Former Myrtle Beach Rep. Clemmons resigned a year ago. Now he’s pursuing judge opening
Just over a year since resigning from his long-held S.C. House seat, former Rep. Alan Clemmons is attempting to get back into public office, this time as a judge.
The Myrtle Beach Republican is one of three candidates for Horry County’s Master-in-Equity, according to a release from the Judicial Merit Selection Committee and first reported by The Nerve.
The county’s current Master-in-Equity, Cynthia Graham Howe, will not seek another six-year term, and her successor will serve through June 30, 2027, according to the selection committee. Her current salary is $188,873, according to county spokeswoman Kelly Moore.
A Master-in-Equity “decides cases generally involving foreclosures, partitions, and other equity matters, such as accountings, supplemental proceedings, and any other matters involving non-jury matters in which the parties have agreed that the Master shall hear the case,” according to the county website.
Clemmons resigned abruptly last July after 18 years in office and shortly after winning the Republican primary seeking reelection to represent District 107. Case Brittain, who Clemmons defeated in that primary, would go on to win that seat after the resignation.
In announcing his retirement, Clemmons said in a statement that he needed to spend more time with his family and at his law practice, specifying in an affidavit to the State Election Commission that he was taking on new clients “who will require a large investment of my time and focus.”
“I sincerely appreciate the support I have received, and I look forward to serving my community in other, less public, ways,” Clemmons said in his statement.
But even at the time, rumors swirled that the timing of his resignation was directly related to a future bid for the Master-in-Equity position, according to FITSNews. South Carolina law requires former legislators to wait at least a year after leaving office before seeking a judicial appointment.
While he was still in office, Clemmons had unsuccessfully sought local government positions, first as the Myrtle Beach city attorney and then as Horry County administrator, though he ended up withdrawing his name for consideration from the latter.
Clemmons did not respond to a request for an interview about his judicial candidacy. His application will not be publicly available until the Judicial Merit Selection Committee holds its public hearings, which are scheduled to begin Nov. 15, according to Erin Crawford, chief counsel for the committee.
The selection committee, which Clemmons previously chaired, will screen each of the candidates to determine if they’ve qualified, and then the Horry County Legislative Delegation will vote on one of the qualified candidates to appoint, pending approval by the governor, Crawford explained.
The legislative delegation is comprised of Clemmons’ former colleagues in the House and Senate, and Horry Sen. Luke Rankin, who Clemmons endorsed during his own primary election last year, serves as the judicial committee’s vice chairman.
The other two candidates are Charles B. Jordan Jr and Douglas M. Zayicek.
S.C. law prohibits a full-time Master-in-Equity judge from continuing to practice law, so Clemmons would be required to cease practicing if appointed.
Crawford was unsure whether a Master-in-Equity would need to completely divest from their law firm due to potential conflicts of interest. Clemmons Law Firm, LLC lists real estate law on its website as one its primary areas of expertise.
This story was originally published July 28, 2021 at 3:34 PM with the headline "Former Myrtle Beach Rep. Clemmons resigned a year ago. Now he’s pursuing judge opening."
