Governor’s Right-hand Man Steps Down
TOM DAVIS SET TO LAUNCH STATE SENATE BID
FITSNews - March 19, 2008 - Beaufort Attorney Tom Davis, the architect of the Jasper County port deal and an indispensable advisor to both of Gov. Mark Sanford’s successful gubernatorial campaigns, is stepping down as the governor’s Chief of Staff, the Beaufort Gazette is reporting.
Davis, 47, says he intends to mount a primary challenge against incumbent State Sen. Catherine Ceips, with an official announcement likely to come within days. Filing for primary elections in South Carolina opened Sunday, and closes on March 30.
For her part, Ceips announced last week that she had joined political consultant Rod Shealy’s so-called “Reform Caucus,” which was pilloried in yesterday’s Gazette story and referred to as “a sham” on the editorial page of this morning’s La Socialista.
Also, a day after telling the Gazette that “you’ll never hear me say anything negative about people who want to offer public service,” Ceips went on the early offensive against Davis at a meeting of the Beaufort County Republican Party over the weekend, saying that there were already “too many lawyers” in the S.C. General Assembly.
Additionally, Davis was the recipient of another broadside this week courtesy of the website run by veteran S.C. political consultant Warren Tompkins‘ firm, which proclaimed Davis as the “founder of Viewpolitik” and the “producer of FITSNews.com.”
Both claims are patently false.
Davis was the private practice attorney who served as “registered agent” for Viewpolitik, LLC - the parent company of FITSNews - when the firm was founded in early 2003 by our editor-in-chief, Sic Willie.
FITSNews wasn’t formed for another three-and-a-half years - in December 2006 - long after Davis had handled the paperwork associated with Viewpolitik’s initial incorporation.
So why is Davis suddenly in Tompkins’ crosshairs? Not surprisingly, the answer is money.
According to a March 2008 lobbyist report, Tompkins’ firm represents the “Injured Workers’ Advocates,” a group of personal injury attorneys who until last year operated under a considerably less-appetizing name, the “S.C. Claimant’s Attorneys Association.”
That’s the same group Davis took to the proverbial woodshed on multiple occasions during the workers’ compensation debate that raged in Columbia during his tenure as Sanford’s Chief of Staff.
“The irony is he gets beat up for being a lawyer one day, then he gets beat up for going after lawyers the next day,” one State House insider told FITSNews. “And he’s not even a candidate yet.”
As La Socialista’s venerable Lee Bandy is wont to say, “batten down the hatches,” people.
Comments
By Ken Casey on March 19th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Catherine Ceips is short.
By Billy Joe on March 19th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
This is going to be a great race. One candidate is in bed with someone sleazy, and the other is Catherine Ceips. Can’t wait to see the mail pieces.
By truthseeker on March 19th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
I wish Tom Davis the best of luck .From my limited experience, he seemed bright and genuinely interested in doing what is best for the taxpayers of our State.
By lowercase man on March 19th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
registered agents are commonly used to handle a company’s paperwork and initial filing. saying a registered agent “founded” a company is like saying thomas jefferson’s secretary “founded” a nation.
methinks you are onto something regarding the ambulance chasers, fits. davis hurt them bad and they are exacting their revenge.
By q. on March 19th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
the point is not whether davis is a lawyer, whether he likes or dislikes lawyers, or whether his eyes are too close together. (okay, i didn’t mean that last part). the point is that support for catherine ceips is well-earned and unyielding, and tom davis has spent so much time between the walls of that state house west wing that he couldn’t find his way back to beaufort with mapquest and a chauffeur named andré.
~quintus
By Junior on March 19th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
q…well earned and unyeilding? She’s a republican when she feels the pressure, a democrat when it’s convenient, and has continuously committed adultry with a qwack that she now can’t get rid of.
By I KNOW TRASH WHEN I SEE IT on March 19th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Catherine Ceips is a disgrace to the fine people of Beaufort. She has accomplished exactly nothing in Columbia. She runs around with Wally S ( i guess insurance agents are a step above lawyers). Most notably, she was spotted at a Ball in Beaufort in February with her boobs flopping all over the place out of a low cut red dress. YIKES!!!
Maybe she and her paramour W.S. should just retire to the mountains permanently.
By Some one who cares.... on March 19th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
She’ll crush him!! She’s tough and a fighter. House races are really retail level politics. Davis may well be more qualified, have better ideas and even be smarter. But, where the rubber meets the road there are few that can compete with Catherine Ceips and even fewer willing to work as hard as she.
All the rumors and inuendos were around the last time and she prevailed. Oh, and BTW, Davis will have some trouble playing the morality card…. You all left that part out.
Frankly, if I were king of the world, or even a registered voter in that Senate district, I’d have Tom Davis over Ceips every day of the week, but that isn’t what’s going to happen. Mark it down!!!!
By Porkys on March 19th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
The tramp who Wallace bounced out of the House used to wear a short red dress everywhere too. Ironic, don’t y’all think?
By anonymous on March 19th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Ravenel mulls starting sentence immediately
“Former S.C. Treasurer Thomas Ravenel is considering starting his 10-month federal prison sentence immediately instead of waiting five months as allowed Friday by a judge”
“In sentencing the pair Friday, Anderson ordered that they wouldn’t have to start their sentences for five months to allow the possibility of a further sentence reduction for their cooperation in an ongoing investigation”.
VIDEO:
http://videos.thestate.com/vmix_hosted_apps/p/media?id=1771735
FULL STORY
http://www.thestate.com/breaking/story/351012.html
By Believe It Not (a.k.a. Sic Willie's Stalker) on March 19th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
Ferret Face and Droopy Eyes. Looks like a couple. Put sic(k) willie in the middle and you’d have a man-age-a-twat. You know, that kinky French thing about three strikes and you’re out. Or, something like that.
By Junior on March 20th, 2008 at 5:17 am
Funny #9, I bet Beaufort feels the same way as you do. She’s a hard worker no doubt…but given the options…I like where this rubber meets the road. Tom’s got it.
By no respect! on March 20th, 2008 at 5:38 am
Catherine Ceips is not respected…………..in Columbia or in Beaufort County. She will not “crush” Davis. She has a real fight on her hands.
If she wants to play a “morality card” with Davis, she’d better be prepared to air all of her own very dirty laundry.
By Some one who cares.... on March 20th, 2008 at 9:54 am
Dear #14, I ASS-u-me your responding to me. I wouldn’t expect Ceips to play the morality card at all, my point is that Davis can’t either.
And Junior, your right, she has a fight on her hands, she’ll need to work thisone as hard as possible. But watch, the Gov won’t name a replacement for Davis…….
By anonymous on March 20th, 2008 at 11:15 am
RAVENEL RUNS TO PRISON!
I WANT TO GO NOW!
By Bunny Games for Easter Weekend on March 20th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Someone who cares,
If you wouldn’t expect the morality card to be an issue, why would you bring it up? After all, you started that discussion. Thanks for the heads up as to how Shealy/Ceips plan to run their campaign!! It’s better to be on the offensive than on the defensive, right? puuhhhhleeeze, you’re so transparent!!
Tell your girl Cate to go play bunny games with Wally this weekend!
Happy Easter! Love, Junior
By Palmetto Pulse on March 21st, 2008 at 3:54 pm
I watched the John Adams series on HBO the other evening and was reminded of the sacrifices, strength, courage and brazen of our founding fathers. I long for the days when politicians, and their constituency for that matter, can reach deep down inside themselves to find a time gone by. The constant battering I hear about Ceips and Davis, whether negative or positive, is not speaking of the issues, the meat of the matter. Who can help the people of the District more? Catherine Ceips has had her shot in the House and now in the Senate. This District’s voice should be loud and heard in that hallowed dome and it’s not. We shoudn’t be taking back seats, we should be driving the bus. Tom Davis has never had this chance. I think with his qualifications, background and passion- he’d make our voices heard!
By anonymous on March 25th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
March 25, 2008
Sheriff calls press conference on missing couple case
Sheriff P.J. Tanner has called a press conference for Wednesday at 11 a.m. to answer questions about John and Liz Calvert, part-time Hilton Head Island residents who have been missing since March 3.
Tanner said in a news release today that he will address questions on the investigation into the disappearance of the Calverts, as well as those concerning the apparent suicide of Dennis Gerwing, a former business associate of the Calverts who was found dead in a Sea Pines villa after the Sheriff’s Office said he was a “person of interest” in the case.
http://www.islandpacket.com/front/story/262339.html
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