The insider war of words between South Carolina’s top attorney and top judge is escalating, sources close to both camps tell FITS.
S.C. Attorney General Henry McMaster – who has been described (accurately, we might add) by Chief Justice Jean Toal as less-than-competent and something of a media whore – has reportedly stepped up his investigation of the Court’s controversial attorney discipline system, which was the subject of an American Bar Association “report” last September.
Of course, that report is being viewed with skepticism by lawmakers after it was revealed that the Court (and Toal in particular) had a heavy hand in its preparation, including the Chief Justice allegedly rewriting certain sections that she didn’t like.
Toal backers – who were planning on using the report to shoot down several judicial branch reforms – are accusing McMaster of leaking unflattering details about the report to members of the media and to lawmakers.
Additionally, Toal’s supporters say that McMaster is conducting a politically-motivated investigation of the Court in an effort to further his gubernatorial ambitions, and in retaliation for Toal’s blistering comments about McMaster and his handling of a controversial sex case in 2007.
Sources close to the Attorney General brushed off those comments, defending McMaster’s job performance in the infamous Kenneth Hinson “sex dungeon” case and accusing Toal of having a “conflict of interest” because her cousin, Rick Hoefer, was the attorney McMaster went up against in that high-profile trial.
All in all, things appear to be going from bad to worse for the Chief Justice.
Loathed by the business community for her liberal rulings and already reeling from heightened executive and legislative scrutiny in the wake of several high-profile scandals, Toal is now said to be experiencing a rapid deterioration of support within her own branch of government.
Our mole at the Court tells FITS that an unidentified associate justice “went off” on Toal yesterday in response to her latest public relations embarassment, telling the Chief Justice to her face that she is “embarassing the court.”
Stay tuned …
By tired of lies February 18, 2009 at 1:36 pm
What I want to know is what Mr. Folks will do when his “mole” is exposed – because that day is coming.
THAT will be the shocking truth.
Does your wife know already Will?
By Mab February 18, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Wow — why is it that anytime progress is made around here it has to involve someone compromising themselves?
You are truly astounding, tired — get some rest!
By fitsnews February 18, 2009 at 2:07 pm
“Tired,”
Whatever you think you’ve got, bring it.
-FITS
By my name efang February 18, 2009 at 2:45 pm
my guess is that Judge was Costas Pleciones.
By Ben February 18, 2009 at 2:52 pm
“Tired,” Will doesn’t have the convenience of being anonymous like you. So, quit being such a douche and put up or shut up. Vague extortions are irritating without some meat and potatos. That being said, if you can back up your claim today, on this blog, I will take back the douche remark and buy you a beer.
Let’s see, who on the Supreme Court has the gonads to tell off JT? Not Waller, Beatty, Kittridge or, well its got to be Pleicones. So the mole is probably in Pleicones’ chambers or a staff attorney. Probably a staff attorney. Though I know one of Pleicones’ clerks hates JT, that person probably would probably hate Will even more. Can anyone generate a list of staff attorneys at the Supreme Court? That’s a gossipy crowd. Am I getting close Will? I bet we can deduce the identity of Will’s mole before suppertime. Where are you “tired?”
By StupidShouldHurtMore (SSHM) February 18, 2009 at 3:06 pm
@ FITSNews
“Whatever you think you’ve got, bring it”
Ok … Will, et al, we are all S–T–I–L–L waiting on, as a real man of the news would say, “the rest of the story” with regards to this:
http://www.fitsnews.com/2009/01/25/alleged-gop-blackmail-plot-exposed/
No, I suspect your mole is fed information because certain people in the Judiciary find your works of fiction entertaining (see aforementioned URL). Stick with works of fiction, Will … it’s your true calling.
- SSHM
By A.R.S. February 18, 2009 at 3:50 pm
Ben, you use the word hate twice there. This shouldn’t be about hate, but about bringing trust and integrity to a place where it is sorely lacking.
Whether Henry McMaster is the one to do it — or somebody already in the inner circle, more power to them. The citizens of this state have to have confidence in their judicial system, not to mention businesses considering operations here.
As it stands, could we in good conscience tout our system to anybody? Challenging authority has been feared by too many — for far too long.
By Todd February 18, 2009 at 5:22 pm
In that written report floating around the Judiciary Committees about the South Carolina attorney discipline system being completely “arbitrary and discretionary,” there is mention that last September in a public hearing it was revealed that two lawyers in Queen Jean’s Office of Disciplinary Counsel are under investigation by the Attorney General McMaster’s Office. They are Lee Coggiola and Barbara Seymour. It says that Seymour did a bunch of bad things and that Coggiola covered for Seymour when she found out about it. It’s nasty. I can’t imagine this puts McMaster in a very good spot running for Gov and all that or for Toal who has enough scandals in her department to last about 100 years.
By Ben February 18, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Good point ARS, I agree that we should not fear challenging authority for the best interests of people; so dictates the general thesis of modern democracy. I don’t believe that my post is inconsistent with that concept. I was simply (and rather shallowly) trying to deduce the identity of the mole(which I believe I know now) not make a profound statement regarding the value of civil disobedience. Or in this case anonymous fact feeding to bullshit artist Will Folks, which is much less admirable than the ordinary Thoreau template. (the term “mole” is not exactly a term of endearment either).
If trust and integrity is sorely lacking, and according to your perspective it is, then might I suggest: It isn’t just a job for Henry McMaster or someone in the inner circle; rather, its a job for all of us, each and every person with a stake in the future of this state. Frankly, I do have a great deal of confindence in our judicial system. It is not a system that is going to work right all the time. After all, its run by humans and as such it is subject to error. Unfortunately, the general public doesn’t hear about it when it does work — when it does exemplify honesty and integrity.
By James the Foot Soldier February 18, 2009 at 5:45 pm
Someone ‘splain how cutting the legs out from under Toal (a task she is entirely capable of doing on her own) adds a single vote for McMaster in a primary?
didn’t think so…..
Simply because the dufus is a lawyer (that he is extraordinarily incompetent is beside the point) ought to disqualify Henri from higher office.
By John Harwood February 18, 2009 at 6:17 pm
There is no “mole” at the supreme court. It is a lie. It’s hard to prove a negative, true, but I’d put alot on it.
By A.R.S. February 18, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Moles and ferrets are highly endeared to me, Ben.
Matter of fact, they are freaking REVERED after reading Todd’s post up there about Lee Coggiola and Barbara Seymour being themselves under investigation.
You know, I got a sinking feeling from Lee’s and Babs’ correspondence that, in fact, they’re just crooked lawyers, too.
###
Jamesy, maybe this will keep Henri busy with the courts and away from the governor’s office. Just a thought. De-throning is hard work, you know.
By tired of lies February 18, 2009 at 7:27 pm
There is a mole; of that Mr. Folks has “intimate” knowledge.
Oh and it will be brought. It will indeed be brought.
By tired of lies February 18, 2009 at 7:29 pm
“It” is what Will knows and has “intimate knowledge” of.
To.L.
By tweeter.d February 18, 2009 at 8:49 pm
tol, this is getting mighty juicy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6Qlel59Qrk
By Todd February 18, 2009 at 8:54 pm
I’m slow, but I finally got it. Some of you people think Sic Willie is diddlin’ Stephanie Nye to get insider dirt on Jean Toal. I have never seen anything more than pics of either of these folks. I cannot imagine Stephanie Nye would ever, ever, ever get down with Sic. What would be in it for Nye? No offense, Mrs. pregnant Sic, but really. If Jean had ever had that thought for one nano second, we would be picking up the remaining Nye body parts off of Gervais Street – having been tossed from the upstairs windows. I love this blog and bloggers it brings out.
By Mab February 18, 2009 at 9:00 pm
Corrected vision notwithstanding, what is the thing on the Queen’s shoulder?
Mole? Mink? Ferret? Baby panther? Kitteh?
By Mab February 18, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Ahem…corrected vision notwithstanding…
By James the Foot Soldier February 18, 2009 at 9:41 pm
Dahlin’ Mab,
At the risk of permanent damage to my monitor, I zoomed into the shoulder appendage to Her Honor and it does appear to be a kitten, and furthermore, this kitty-cat appears to be snugglin’ up to Queen Jean’s chin – perhaps licking the spillage from the beverage that was in the big honkin’ styrofoam cup?
Anyone hazard a guess as to the contents of the cup?
By Mab February 18, 2009 at 11:34 pm
Tiger’s Milk?
///
This thread may need an adult sponsor. Where is Mrs. Sic?
By Pictureless Ben February 19, 2009 at 1:10 am
Will is probably not stupid enough to call someone he’s sleeping with a “mole.” And Nye isn’t the mole. He posts about her too much, that’s just too convenient. I mean she’s front and center in the post picture. Will couldn’t keep sources if he were that uncooth. Plus, Stephanie Nye sleeping with Will? Really? Seriously? That’s ridiculous on so many levels.
No offense Will.
Who wants to start dropping real names? If Will had a mole, would that person be a male or female?
By fitsnews February 19, 2009 at 1:17 am
Mab-
We alerted Mrs. Sic to the fact that for the 1,000th time her husband is being accused of sleeping with somebody.
Her comment?
“Tell them I already know … I got in on it.”
She then directed all the naysayers to this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otKU8E3X3kk
And that is how Mrs. Sic rolls.
-FITS
By tired of lies February 19, 2009 at 2:13 am
Humorous avoidance. Nice try. Your “Pic’s Worth” category comes to mind …..
By Ben February 19, 2009 at 10:40 am
Will is obviously not avoiding your claim “Tired,” he’s denying it. You, however, are avoiding giving any details of your claim, which you have threatened to publish. So, really, the ball is in your court. So quit barking and bite.
By Pictureless Ben February 19, 2009 at 10:33 pm
ars(e) is the mole.
By Pete February 19, 2009 at 11:17 pm
Anybody else notice that the legislative judicial screening committee is trying Kenny Goode because neither Henry Mc and his keystone cops nor Queen Jean and her little serfs at the Commission on Judicial Conduct and the ODC ever did anything about him years ago? All the complaints about McConnell and Jakie Knotts sound a little hollow tonight.
By frank February 21, 2009 at 9:37 pm
Jean Troll you need to resign. It is getting to be too much. I knew you were an embarassment to our state’s court and the Supreme Court, but even you have to agree yourself that it’s time to fold your cards and hang up your robe of ego and leave for good before it is too late to restore intergity in our judicial system. Your integity is gone and can not ever be restored, but it is not too late for the Supreme Court or the lower courts to get restored by people that want to do what is right, for the right reason, instead of for political reasons as you have demostrated. Jean, Jakie Knotts or anyone else can not help you now.