Takeaways from SC attorney general debate: gotchas, barbs and even information

In Wednesday night’s debate, the three Republican S.C. attorney general candidates agreed on one thing anyway:

Alex Murdaugh should be retried for murder, and soon, said each of the three Republicans vying in the June 9 primary for the nomination for South Carolina attorney general.

Earlier this month, Murdaugh, perhaps South Carolina’s most notorious criminal defendant ever, had his double-murder conviction in the killings of his wife and son overturned by the S.C. Supreme Court.

“We absolutely have to try the Murdaugh case again... We will pursue that case as zealously as any other case,” said state Sen. Stephen Goldfinch, R-Georgetown, 44, a civil lawyer and entrepreneur who said his years of experience as a military lawyer qualify him to try the case.

“I don’t need a tutorial to try that case. I’ll be ready to walk into that office and try the Murdaugh case on Day One,” vowed 8th Judicial Circuit Solicitor David Stumbo, 50, who has years of experience prosecuting violent crimes.

“The Murdaugh case — It absolutely needs to be retried,” said 1st Judicial Circuit Solicitor David Pascoe, 59, who threw a jab in his answer at Goldfinch by adding that only he (Pascoe) and Stumbo, with their many years as veteran prosecutors trying murder and other violent crimes in state courts, could handle a difficult and high-profile case like Murdaugh’s.

One area the three had differences: so-called medical marijuana, which is legal in numerous other states.

While Stumbo said he is not in favor of making medical marijuana available in South Carolina and noted there is no standard for impaired driving by marijuana, Pascoe said benefits of medical marijuana for children with seizures and cancer patients are known, and its use should be studied. Pascoe said he favors tight controls on who is able to get the drug.

Goldfinch said making marijuana legal in South Carolina “is a moot point” because marijuana products are freely sold in South Carolina nowadays. “Everybody is using the stuff, and it’s a real problem. ... It needs to be regulated.”

During the 57-minute debate, the three candidates came across as quick-minded and prepared for all questions asked by moderator Gavin Jackson, an SCETV legislative correspondent.

In appearance, Goldfinch, Pascoe and Stumbo were more or less alike. They were all wore suits, dress shirts and ties, and a lapel pin of an American flag crossed with a South Carolina flag. Each was neatly coifed. It’s possible the next attorney general will have a beard: Stumbo and Goldfinch have facial growth; Pascoe is clean-shaven.

In manner, Pascoe and Goldfinch were each spoiling for a fight with the other. Pascoe repeatedly accused Goldfinch of lying (”There you go again!” he told Goldfinch repeatedly) and Goldfinch kept on insinuating that Pascoe, who for years was a Democrat and only last year announced he was switching parties, was still a Democrat at heart relying on Democratic lawyers to raise major funds. In the state’s Republican culture, being called a Democrat is the lowest of insults.

In a recent S.C. Policy Council poll, Pascoe, had 10 percent, and Goldfinch had 14 percent. Stumbo had 9 percent. But 65 percent of the voters were “not sure” who they would vote for, leaving the possibility for a win by any of the three.

Other highlights:

• Pascoe, who successfully prosecuted crooked state lawmakers, said a top priority was establishing an anti-corruption unit. Stumbo said he has fought internet predators and will do so again. Goldfinch stressed his background as a military veteran prosecuting “the worst of the worst” and mentioned he was an entrepreneur who fought government regulation.
• Goldfinch repeatedly stressed Pascoe’s longstanding ties to one of South Carolina’s best-known Democrats, attorney Dick Harpootlian (who is Murdaugh’s lawyer). Pascoe repeatedly called Goldfinch “Stem cell Steve,” a reference to a brush with federal regulators that Goldfinch had years ago in one of his businesses in Texas. Goldfinch told a reporter after the event that he was never charged with anything.
• Stumbo let the other two trade verbal punches, talking up his strong points, such as reducing backlogs in his caseloads. He stood between the two, letting Pascoe and Goldfinch have at it.

As a practical matter, whoever wins the Republican nomination will be the next attorney general in this heavily Republican state. The term of office is four years and post pays $208,000 a year.

No statistics were immediately available on how many people took in all or portions of the debate. It was broadcast on all 11 SC ETV television stations and all eight radio stations around the state, as well as on various social media channels.

This story will be updated.