SC representative penalized $6,735 for campaign violations

The chairman of the S.C. Legislative Black Caucus was penalized $6,735 from the Senate Ethics Committee for falsifying campaign reports, failing to report revenues and expenditures, and accepting anonymous donations.

The campaign violations by Rep. Carl Anderson, D-Georgetown, came from a special election last year for the Senate seat that belonged to Yancey McGill, a Williamsburg Democrat who was elevated to lieutenant governor. Rep. Ronnie Saab, D-Williamsburg, won the election.

The Senate Ethics Committee found no criminal intent by Anderson nor any inappropriate use of campaign expenditures.

According to a report issued Tuesday, Anderson falsely reported making a $2,797 payment and having no money left in his campaign account. He had $1,609 in his campaign account remaining, the committee said.

He failed to report $8,765 in contributions and nearly $12,000 in expenditures, the committee said. He also deposited four cash contributions totaling $735 without identifying donors.

Anderson was fined $2,000 each for filing a false campaign report and failing to report contributions and expenditures. He was ordered to pay $735 for the anonymous contributions to the Children’s Trust Fund.

He also received a public reprimand from the Senate Ethics Committee.

Anderson, a six-term House member, said he was late in reporting some contributions and expenditures, including the payment cited for filing a falsified campaign report, because of differences in filing dates for a special election.

He accepted that the Senate Ethics Committee fined him, but added, “you always feel like they should have been understanding.”

This story was originally published April 28, 2015 at 5:59 PM with the headline "SC representative penalized $6,735 for campaign violations."