USC trustee withdraws from reelection bid, alleging political retaliation

A University of South Carolina board of trustees member who is claiming political retaliation for his vote during USC’s controversial presidential search last year has ended his candidacy.

Chuck Allen said lawmakers were planning to oust him for voting against the presidency of Robert Caslen, the former superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Allen, whose chair is chosen by the General Assembly, was up for renewal this year.

“We were warned numerous times if you don’t vote the right way on this there will be consequences,” Allen said.

Allen, who has been on USC’s board of trustees for 12 years, wouldn’t elaborate on who told him there would be retaliation for a “no” vote, but said it was made clear to all trustees.

Unlike some trustees who thought Caslen wasn’t the right fit for USC, Allen was an early supporter of Caslen’s, but withdrew support days before the final vote because Gov. Henry McMaster forced a vote on Caslen, causing USC’s accreditation body to eventually investigate USC.

“I love Bob Caslen,” Allen said. “The process, by the second time we voted, was polluted with politics.”

Allen was one of four trustees whose terms were up and seats were contested. The other three trustees — Egerton Burroughs, Hugh Mobley and Eugene Warr — all voted in favor of Caslen. USC’s board of trustees elected Caslen in a rare, split, 11-8 vote.

Asked if other trustees could also face similar pressure because of their no vote on Caslen, Allen said he didn’t know.

Last week, lawmakers told the Post & Courier of Charleston they sought to oust him because they were upset about a 2013 incident where Allen cursed at a lawmaker’s wife and son during a USC-Clemson football game.

During that incident, Bruce Bannister’s wife and 8-year-old son were sitting in a luxury box with Allen cheering for Clemson when Allen, a USC Hall of Fame football player cursed at them and told them if they wanted to cheer for Clemson they should go sit with Clemson fans, according to the Post & Courier, which first reported lawmakers were trying to oust Allen.

Allen said that event, which he says was “exaggerated and fictionalized,” hadn’t stopped him from retaining his seat in the past.

“I was reelected in 2016 and there wasn’t a word about it,” Allen said.