Irmo councilman faces ethics complaint

The State Ethics Commission says there’s “probable cause” that Irmo Town Councilman Barry Walker misused public facilities in putting political signs on a town-rented golf cart.

The ruling was made public Wednesday, with a hearing set for May 18.

Walker put signs promoting two candidates for council on a cart he drove during the Okra Strut parade Sept. 26, the decision said.

He faces a fine of up to $2,000 if ethics officials determine the complaint is warranted.

It’s illegal to use equipment paid for by taxpayers to promote candidates.

The carts were rented by Town Hall to ferry volunteers and staff during the festival, Mayor Hardy King said.

Walker said he was a volunteer chauffeur at the festival.

He paid a fee required to take part in the parade, but putting the signs on the cart was “a mistake,” he said. “I didn’t know that isn’t OK.”

The alleged violation was brought to the attention of ethics officials by George Glassmeyer, a town resident often at odds with Walker.

“I became aware of wrongdoing by one of my public officials,” Glassmeyer said.

A video of Walker driving the cart that was taken by parade-goers shows “this is about as slam-dunk a case as you can get,” Glassmeyer said.

“Most people already kind of know you shouldn’t do that,” said King, who bested Walker in the 2011 mayoral race.

Neither candidate that Walker promoted won election.

Walker has been a councilman since 2003 in the town of 11,000 residents straddling the border of Lexington and Richland counties.

This story was originally published April 13, 2016 at 2:17 PM with the headline "Irmo councilman faces ethics complaint."