SC House Ethics opens inquiry for ‘conduct unbecoming’ amid RJ May indictment
The House Ethics Committee is now investigating a member for conduct unbecoming and a possible misuse of office as one representative is currently suspended from office because of a pending indictment.
Members of the committee would not disclose the name of the member under investigation nor the specifics of the complaint because of the Ethics Committee’s confidentiality rules.
However, following the 10-count indictment of state Rep. RJ May, R-Lexington, for allegedly distributing child sexual abuse material, House Majority Leader Davey Hiott filed an ethics complaint to start the process to expel May from the House.
The committee held a hearing July 1, when lawmakers are not in session.
“We had a complaint that was brought before the committee, that complaint was reviewed by the committee and the determination was made that additional investigation as to the allegations contained the complaint needed to occur,” said state Rep. Jay Jordan, the chairman of the 10-member South Carolina House Ethics Committee.
Because of a potential conflict of interest, the committee will hire an outside law firm to conduct the investigation. The law firm is being finalized, Jordan said.
Jordan, R-Florence, added he wants an expedient review of the case with hopes it is completed this calendar year.
Expelling a member requires a two-thirds vote of the chamber.
“We haven’t expelled anyone in a long time, but my goal and the committee’s goal is we review everything that comes before us thoroughly and completely,” Jordan said. “Just because it deals with one particular action doesn’t mean we’re not setting precedent for what may occur into the future for a future Ethics Committee, a future House.”
May is currently suspended from the House and is being held at the Edgefield County Detention Center without bond.
Hiott, R-Pickens, filed the complaint against May after federal investigators disclosed details of their investigation during a detention hearing.
Hiott has said he wanted the House Ethics Committee to look into whether any of May’s activities were done from the State House grounds.
A Homeland Security investigator testified and described graphic videos of child sexual abuse May distributed through an app. Some of those videos included toddlers. May also allegedly traveled to Colombia in order to meet with female sex workers who appeared to be under 18 years old. May used the alias “Eric Rentling” when traveling to Colombia, investigators have said.
According to prosecutor’s motion to keep May detained, he was sending child sexual abuse material from March 31 to April 4, 2024 via the app Kik. It was during a time period when the state House was on furlough and not in session.
According to the Eric Rentling Facebook page, the user planned to take a trip to Colombia on Feb. 22, 2024. That, too, was during a week the House was on a furlough. It was a week House members took off to allow its budget writing Ways and Means committee complete a spending plan proposal and allow time for lawmakers to campaign ahead of the 2024 GOP presidential primary.
