Bobby Harrell Says “Me, Too”

During last week’s high stakes showdown between Gov. Mark Sanford and the S.C. Employment Security Commission (ESC), it’s no surprise that S.C. House Speaker Bobby Harrell was among those leading the chorus of legislative opposition to the governor.

Specifically, Harrell called Sanford’s refusal to apply for a $146 million federal loan “inconceivable,” and joined other legislative leaders in demanding that the governor acquiesce.

Sanford ultimately signed off on the loan request – but not before he had publicly humiliated the ESC, sparked a legislative audit of the agency’s wasteful, inefficient ways and discovered a method for removing the ESC commissioners (all former legislators) if such habitual incompetence continues.

As one S.C. political blog noted, Sanford “played” everyone involved in the debate, getting exactly what he wanted without taking the nuclear option of withholding the benefits.

Either way, now that he’s got nothing to bitch about, Bobby Harrell is singing a different tune.

From the Charleston Regional Business Journal:

“The Employment Security Commission should agree to the LAC audit and should be able to set a date to comply with the request to share vital employment information, if they are not able to share it immediately,” Harrell said. “The General Assembly will help the ESC with whatever legislation they need to help them to comply with the request to share information with the Department of Commerce.

“While the need for a LAC audit is crucial to ensure this agency is functioning properly, it is inconceivable to think that the sharing of vital employment data is a problem,” he added. “The Department of Commerce only wants the additional employment information so it can better help our unemployed citizens find work. And with the third-worst unemployment rate in the nation, our state should be doing everything possible to help our unemployed find available jobs in the market.”

Interesting. Those are precisely the two things Sanford asked the agency to agree to – requests it refused.

In fact, the ESC was so pathetically immature about this spat that last week it began directing anyone who called the agency – for any reason – to “call the governor’s office.” Which is just bush league.

Of course Harrell’s people will argue that the Speaker supported these reforms all along, and that he merely disagreed with the governor’s tactics.

That’s quite obviously bullsh*t, but that’s what they’ll argue.

As for Sanford, we’re glad he took the fight to the ESC (and won some key points) but his handling of the whole affair could create problems for his administration down the road.

Specifically, the perception is that the governor was bluffing. Obviously that’s simplistic and ignores a ton of background, but like we said – it’s the perception that’s out there.

That means the next time the governor goes to DEFCON 4 on an issue he had better be ready to press the button, or else the threats become meaningless.

Bigger picture?

The issue of this agency’s incompetence remains totally unresolved, with the ESC essentially asking for a tax increase to continue operations.