The Speaker’s Special Interest Bonanza
HARRELL’S “LEADERSHIP” PAC RAKING IN THE CASH
FITSNews – March 2, 2008 – In case you missed the Charleston Post and Courier last week, House Speaker Bobby Harrell pretty much duped the state’s oldest newspaper into believing that his fundraising efforts were little more than “casual family picnics” where ordinary South Carolinians gave him their hard-earned $25 contributions.
We’re not sure what possessed the typically-reliable Post and Courier to let that comment stand unchallenged, but the fact remains that Harrell’s portrayal is starkly at odds with the hundreds of thousands of dollars in special interest contributions his political action committee has raked over the last three years.
Tobacco companies, pharmaceutical interests, powerful law firms, nuclear waste dumpers and dozens of assorted political action committees have all poured $3,500 checks into Harrell’s Palmetto Leadership Council since its inception, a veritable special interest bonanza that was completely ignored in the P&C story last Sunday.
FITSNews is in the process of compiling all of Harrell’s PAC disclosure forms for a more extensive report later this month, but in the meantime here are a few interesting nuggets from the filings we were able to obtain via the S.C. State Ethics Commission …
Data Recognition Corporation
$2,500 (7/27/2007)
About a month ago, we exposed an effort to gut South Carolina’s education accountability standards that several sources told us was a collaborative effort between Speaker Harrell and Superintendent Jim Rex. After our story broke, Harrell’s office denied any involvement in this failed effort and quickly drafted a new bill aimed specifically at reforming the ineffective Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test (PACT), which has been administered for years by Minnesota-based Data Recognition Corporation. In addition to the tens of millions of dollars this company has been paid to administer PACT, Data Recognition Corp. was also awarded a contract worth $825,000 last year to reform the test.
Kathryn Williams
$3,500 (11/10/2005)
$3,500 (10/31/2006)
A personal injury lawyer in the Upstate, Kathryn Williams has been leading the fight to preserve our state’s non-competitive workers’ compensation system for years. Known for her especially cozy relationships with legislators and judges, she has also given money to Rep. Harry Cato’s Leadership PAC, the Carolina Commerce Fund.
Lorillard Tobacco
$3,500 (8/24/2007)
$3,500 (9/14/2006)
$3,500 (11/2/2005)
Reynolds American (R.J. Reynolds)
$3,500 (5/22/2007)
$3,500 (3/3/2006)
Hey, we’ve got no problem with big tobacco, but $17,500 in two years a pretty hefty chunk of change, people.
Anyway, stay tuned for our full report on Harrell’s PAC contributions coming later this month …
Comments
By Ross Shealy on March 2nd, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Thanks for exposing this $2,500 attempt by Data Recognition Company to buy SC’s government.
By fitsnews on March 2nd, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Shot/Ross,
Have we told/ y’all lately/ that we love you?
Have we told y’all/ there’s no one else/ above you …
You fill our blog with gladness/ you take away all our sadness …
Ease our troubles/ that’s what y’all do …
-FITSNews
By Muckraker on March 2nd, 2008 at 8:46 pm
Who would have thought? Speaker Harrell in the pocket of tobacco lobbyists…I guess this explains why SOUTH CAROLINA HAS THE LOWEST CIGARETTE TAX IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
The dolt at the Post & Courier who wrote last week’s front-page piece deserves to be demoted or fired.
By anonymous on March 2nd, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Fitsnews said:
“stay tuned for our full report on Harrell’s PAC contributions” and
“HARRELL’S “LEADERSHIP†PAC RAKING IN THE CASH”
Hey , while you guys are busy compiling lists, why don’t you compile a list of all of Sanford’s contributors. Don’t forget the out-of-state contributors and all of his cronies and developer friends and business partners.
By broom with a C on March 2nd, 2008 at 9:38 pm
Tried to point out that Tim and his crew got beat by Adam Piper; however, Tim must have figured that he did not need the bad press and decided not to publish my post. Guess I’ll just have to get a football player to kick his ass next time I see him in five-points.
By Ron on March 3rd, 2008 at 12:20 am
Fits news:
I’m going to have to go back and read up on the superlobbyist Abramoff scandal. It was rumored to have tentacles to the various state houses around the country. I thought in a conservative state like ours, that the US attorney would have been all over it. Wasn’t it around that time that Strom Thurmond Jr. resigned and about a year later, his successor, Reginald Lloyd has suddenly been tapped to head SLED. There’s been no continuity in that office that brought us “Operation Lost Trust” under the capable leadership of The Honorable Henry McMaster who had been appointed by Ronald Reagan to that post as i recall. Good luck Fits News!! Your nosing around into some “rather heavy stuff”. You might even want a “security detail”. I’m dead serious! I wish you well in your endeavors.
Sincerely!!
By Scandal on March 3rd, 2008 at 9:04 am
Ron,
Agree with the post, but “Operation Lost Trust” was under Bart Daniel. Not McMaster, if I recall correctly.
By truthseeker on March 3rd, 2008 at 9:10 am
Taking Big Tobaky money to keep cigarettes cheap so teenagers can get addicted… Dam it just don’t get no better than that. And most of the press ain’t smart enuff to even know about it .
By The Observer on March 3rd, 2008 at 9:57 am
“It’s a business doing pleasure when you trade your vote for treasure you finally made the the 6 o’clock news, seems that money sex and drugs wire taps and other bugs…..from the the townhouse to statehouse from the court house you’ll remember Ron Cobb for ever after”… seems quite reminiscent of days gone by around here
By Shamus O'Toole on March 3rd, 2008 at 10:28 am
Why is everyone so outraged? If you’re reading this blog, chances are you are a politico on some level. How do I know this? Because your average South Carolinian doesn’t know about and quite frankly doesn’t care about FITS News or what it has to say.(No offense Will. We still love you.)
That being said, why are y’all acting like this is some type of corrupt practice? The only reason that this is being made out to be something sinister is because none of us are getting paid by the PAC or benefiting from in some way. Come on, let’s be honest with ourselves. We are all willing to “dance the fine line of political ethics” as long as we get a decent check. That’s how the game is played. I didn’t make the rules. Our jobs as hacks is to figure out how to use them to our advantage.
By Ron on March 3rd, 2008 at 10:46 am
Scandal:
You’re correct that Bart Daniel was the US Atty at the time of Lost Trust. I’m getting c.r.s. disease (can’t remember sh__). Thanks for the correction. It prompted me to go back and read a few articles on the issue.
Shamus: Interesting but sad commentary ref your quote “we’re all willing to “dance the fine line of political ethics” as long as we get a decent check”. If that’s the prevailing thought is Columbia, and I think it is, then we the people should continue this grassroots effort “TO THROW THE RASCALS OUT”.
By anonymous on March 3rd, 2008 at 11:26 am
McMaster was also involved in “Operation Jackpot”
Operation Jackpot vs. Garry Chupurdy Operation Cat’s Meow – Beaufort, SC
http://www2.beaufortgazette.com/blogs/post/18079
By anonymous on March 3rd, 2008 at 11:56 am
Shamus O’Toole, wake up pal! You’re way off on you’re assumptions.
It’s interesting that you try to discredit everyone. Good try anyway.
By Shamus O'Toole on March 4th, 2008 at 11:17 am
Anonymous,
I am not trying to discredit anyone. By our actions, we all discredit ourselves.
All are guilty in one form or another. If you believe that is not true, all I have to say is “Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.”
It is hypocritical to say that we are above it all. Get real.
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