More Shadiness From The Shealys

KEEPING THE INDISCRETIONS IN THE FAMILY

FITSNews – April 25, 2008 – Before we get started on this post, we’d like to state for the record that our interest level in who becomes the next S.C. District 79 State Representative is totally nonexistent. Honestly, we’ve cared more about what brand of dental floss we purchase, people.

We are interested in drawing attention to the shady behavior of political consultant Rod Shealy and his associates, however - and while this story probably isn’t as newsworthy as planting illegal immigrants, breaking the state’s lobbying law or running a fraudulent “reform” caucus, it’s yet another example of how truth and the rules of political engagement just don’t matter to Rod and his crew.

For example, state ethics law clearly prohibits blasting out campaign material to government e-mail addresses, but that’s precisely what Rod Shealy, Jr. got caught doing this week in the District 79 race on behalf of candidate David Herndon.

According to e-mails obtained exclusively by FITSNews, the younger Rod sent out a missive entitled “David Herndon – For Our Kids” to public school e-mail addresses in Richland School District 2 this Monday afternoon.

Several school teachers in the District (of which our own Sic Willie is a proud alum) have forwarded the e-mail to us, which reads in part:

As a public school parent, I care deeply about education. Truly improving our quality of life — from reducing our tax burden to growing the economy — starts with improving our public school.

We’re assuming they meant to say “schools,” but whatever. That’s not our point.

Nor is it our point that this Herndon guy is obviously yet another idiot who thinks that pouring more money into our state’s fatally flawed public education system is somehow going to magically produce a different result … which, sadly, is probably why he got a little journalilstic fellatio from La Socialista‘s Brad Warthen.

Our point is this – if you’re running against the Shealys, be prepared to have your opponent cheat every opportunity they get. And lie every opportunity they get.

Sure, our state has ethics laws and election laws, but those don’t matter to the Shealys. Nor does it matter that their entire 2008 campaign strategy for State House races is based on a complete and total fabrication.

And as we saw in Beaufort, S.C. last month, trespassing and defaming local small businesses for the purpose of manufacturing a fake immigration scandal isn’t out of bounds, either.

Personally, we like Rod and R.J. Shealy, the latter of whom declined to comment on his illegal e-blast on behalf of the Herndon campaign.

Seriously, they’re both witty, funny guys who are obviously very good at what they do.

And it’s honestly hard to blame them for pulling this kind of crap when nobody ever lifts a finger to stop them.

Sure, there was that one time Rod got convicted of election fraud for paying an unemployed black fisherman to run against his sister in an effort to scare white voters to the polls, but other than that, their habitual violation of the rules that govern politics and elections in this state is pretty much tolerated.

After all, what’s the big bad S.C. Ethics Commission going to do about it?

Shealy shadiness … it’s pretty much become a South Carolina political institution.