SC ethics panel still awaiting word from Harrell

The S.C. House Ethic Committee still has not heard from former House Speaker Bobby Harrell about paying more than $113,000 to the state after holding a meeting Monday.

The panel ordered Harrell on Sept. 1 to pay money from his campaign account used to cover legal fees in his political corruption case. Harrell resigned last year after pleading guilty to misusing campaign cash.

He did not pay as of the Oct. 1 deadline and has not contacted with the ethics committee, panel chairman Kenny Bingham, R-Lexington, said. The committee met Monday for the first time since the deadline passed and will meet later this month to decide what to do next about Harrell, Bingham said.

Efforts to reach Harrell were unsuccessful Monday. He has said that the committee did not give him an opportunity to defend himself before ordering that he turnover the $113,000 to the state.

Also Monday, the House Ethics Committee approved an advisory opinion that said state representatives can refer their own businesses to do work for legislative caucuses. The caucuses — usually set up by political party, race and gender lines — are not official government bodies, the opinion said.

This story was originally published October 12, 2015 at 4:05 PM with the headline "SC ethics panel still awaiting word from Harrell."