Now I don’t know about other areas in the state, but Chesterfield County is rotten to the core politically. That’s not saying everyone around here in politics is corrupt, but even those who aren’t know to keep their mouths shut. And no, I don’t have a criminal record. I have just seen a lot firsthand. SLED has not and does not serve the people of SC. They are owned by the corrupt political machine that is the SC political body. And that is fact. As far as proof and what people know, they are only going to post so much. Not joking about the Pee Dee River and concrete boots. Or worse.

I worked for Chief Stewart for about 18 years first as SLED’s Director of Administration and then as a Special Agent specializing in economic crime and insurance fraud investigations. While I may have had differences with the Chief from time to time, at the end of the day, I respected his conservative and professional management of a complex and difficult agency. Under his leadership, he advanced SLED to be one of the foremost law enforcement agencies in the country. I can testify first hand to Chief Stewart’s fiscal integrity and conservatism in managing the public’s money. Furthermore prior to becoming a SLED employee, I audited the agency and found that, although there were a few minor audit exceptions, for the most part, the agency has had a tradition of excellent and sound fiscal management and a strong sense of right and wrong.

For Lloyd to say there were no budgetary controls is ludricous unless this occurred during his watch. SLED is appropriated money in accordance with a budget approved and appropriated by the General Assembly. Requests for expenditures are submitted to the Comptroller General’s Office which then matches those requests to the agency’s approved budget and then the State Treasurer writes checks to pay for approved expenditures. Where is there a lack of budgetary control? While the agency has certain discretionary funds which it controls for certain investigative operations, these funds are also approved by the General Assembly. These funds were subjected to an audit at least every two years and since I audited them for many years, I can attest to the fact that the funds were expended for their intended purposes and were tightly controlled. I can’t say what happened after Lloyd’s assumption of command.

I don’t have a clue as to what is currently going on with the agency, but conversations with folks who do indicate that since Chief Stewart and other members of his senior staff have left either voluntarily or otherwise, the agency certainly is not the same well managed and respected State Law Enforcement Agency that it once was.

Where is our Attorney General? Why isn’t he demanding answers? After all, he wants to be your next Governor. Why doesn’t he step up to the plate.

Tim James, the shortest tenured “Chief” of SLED in history, left all of a sudden for no apparent reason. Maybe he knows something we ought to know. He must have had something to do with that accounting system they were trying to put together up in Columbia.

The next time you talk to a SLED Agent ask them about how a 37 year veteran, Major Ben Thomas, was treated by Director Lloyd and his management staff. Then you will have a little better idea of the kind of thugs you are dealing with.

uh uh uh BEAUFORT! Surprise Surprise!

“Gov. Mark Sanford will be in Beaufort today to name the new clerk of court, , according to a news release from his office. The announcement will be made at 2 p.m. at the Beaufort County Courthouse at 102 Ribaut Road. Last week, sitting clerk Elizabeth Smith resigned after being indicted on embezzlement charges.”

http://www.islandpacket.com/1493/story/928155.html