Hot. Fresh. Scandal. January 23, 2008
Posted by fitsnews in : SC Politics , trackback
LOCAL ALTERNATIVE WEEKLY TURNS THE TABLES ON BAD BOY SIC WILLIE
FITSNews - January 23, 2008 - For someone used to busting off verbal caps in other people’s asses, this morning’s edition of The (Columbia, S.C.) Free Times is something of a role reversal for our founding editor Sic Willie.
According to the local alternative weekly’s new cover story, our favorite bad boy is allegedly the mastermind of an elaborate plot to defeat over two dozen incumbent state legislators, and the author of a “hit list” that identifies which individual State Representatives and Senators should be targeted. In typical defiant fashion, Sic would neither confirm nor deny whether he wrote the soon-to-be infamous strategy memo entitled “Thoughts On Creating A More Conservative Republican Majority In S.C.,” although the S.C. Club for Growth confirmed to the Free Times that Sic is indeed the memo’s author, and that the proposal was submitted to the organization “months ago.”
“I would say to all of those who wonder whether they’re on the list or not - or whether or not they’re on my list or not - if they get beaten, then they’ll know they were on my list,” an almost too-humble Sic told the paper.
Yowzers. Them’s fightin’ words …
The article, which was actually penned in part by FITSNews‘ contributing writer Corey Hutchins, will no doubt be the talk of the legislature this week, as rumors about “hit lists” have been swirling around the State House for several months now.
We can’t link to the story because The Free Times hasn’t updated its online content yet, but the four-page article includes multiple excerpts from the strategy memo, which it says “was leaked by sources close to S.C. Club for Growth.” Hutchins later elaborated on the source of the leak to FITSNews, saying it was from “someone with a conflicted conscience.”
Covering a wide range of campaign-related issues, the memo proposes a litany of strategic tactics to be employed in targeting up to 30 different legislative races. Specifically, it proposes using a sophisticated “weighting” system to assess incumbent vulnerability as well as the use of “symbolic targets” to deflect attention from the real ones. It also includes excerpts from what the memo insists is an unsolicited, private e-mail from Sic Willie to Gov. Mark Sanford, in which the former gubernatorial spokesman chides his old boss for failing to recognize that the battle with the legislature is “a zero sum game.”
“There is simply no longer a tradeoff to ponder because they are going to give you nothing, period,” Sic allegedly wrote Sanford in the private e-mail. “No matter what you do, you will not get any less out of this system than you are currently getting, so there is no longer any risk.”
Sic’s blunt talk - which has been directed at Sanford on repeated occasions in the past on this website - is echoed throughout the memo, which includes references to “black ops” and a “core council” to implement its directives.
Needless to say, Palmetto politicos are already buzzing about the memo, its “target list” and Sic Willie’s alleged involvement.
“Why is it that no one will actually admit to paying Will Folks for his advice?” asks Luke Byars, state director for U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, who like Sanford (and most every politician in the state) has been both pilloried and praised in the past by FITSNews. “I guess there are some who are foolish enough to trust his judgment, but just smart enough to be embarrassed about it.”
One State Representative who has used Sic’s services in the past (and has likewise been both praised and pilloried here on FITSNews) countered that assessment.
“I’m not embarrassed by Will,” Smith said. “He a good writer who’s done good work for me in the past. He’s even popped me a couple of times on his blog when he felt I deserved it. That just comes with the territory, though.”
UPDATE I - The story is now up on The Free Times website.
UPDATE II - Viewpolitik, LLC, Sic’s consulting firm and our parent company, is apparently issuing a statement on the article soon … err, now:
Comments»
Go get ‘em!
Sweet, criminalize abortion now!
[...] covered the story on his Website, FITSNews, but didn’t offer any additional information. Either way, this [...]
Leatherman has a copy of this sitting on his Senate floor desk right now
every senator has a copy on their desk now…Leatherman “praised” the article from the floor.
So, in this statement, are you denying you were or are a part of the hit list draft committee?
Or are you saying that you’re “proud” to be talked about in this context?
Wow a plot to oust elected officials, now that is groundbreaking. That was a waste of good striking paper, good job Free Times.
So, would someone please tell me why this is a scandal?
I would be proud to. I agree that most on the list need to go for abdicating their duties for so long.
Ya gotta love those hokey puppet master graphics, Those assholes think they’ve found the damn Pentagon Papers. What a rag.
Why isn’t Jean Toal on the list? Oh, that’s right. She’s above the law. And she’s got Warren to do her dirty work for her in the legislature.
This story is a fine piece of investigative journalism, and we should welcome it as there is precious little of that in SC.
But it is more than a story about a “hit list”, it is a tome about hidden money and the secret world of high finance and politics. Millions and millions of dollars are raised and though their spending is found fortune, power and glory. I can only hope that others will investigate this affair, and determine WHO and WHY these millions of dollars have been so quietly given to Mark Sanford and his crony’s.
Is it just me, or did this story get pulled from the Palmetto Scoop, The Shot and the SCHotline today?
The Governors people must have been working the phones hard to stiffle this story.
When you have millions and millions of dollars, you can squelch a lot of free speech. Good job Sanford…give your thugs a raise.
“Is it just me, or did this story get pulled from the Palmetto Scoop, The Shot and the SCHotline today?” - Randall
Apparently it’s just you, nimrod. The story is on all three of those sites, rather prominently.
One man’s hit list is another man’s strategy for democratic change.
Wait! Was there a magnitude 9 earthquake in Columbia today? Or, did someone test a 500 kiloton nuclear warhead at the State House?
No, it’s just another “williescam” blowing up. But, this time it blew up right in sic(k) willie’s face and splashed all over the Guver’nator and his scam artists at SCRG and Club for Growth.
This williescam explosion had about the same effect as Pork and Barrel had when they deposited on the Guv’nators suit and shoes. The smell is the same, but the clean up will be harder.
And we love the line about never investigate an investigator! When the investigations this generates are over, sic(k) willie may have to move in with Beldar of Remulak on the pig farm in Red Bank.
By the way, we heard the boys from Charlotte are back in town again. Anyone know who’s paying them? They can’t be cheap.
Wait! Was there a magnitude 9 earthquake in Columbia today? Or, did someone test a 500 kiloton nuclear warhead at the State House?
No, it’s just another “williescam” blowing up. But, this time it blew up right in sic(k) willie’s face and splashed all over the Guver’nator and his scam artists at SCRG and Club for Growth. What is stink!
This williescam explosion had about the same effect as Pork and Barrel had when they deposited on the Guv’nators suit and shoes. The smell is the same, but the clean up will be harder.
And we love the line about never investigate an investigator! When the investigations this generates are over, sic(k) willie may have to move in with Beldar of Remulak on the pig farm in Red Bank.
By the way, we heard the boys from Charlotte are back in town again. Anyone know who’s paying them? They can’t be cheap.
According to the document sic(k) willie is to be in charge of (get this!) “strategy,” “message” and “black ops.”
Actually, it’s more like “tradegy,” “massage” and, well, we’ll stay away from the “black ops.” sic(k) willie doesn’t have a clue what “black ops” really means. The boys from Charlotte do.
sic(k) willie should stick to “massage.” His neighbor’s pool boy can take care of him on a regular basis. Close the shades sic(k) willie. The boys from Charlotte may be watching, again.
Ooooh … the “boys from Charlotte” are here!
Not the “boys from Charlotte!” Please, anything but the “boys from Charlotte!”
Seriously, BIN, we’re shaking. We’ll do anything, anything you ask, but dear God, please call off the “boys from Charlotte!”
-FITSNews
P.S. - Tell them to look in the window right now at Sic’s ass. It’s smiling …
I hear there is a grassroots counter-measure in place targeting all the Governor’s minions in the GA. Further, that there is collaboration across party lines to make sure that the Governor’s powers are basically moot. Well, it is not like time and time again he was overriden, was he?
The document was a plant.
Who the hell are the boys from Charlotte?
I heard that the hit list is actually longer. And that the Governor’s office is behind the leaking of the story. Any truth to this?
[...] assume that most of the article is true. From Will Folks’ own blog, I’d say we’re safe in assuming, so my question is, “What’s the big [...]
[...] also thought it was interesting that just one day after a supposed legislative target list popped up in a local alternative weekly, House Speaker Bobby Harrell decided to prominently feature [...]
We peeked in his window, and sic(k) willie’s ass is very puckered right now. His pucker factor is about 9.9 on a 10.0 scale. It should be.
BIN,
Really? Sic wasn’t at his house all day yesterday, numbnuts.
Your “boys from Charlotte” better get a GPS or something.
-FITSNews
[...] - June 2, 2008 - Yesterday’s edition of La Socialista had an interesting story about the so-called secret memo allegedly penned by our founding editor Sic [...]
[...] in the mainstream media - a void being filled on a daily basis by alternative papers like the Free Times and blogs like The Pulse of [...]
[...] since we know a little bit about such things, we figured we would be the ideal peeps to bring you the skinny on [...]