Spoof: “Treasurer Chellis Takes Lead On Accountability”

We have no idea who sent out the fake news release below, but it’s easily one of the wittiest (and most accurate) political spoofs we’ve seen in a long time.

Whoever this mystery author is, they’ve managed to cleverly tickle our funny bones while at the same time masterfully exposing the panicked, overtly-political “conservative” course corrections going on over at S.C. Treasurer Converse Chellis’ office.

Enjoy …

State Treasurer Converse Chellis is taking a leading role in the fight for greater government transparency.

Saying people “should know how their tax dollars are being spent at the local level,” Chellis last week tackled the issue head-on, boldly issuing a press release.

A former Summerville (S.C.) state legislator, Chellis vowed to “withhold funds from local governments that do not comply with the state’s financial reporting law,” according to the press release.

Chellis and the issue of being transparent are nearly synonymous, say political observers. Readers of the press release, which sent shock waves through the political establishment, had to read no further than its third sentence to discovered that Chellis had once supported legislation to require the state treasurer to withhold funds for local governments 13 months late in their audited financial statements.

“We’ve long believed that transparency is key to voters’ ability to hold government accountable for the decisions it makes,” Gov. Mark Sanford said. “To that end, I’d give credit to Ashley Landess and the S.C. Policy Council, Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom and Representatives Nikki Haley and Nathan Ballentine, each of whom have long been working hard for government openness and accountability.

“Oh, there’s also Converse Chellis’s press release. I would like to thank Treasurer Chellis for being as transparent as he is.”

The fact that Chellis is “going out on a limb ” for taxpayers seems to be paying dividends. Voters, at least those who work on the first floor of the Hampton Building in Columbia, say his hard-nosed approach to the 19 local governments who are more than a year overdue on their financial audit statements is needed.

Government accountability is important, said “Kelly,” a state government employee who works in the Hampton Building and recently posted a comment favorable to the treasurer on a blog. “Converse Chellis is leading the fight for accountability in many ways, such as issuing press releases.”

Chellis said transparency is the issue of the day. “It’s the issue du jour, if you will,” he said. “I sent this press release for one reason — to encourage these 19 governments to be more transparent. This was not grandstanding. This was not because transparency has emerged as an issue voters seem to feel is important, and it is not because I am up for re-election. I urge the citizens of South Carolina not to put two and two together.”

“Issue du jour …” Now that’s classic stuff!

We did a story on Chellis’ recent maneuverings earlier this month, but this mystery author has clearly taken the ball and run with it in a much funnier, more creative direction.

Again, we have no idea who the evil mastermind is, but the e-mail address that accompanied it is: scgovernmentaccountability@gmail.com.

Needless to say, we look forward to hearing (a lot) more from this author in the future, just as we look forward to your guesses in the comment section as to who the mastermind might be …

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