines for counting jobs are inconsistent, unnecessarily complex, and produce inflated job-creation figures -- all which undermine the goal of transparency," Eckstrom wrote.

His recommendations include counting only new jobs that can be verified and creating new categories for the created jobs.

Lawmakers' agenda for 2010: Speed limits, cell phones, snakes

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:54 EST

If House lawmakers have their way in 2010, South Carolinians will be able to zoom 80 miles per hour instead of 70 along S.C. interstates. But they will be prohibited from text messaging, talking on cell phones or allowing children under 7 to sit in the front seat.

Those with health insurance can rest assured they won't be denied coverage if they ever are abused by a spouse. And those who own venomous reptiles and constricting snakes would be subject to stricter regulations.

Tuesday, House lawmakers got their first shot at prefiling legislation to be considered in the 2010 session that begins in January. Most of the 51 bills won't make it out of committee.

Still, the range of bills gives residents a sense of what is on their legislators' minds. House members will get a second chance in December to prefile more, as will senators.

One of the most-anticipated bills, a measure to impeach Gov. Mark Sanford, was prefiled and has been sent to the House Judiciary Committee, said House Speaker Bobby Harrell.

Panel could release Sanford findings today

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:26 EST

A state panel will decide as early as today whether there is sufficient evidence to try Gov. Mark Sanford for violating state ethics laws in his travel and use of campaign money or to refer his case to prosecutors for possible criminal charges.

The nine-member State Ethics Commission, meeting behind closed doors, will weigh evidence against the governor gathered by commission investigators. The panel's conclusions could prove critical as to whether lawmakers pursue removing Sanford from office.

Republican state representatives filed an impeachment resolution Tuesday, charging fellow Republican Sanford with abandoning his duties when he left the state on a secret five-day June trip to visit his mistress in Argentina.

But House Speaker Bobby Harrell, R-Charleston, said, based on what he knows now, Sanford should not be forced from office.

"Unless the investigation contains new information about serious crimes or serious misconduct by the governor," Harrell said in a written statement, "the information we have to date does not rise to a level to remove him from office."

S.C. might get a 7th seat in U.S. House

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:34 EST

South Carolina stands to gain a seventh congressional seat if population projections hold for the 2010 census.

At least two national groups predict South Carolina will be one of eight states gaining seats because of growing populations.

However, gaining a seat hinges on a slim margin, making it critical for census organizers to count all South Carolinians.

If the state gains a congressional seat, it would fall to the Legislature to decide which part of the state would be in the new district.

However, U.S. House Minority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., said the district would be added along the coast, which has seen the most growth.

A house divided, but holiday open house goes on

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:33 EST

First lady Jenny Sanford will attend the Governor's Mansion holiday open house Dec. 3.

The decorated mansion and the Lace House are open to the public from 4-7 p.m. The mansion complex is at Richland and Lincoln streets in Columbia.

Gov. Mark Sanford's schedule for that day has not been determined, said spokesman Ben Fox.

Each year, the mansion and Lace House are decorated for the holidays by the Columbia Garden Club. The public is then invited to tour both buildings at a free open house, where they typically are greeted by the first family.

Meg Milne, Jenny Sanford's spokeswoman, confirmed that the first lady would be at the open house, but said the Sanfords' four children are not expected to be there.

DeMint, Wilson rip bogus job creation claims

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:30 EST

WASHINGTON - Republican lawmakers piled on the Obama administration Tuesday - and Democratic leaders were miffed - over a Web site that reported thousands of jobs nationwide in congressional districts that don't exist.

In South Carolina, www.recovery.gov reported $40.7 million in economic-stimulus money had gone to seven nonexistent congressional districts - including District 00 and District 25.

South Carolina only has six U.S. House districts, Nos. 1-6.

The Web site, the official federal online portal for tracking distributions from the $787 billion stimulus program, compounded the error by saying 46 jobs - 46.4, to be exact - have been "saved or created" with the recovery money in the seven districts.

"The attempts to cover up the dismal failure of the president's trillion-dollar stimulus have gone from comical to embarrassing," said U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, a Greenville Republican.

Berkeley GOP holds off on Graham censure

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:09 EST

GOOSE CREEK - U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham escaped another censure Monday after his chief of staff promised to meet with disgruntled Berkeley County Republicans.

Last week, the Charleston County Republican Party's executive committee censured Graham for departing from their values. They were unhappy that Graham is siding with Democrats who believe in global warming for an energy bill, that he supported the federal bank bailout, and that he favors granting amnesty for illegal immigrants and called those who disagree with him bigots.

Berkeley County Republicans showed up at their executive committee meeting Monday night with a similar resolution, changing the name of the county from Charleston to Berkeley.

Linda Riney of Cross urged the approximately 30 committee members present to pass it.

"How can we defend being conservatives if we just sit by with our mouth shut?" she said.

Lawmakers consider new property tax rules

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:48 EST

South Carolina's property tax revisions of 2006 were set up to benefit homeowners and those who own the same property for many years, but those same changes resulted in big tax increases for anyone who bought property starting in 2007.

Now, driven by real estate professionals who say those tax laws are costing them sales, state legislators are poised to change the property tax rules once again - in ways that would shift some taxes back to current home and business owners, and constrain the budgets of local schools and governments.

"I recognize the conundrum we've gotten ourselves into with local governments," said Sen. Larry Martin, R-Pickens, whose proposal is the basis for pending Senate legislation. "My counsel back to them is that this is not an attack on their revenue stream but an attempt to keep South Carolina poised for growth."

The current laws took effect following overwhelming voter approval of a 2006 constitutional referendum.

The changes eliminated most school taxes on owner-occupied homes, raised the statewide sales tax by 20 percent in an attempt to make up for that lost revenue, and capped increases in the taxable value of any property that hadn't been sold or substantially improved to 15 percent every five years.

N.C. law firm 'front' fights health overhaul

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:44 EST

WASHINGTON - One operative tried to enlist trade groups in Maine to oppose government-run health coverage. Another helped a member of a Las Vegas conservative group appear on local talk radio to criticize the proposal. A third persuaded a Louisiana activist to post an opinion piece on a conservative blog.

These below-the-radar activities were the handiwork of a law firm in Charlotte, N.C., that operates a secretive group called Americans for Quality and Affordable Healthcare. The organization's sponsors remain a mystery - its Web site offers no clues, and the law firm won't say.

In a year that has seen hundreds of millions of dollars spent on health care lobbying and TV ads, the advocacy group's impact is hard to gauge since the full scope of its operations is unclear. But its activities illustrate how some are furtively trying to shape public and congressional opinion through front groups - seemingly independent organizations that pursue their founders' goals while masking their identity.

One clue to the mystery group may lie in its goals: to oppose any government-run insurance option, the approach favored by President Barack Obama and most Democrats, and to support requiring all Americans to buy insurance.

Those aims match two of the health insurance industry's top priorities. Several industry officials disavowed any knowledge of the group and said they're not behind it, including the trade group America's Health Insurance Plans, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, and other large national and North Carolina insurers.

Green group backed by business

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:59 EST

Unfamiliar to many longtime environmentalists, the S.C. Natural Resources Society bills itself as a friend of conservation.

But you won't see its members waving signs to protest nuclear power. Nor will you see the society appealing state pollution permits granted to industries.

Instead, this 4-year-old group, composed mostly of conservative and well-connected business people, is more likely to support increased funding for land conservation and other initiatives backed by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.

The society wants to protect natural resources to help the economy, said society board chairman Emmett Davis of Greenwood, founder of one of the state's most well-known engineering firms.

Davis said the group is less interested in taking on specific causes, aside from natural resource preservation, and it isn't opposed to nuclear power.

South: Wilson out of line

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 23:34 EST

More than 43 percent of Southern Republicans liked it when U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina berated President Barack Obama as he addressed a joint session of Congress in September, according to a Winthrop University poll.

But about half of Southern Republicans - and large majorities of both independents and Democrats - either were opposed to or outraged by the outburst by the Lexington County Republican, which struck many as a rude affront to Southern sensibilities.

"It was stupid," said Charles Marshall, a 74-year-old retired marketing and sales representative who lives in Bluffton and backed Obama in the 2008 presidential election.

"He acted like a redneck," Marshall said of Wilson. "And I'm no elitist by any stretch of the imagination. He was appealing to the emotions of his constituency, and that's dumb."

Wilson, from Springdale, apologized to Obama's chief of staff for his outburst. But he has made no apologies for the millions in campaign contributions that have poured in to him since he interrupted the president's speech with a shout of "You Lie!"

The Buzz: Sanford's new talent: Swallowing his tongue

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:39 EST

The Buzz did a double-take this week when Gov. Mark Sanford's spokesman Ben Fox said the governor would have no comment on the Board of Economic Advisors cutting more than $120 million from the state budget.

Usually after such a budget cut, Sanford issues an "I-told-you-so" statement and pulls out the 27 color, glossy charts with the circles and the arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining just how dire the situation is in South Carolina these days. And Sanford always demands lawmakers return to Columbia and rewrite the budget to target cuts.

But not last week. Last week was just "no comment," leaving The Buzz to wonder why?

Sanford is usually so dependable and consistent on policy positions, why the change now?

Sure, lawmakers would have to vote to change their sine die resolution setting the rules for what they could talk about during a special session.

DeMint wields influence

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 23:31 EST

Sen. Jim DeMint, a South Carolina Republican known for his efforts to influence domestic immigration and health-care issues, has scored a foreign-policy coup by helping to compel the Obama administration to shift its stance on strife-ridden Honduras.

After demanding for months that deposed Honduran President Mel Zelaya be restored to power, senior State Department officials now say they'll accept the outcome of Nov. 29 elections in the Central American country even if Zelaya does not reclaim his post.

"We support the elections process there," State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said Thursday. "We have provided technical assistance ... These elections will be important to restoring Democratic and constitutional order in Honduras."

That position is a marked change from the tough stance President Barack Obama took in the days following the June 28 removal of Zelaya, when Honduran soldiers launched a dawn raid and whisked him away in his pajamas.

"We believe that the coup was not legal and that President Zelaya remains the democratically elected president there," Obama said the day after Zelaya's ouster.

N.Y. trials don't sit well in S.C.

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:28 EST

Detainees might be held at brig in North Charleston

WASHINGTON - Republican lawmakers Friday bitterly criticized President Barack Obama's decision to try accused terrorists in the United States and warned against moving detainees to South Carolina.

But congressional aides said the accused mastermind of the October 2000 bombing of the USS Cole in Yemen, Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, could be detained and tried before a military commission at the Naval Weapons Station in Charleston.

Attorney General Eric Holder said four other detainees now held with al-Nashiri at the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, will be transferred to the United States for military commission trials.

Rep. Gresham Barrett, a Westminster Republican and gubernatorial candidate, said his staff is exploring possible litigation to prevent Guantanamo detainees from being moved to South Carolina.

A Jenny Sanford trademark?

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:08 EST

First lady Jenny Sanford sought to trademark her name shortly after she was thrust into the national spotlight after her husband, Gov. Mark Sanford, went missing in June and later admitted to an extramarital affair.

Jenny Sanford's trademark, according to the July 2 filings, is intended for items sold by an online retailer bearing her name. The merchandise listed on the filing includes clothing, mugs, "other household items," stickers, decals, notepads.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office has not approved the trademark, asking her in September to provide more specifics about the merchandise she plans to sell.

The cost of the filing is $325.

Attempts to reach Jenny Sanford were unsuccessful Friday night.

First lady on Walters' 'most fascinating' list

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:20 EST

Barbara Walters will interview S.C. first lady Jenny Sanford early next month as part of the buildup for the April release of Sanford's memoir.

The interview will air at 10 p.m. Dec. 9 on ABC on "Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009."

Sanford, who played a key role in her husband's runs for Congress and governor, is expected to discuss the challenges brought by her husband's five-day disappearance in June and his later admission to an affair with an Argentine woman, ABC said.

The first lady has been praised by some for her unwillingness to stick by her husband, choosing instead to focus on her children.

In August, Jenny Sanford and the couple's four sons moved out of the Governor's Mansion in Columbia and into the family's beach house on Sullivan's Island, saying, in part, her family needed privacy from the media spotlight.