Richland Sheriff Lott is staying out of SC House race, despite what mailer says

Richland County’s popular Sheriff Leon Lott says he is staying neutral in a South Carolina House race despite what a recent mailer sent out by the Republican incumbent running to keep his seat might suggest.

A mailer paid for by state Rep. Kirkman Finlay and sent out to House District 75 voters includes a photo of Lott under the headline, “DEMOCRATS FOR FINLAY,” though the quote underneath is from Finlay, not Lott.

The mailer has ignited yet another fight between Finlay and his Democratic challenger, Rhodes Bailey, a Columbia public defender, who called the mailer a “fraud” and said the mailer creates a false impression that Lott endorsed the three-term incumbent.

Lott told The State Thursday that he is not a “Democrat for Finlay” and is not endorsing the Republican.

“I am neutral in that race,” Lott said. “I don’t even live in his district.”

The lack of a specific quote endorsing Finlay from Lott is only apparent by a close reading of the text on Finlay’s mailer.

Under Lott’s photo it says, “When Richland County needs help with public safety issues, he knows who to call. Sheriff Lott and I have had a great working relationship for 15 years.” The quote is signed by Kirkman Finlay III.

Lott’s photo is sandwiched between photos of the same size and quotes of two prominent Richland County Democrats — current state Rep. Leon Howard and former Richland County Councilman Damon Jeter.

But unlike Lott’s photo, both Howard and Jeter have quotes of their own in support of Finlay.

Asked whether Lott gave Finlay permission for his photo to be used, Lott repeatedly declined to answer, only responding that he did not give permission for any quote attributed to him to be used.

Finlay, who said he has used Lott’s photo and supportive quotes in previous election mailers, said he contacted Lott before including his photo on the mailer. Finlay said that Lott agreed to let him use the photo, but the sheriff declined to be quoted.

That’s why he put his own quote under Lott’s photo, Finlay said.

“I told him I wouldn’t use (his) quote,” Finlay said. “I was absolutely within the terms of the agreement as we discussed it.”

But Bailey criticized the use, calling it a “fraud on the public.”

“How can you trust a politician who makes up phony endorsements for himself?” said Bailey, 39. “What else is Finlay willing to lie about? I trust Sheriff Lott to correct the record, and I trust the people of Richland County not to be fooled.

“The mailer says that Sheriff Lott is for Finlay, and that is a lie.”

In Richland County politics, the election support of Lott, sheriff since 1997, is a coveted trophy.

“He’s the county’s most popular and respected public official, liked by Blacks, whites, Democrats, Republicans, men, women,” said state Sen. Dick Harpootlian, D-Richland, who used Lott prominently in his winning 2018 Senate campaign TV and mail ads, and is using him again this year. “His endorsement is tremendously important.”