BlueCross BlueShield asked for information in State House probe
A state grand jury has asked for information from BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina as part of its probe into public corruption at the S.C. State House.
"Like many other organizations in South Carolina, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina received a grand jury subpoena on this issue, to which it responded," the insurance giant's spokesperson, Patti Embry-Tautenhan, said in an email to The State.
Embry-Tautenhan declined to discuss the information provided by BlueCross, which employs roughly 11,000 in South Carolina. "Under South Carolina law, grand jury proceedings are secret," she said.
Led by special prosecutor David Pascoe, the State House corruption probe most recently ensnared state Sen. John Courson, R-Richland. The grand jury accused the Republican of funneling campaign money to himself through a Columbia-based political consulting firm with ties to dozens of S.C. politicians, almost all Republicans.
No one at that firm, Richard Quinn & Associates, has been charged with any wrongdoing.
BlueCross declined to say whether it employs or has employed RQ&A or whether the grand jury asked for information related to the firm.
However, the state grand jury’s request to the S.C. Ports Authority asked for all records and correspondence involving RQ&A; related business entities; and Richard Quinn and his son, state Rep. Rick Quinn, R-Lexington, who owns a mail-marketing business that also was named in the subpoena.
RQ&A’s ties to state government run deep.
New Gov. Henry McMaster’s chief of staff, Trey Walker, previously was the chief lobbyist for BlueCross and, years ago, worked for RQ&A.
McMaster is a client of RQ&A, which guided his successful campaigns for S.C. attorney general and lieutenant governor. The Republican has said he will continue working with the firm.
BlueCross is only the latest S.C. institution to become ensnared in the corruption probe.
In addition to Ports Authority’s records, investigators also have subpoenaed records from the University of South Carolina.
The investigation also has delayed the appointment of a SCANA executive to the Ports Authority board, and investigators have asked to see documents related to South Carolina’s Republican Party and McMaster.
Courson is the third lawmaker to fall since S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson asked SLED to investigate then-House Speaker Bobby Harrell's use of campaign funds.
Harrell, R-Charleston, later pleaded guilty to public corruption charges and resigned his post.
Suspended State Rep. Jim Merrill, R-Berkeley, also has been charged in connection to the probe.
Jamie Self: 803-771-8658, @jamiemself
Subpoena points to Quinn firm
The S.C. Ports Authority released Wednesday the March 7 subpoena that it received from the state grand jury. Here is what that subpeona requested:
"The information sought is to include any and all records, including, but not limited to customer files, work orders, invoices, contracts, records of payments received or disbursed, written and electronic communication, or other documentation provided to, received from, or otherwise related to business between the South Carolina Ports Authority and First Impressions AKA Richard Quinn and Associates AKA The Copy Shop, Mail Marketing Strategies and/or for Richard Quinn or Richard Quinn, Jr. AKA Rick Quinn."
This story was originally published March 23, 2017 at 12:04 PM with the headline "BlueCross BlueShield asked for information in State House probe."