SC HIGHWAY PATROL REELING FROM RELEASE OF TROOPER MISCONDUCT RECORDS
FITSNews – April 26, 2008 – Fresh revelations of trooper misconduct are on the front pages of South Carolina’s three biggest newspapers this morning, as The (Columbia) State, Charleston Post and Courier and Greenville News all detailed various offenses ranging from physically abusing suspects to performing favors for elected officials.
According to The State’s story:
A 2005 complaint accused a high-ranking State Transport Police officer of ordering his officers to toss tickets issued to truckers traveling to or near the Lee County landfill, based on an agreement with state Rep. Grady Brown, D-Lee.
Maj. William Tommy Moore told investigators that about a year earlier, Brown had asked him to keep his officers away from the landfill, contending it provided 30 percent to 40 percent of the county’s tax base …
… another case raises the prospect of interference in drunken-driving cases by Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg.
In January, Lance Cpl. David Smith sent 17 tickets to his supervisor. Twelve tickets were marked as “not guilty.†Ten of those 12 were for DUI. Hutto was the lawyer for all 17 recipients of the tickets, according to a Jan. 28 letter from Smith’s supervisor, Capt. C.N. Williamson.
“This type of action by a trooper, finding driving under the influence tickets not guilty without a trial, is improper,†Williamson wrote. “I request that this matter be investigated further.â€
Rep. Brown apparently declined to speak with The State, but he did admit to his involvement in The Greenville News story …
Brown told The Greenville News that he did talk to a State Transport Police major and asked him not to ticket trucks at the entrance of the landfill after the landfill operator complained. Brown said he suggested that there were plenty of areas around the county for the police to ticket trucks.
Nice …Â
As for Hutto – who at this point has to rank as one of the most ethically-bankrupt lawmakers in the history of the state (which is saying something) – he didn’t return calls from either newspaper.
By anonymous April 26, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Legal, ethics experts question the SC State Ethics Commission’s dismissal of the Governor’s brother-in-law Ethics investigation.
http://www.beaufortgazette.com/local/story/419371.html
By Emily April 27, 2008 at 6:28 am
Why did the governor allow this to happen?
To many of us this horrible activity has been known for years…and with this agency as a quasi- cabinet agency I don’t see how Sanford skates with no accountability at all.
He appoints the head of the agency, his office is involved with their budget and many other functions. How can this bad behavior be a surprise to him? Hell, he even had one of the prime offenders on HIS persoanl security team!
Politics in SC is amazing.
By Vagabond April 27, 2008 at 9:00 am
Emily…you’re clueless. This state’s ass-backward constitution essentially leaves the governor with nothing to do but complain since he can’t control any of this mess. Yes, he appoints agency leadership — but he has zero authority to fire them. He also doesn’t select members of his security team, and he asked that the guy get reassigned the second this came out.
Catch a clue…you’re embarassing yourself.
By Spanky Monky April 27, 2008 at 3:59 pm
In this state, anything is possible. We’re the only state in America where the appearance of Paul Rubens (Pee Wee Herman) at the State House would NOT be a big deal.
By Emily April 27, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Vagabond…
He does hire…so if the guy wants to be reappointed…he listens closely to Sanford…otherwise the agency head is a fool and out of a job.
The budget process involves the governor, and NO agency head wants his budget in jeapordy.
The detail is assigned, but if the Gov does not like, he is gone. The gov was around this guy and did not notice the lack of character.
At any time the gov can call a press conference and splatter the agency head accross the front page of the paper.
You guys act like when the Guv calls a state employee they don’t pick up the phone or when they do they say piss off Mark, and your old lady too. Gimme a break.
YOU GUYS IN THE GOVERNORS OFFICE NEED A NEW MANTRA…WE ARE TIRED OF THIS ONE…YOU CLUELESS BUT NO DOUBT OVER PAID SANFORD LACKY.
By Mike Hoare April 28, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Someone should take the SEC to a real court and kick their butts. As many corrupt Carolinians have met their demise at the hands of the Federal Courts with many similiar attributes.
Equal protection clause in SC is equal to paying off the Crips , the Bloods, and apparently the SCHP too. Hopefully, Blackwater USA will be deployed in the near future to straighten out the state that seems to be in an endless Hurricane Katrina spiral since inception.
Beautiful places, and smiling ignorant faces.
Glad to be an expat.