“Rusty Gate” Rolls On
The seemingly interminable drama of S.C. Republican activist Rusty DePass rolled on yesterday as a source at his former real estate brokerage accused Columbia S.C. Mayor Bob Coble of pressuring the firm to fire DePass’ for making racist comments on a social networking website last week.
One of DePass’ former employees told FITS on condition of anonymity that Coble specifically threatened to deny city business to the Wilson-Kibler firm if it did not fire the former county GOP chairman – who last week posted a comment on Facebook comparing U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama with a gorilla that had escaped from a Columbia, S.C. zoo.
“That’s absolutely not true,” Mayor Coble told FITS yesterday. “There’s not a kernel of truth to that one. I would never do that. I haven’t been over there. I haven’t talked to anybody over there.”
Coble said he was not immediately aware of any business that Wilson-Kibler has with city government, although our source at the firm says that Wilson-Kibler does “a lot of work” with the governments of both the City of Columbia, S.C. and Richland County, S.C.
“My goal in all of this has been to make sure people know he does not speak for the people of Columbia, South Carolina,” Coble said. “That’s it.”
Coble added that “I think the way (DePass) handled himself has been appropriate,” referring to a press conference that DePass held Wednesday with NAACP leaders apologizing for his remark.
“You know, you can’t ask for any more than that,” Coble said.
So, does Coble think DePass should have been fired from his job?
“I think Rusty did what he felt he had to do,” Coble said. “If he worked for me and had apologized in that way, I think that would have been enough.”
DePass was “let go” from his position Tuesday, our source at Wilson-Kibler says, adding that DePass did not want to leave but was asked to resign.
A FITS poll taken last week showed that 82% of readers described DePass’ remark as “harmful racism,” although a more recent poll shows that only 32% of readers felt that he should have lost his job for the comments.
Comments
By GTA on June 19th, 2009 at 11:06 am
Is Mike Green stll employed at Starboard Communications?
By Billy Bob on June 19th, 2009 at 11:31 am
Isn’t it time to leave this alone. You have beat this story for a week now. We all get it now. Rusty said something he shouldn’t have said but move on. There is nothing more here to see.
By Jake Jarmon on June 19th, 2009 at 11:48 am
How long are you going to keep this charade up. You destroy a good man and then you are surprised by how long it keeps on going. You just keep on posting dumb comments on it. No one cares about this story anymore. How about Will Folks the convicted domestic violence abuser who posts on the web. How pathetic you are!
By fitsnews on June 19th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
GTA- No clue.
Billy Bob and Jake- We disagree. As do our readers. As do MSM outlets and their readers.
-FITS
By jilted on June 19th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Silence can no longer be golden. Mr. Folks, the nature of your inappropriate prior relationship with a certain Wilson Kibler employee needs to be disclosed now by you before it is disclosed somewhere else.
By Eric on June 19th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Rusty has been a bare knuckle activist for years, and now he gets a taste of his own medicine.
He should pull an Atwater and apologize to all that he has crossed over the years. That would be a long, long list.
By fitsnews on June 19th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
“Jilted,”
Really? We’re curious. By all means, tell us more!
-FITS
By Elmo on June 19th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Everybody likes to watch a public hanging. Go google rusty depass – it sure ain’t just fits news running this story.
Frankly, I cant wait to watch another racist Republican blow off his foot with another similar comment.
By SC Southpaw on June 19th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Maybe they cut him loose because two brokers Ted Pits (state rep and Lt. Gov candidate) and Julian Wilson (son of Joe Wilson) don’t want to be guilty by association. Rusty is politically toxic at this point so I cannot imagine anyone with a political future wanting him around.
By Know Nothing on June 19th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Wow, he is right. 47 pages of google results. lets hope his great great great grandkids never google him…..
The real question is, what will Rusty run for in the next cycle? Cover?
Mayor? Thats it…..Mayor. Mayor Goldie Wilson.
By Jim on June 19th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
Surely he would be welcome at the all white country club in Columbia- maybe even get a reduced membership fee now.
By Silence Dogood on June 19th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Jilted noted that “Silence can no longer be golden,” I beg the differ, Sir.
- Silence Dogood…Golden!
By Toyota Kawaski on June 19th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Hello dead horse wake up i need to beat you again
By reno on June 19th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Jilted: Sic’s little MILF fetish is all over town. She(rri) is probably one of many.
By BIN News Editorial Staff on June 20th, 2009 at 12:21 am
Our funding editor is titti-lated at the prospect of learning more about sic(k) willie’s “MILF fetish.” Details, great! Photos, awesome!!!
Stay tuned for Breathless in the Vista.
BIN News Editorial Staff
On Assignment – The Vista, S.C.
By Christian to Christian on June 20th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
ATTN: William R. Folks, III.
Whats your damage… Here is a passage from OUR Holy Bible.
Micah 6:8
Look it up if you like. But you know it. Maybe it will help you. I pray that it will.
Praying for you, Folks, and hope everything is well with you and Your Family. – Christian to Christian
By fitsnews on June 20th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
C to C,
Sic Willie prefers Malachi 4:6 and Revelations 6:8 … “look (them) up if you like.”
-FITS
By Christian to Christian on June 20th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Sic Willie,
Thanks, Your preferences make an interesting read.
My preference… Ephesians 6:1-23(whole chapter) I hope you will read it.
Peace.
-Christian to Christian
By Everyday In Amarica on June 20th, 2009 at 11:51 pm
“By Billy Bob on June 19th, 2009 at 11:31 am”
Isn’t it time to leave this alone. You have beat this story for a week now. We all get it now. Rusty said something he shouldn’t have said but move on. There is nothing more here to see.”
Everyday in America, whenever a group or individual talks about the atrocities that they or there kind have suffered through and are still suffering through to this day, that point to the guilt of a particular group in America, that the particular group always say it’s time to “get over it”. What would those same particular people say if they were told to ‘Get over “Pearl Harbor” or the Civil War. I just wonder…but by the way…the civil war…the South LOST.
By UpYers on June 21st, 2009 at 10:17 am
RE: Every day in Hell (err Amarica (sic)) – General Lee surrendered. The “South” did not – you won’t read that in your yankee history books.