Former S.C. Majority Leader Jimmy Merrill (RINO-Charleston) led a delegation of lawmakers who flew on the state plane to a “legislative conference” in Winston-Salem, N.C. last weekend, according to documents obtained by FITS.
Joining Merrill on the state plane were S.C. Reps. Shannon Erickson (RINO-Beaufort), Anne Peterson-Hutto (D-Charleston) and Bill Herbkersman (R-Bluffton). Also flying on your dime were two employees of the Charleston hospitality industry and a registered lobbyist for the S.C. Realtors’ Association, although the name of the lobbyist was listed incorrectly on the passenger manifest.
Winston Salem is only a five-hour drive from South Carolina southern-most point, which begs the obvious question – why didn’t these lawmakers just hop in the car?
As we noted in a previous story, it could be that S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford’s use of the state plane for personal and political reasons has emboldened his legislative antagonists to be even less discreet in their taxpayer-funded travel, which would be yet another unfortunate byproduct of the governor’s recent bad behavior.
This trip isn’t without political hypocrisy, either.
For example, Merrill has made a name for himself in the S.C. General Assembly by publicly opposing taxpayer-funded lobbying, even though many of his fellow lawmakers have accused him of selling out on this issue behind closed doors. Clearly, though, Merrill doesn’t have a problem inviting lobbyists to ride on the state plane with him.
The trip to this “conference” included several legs, as Merrill and his fellow Lowcountry lawmakers insisted on being picked up (and dropped off) in Hilton Head and Charleston rather than driving to Columbia to meet the plane. That adds to the taxpayer cost, obviously, as did the mechanical problems the state plane reportedly experienced while on the ground in Winston-Salem.
In fact, we’re hearing reports that the good folks over at the Division of Aeronautics – which was recently placed under the S.C. Budget and Control Board – had to drive back to South Carolina over the weekend and retrieve both parts and personnel needed to perform emergency repairs on the airplane, which was temporarily grounded during the trip.
Anyway, here’s the passenger manifest, which was provided by the Division of Aeronautics …
Dozens of other lawmakers and taxpayer-funded lobbyists also attended the event on your dime, but they made other travel arrangements.
Previously this year, several House staffers flew up to Winston-Salem on the state plane to “prepare” for this event.
The “Southern Legislative Conference” is at best a second-tier gathering of regional lawmakers. At worst? It’s a complete and total waste of time (and taxpayer resources).
In fact, we’ll be very interested to see what Rep. Merrill and his colleagues claim to have “learned” at this event, because as far as we can tell – and based on firsthand reports we received from the “conference” – most of the S.C. delegation used it as an excuse to get sloshed in bars.
Several pictures from the event have surfaced on various Facebook pages, all of them showing S.C. lawmakers and their staff drinking in bars. In one picture, a red-faced S.C. Ways & Means Committee Chairman Danny Cooper appears to be quite inebriated (which would confirm reports we received), while in another picture Majority Whip Annette Young looks to have had a few too many – which obviously wouldn’t be shocking news given her legendary affinity for the bottle.
Anyway, as the travel of S.C. politicians comes under greater scrutiny, FITS will be tracking every flight made by the state plane and reporting to you on “who flew where, with whom and for what.”
By Ed August 19, 2009 at 10:07 am
I wonder if the taxpayers picked up the bar bills?
By Commonman August 19, 2009 at 11:03 am
The bar bill probably fell under per diem and meals. Sometimes the booze is part of the conference. It would be interesting to see the expense vouchers for legislators and staff that were filed for reimbursement for not only this Conference, but all Conferences. Operation Lost Trust was supposed to chill these chummy relations with lobbyists, but obviously it is a distant memory. Arrogance is running wild. Maybe we need another good sting. Go get’em Will.
By clay August 19, 2009 at 11:22 am
Damn people…..Sic is right. Take the 5hour car ride. Who knows- maybe you could spend that time talking about how to help and serve SC. Call me- Ill drive and pay for the gas myself.
By Not Sayin', Just Sayin' August 19, 2009 at 11:42 am
If we taxpayers picked up Young’s scotch tab, our budget deficit is about to widen.
By weighing in August 19, 2009 at 11:58 am
i could see the reason for the person from the charleston visitors center going because they play host to this conference next year…however i agree with you on this FITS, not because of the taxpayer issue, but because of the fact that it’s not a bad drive. Anything 6 hours and under, should be a drive, especially to a conference. And i find it odd that the realtors assn is picking up the tab for people to go to a conference, yet they laid off employees, memberhship is down, and they are a big part of the down economy.
By No more waste in gov. August 19, 2009 at 11:59 am
The question begs, were these legislators and lobbiests conducting state business? If this was for a weekend party which according to this blog, it sounds like it, then these people need to pay the state back and get sanctioned somehow by the state. However, if it was for a bona fide state business purpose, why should these folks spend their time driving to a function when the state airplane is available? Is not their time as valuable as the governors? If this is the case, I say “no harm no foul” and let’s move on.
By Merrill's Marauder August 19, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Isn’t a Legislative Conference state business? Charleston plays host to the convention next year which will produce money for the State’s economy. This is a legitimate trip and most members of the SC House were present. I say we just sell the airplane because one can always find fault with its use. Then we can bus our industrial prospects into the State while other states fly them on lear jets. This logic over the State plane is so warped. No wonder we can’t land any new industry when the best proposal of the “taxpayer’s protectors” is to buy a greyhound bus ticket.
By fitsnews August 19, 2009 at 12:39 pm
MM-
Really? It’s going to “produce money for the state’s economy?”
Sort of like our tax dollars just went to NC?
These conferences are a waste of taxpayer money, period.
-FITS
By Broom with a C August 19, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Just let Andre play pilot next time.
By Philip Branton August 19, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Has ANY of the fine folk been on a flight up to ……..
1) Bristol Conn. to get first hand knowledge of the PLASMA Converters from http://www.startech.net that closes all LANDFILLS and produces ENERGY..!?!?
2) Out to where in Texas to visit http://www.valcent.net and discuss ALGAE Bio-Diesel Farming for SC FARMERS….!?!?!
3) Out to Moffett Field in California to talk to Mr. Perkins about http://www.unimodal.com and the 175 Million “Magolia Trolley Scam” Solution that would install far greater than 14 Miles of Good ol Boyz TRACK to Summerville from the Magnolia Project…!?!?!
How about it ANN Petersen HUTTO…..!?!?!?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING…!?!?!?! (FIST POUNDZ….loudly!)
This soundz a lot like Scarborough…!?!?!?!
By weighing in August 19, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Actually FITS, it will produce revenue for SC next year. With close to 1000 attendees, Charleston will reap those benefits from hotel rooms, food and beverage, sales tax etc. They are not paid for by the state. They are paid for by private donations and sponsorships. Legislators get re-imbursed per diem for travel and the standard state rate for travel and meals. Anything in excess they spend out of their campaign and operating accounts which is all private money. So while I agree it was dumb to take the plane to Winston, saying that this will not produce revenue for the state is very false.
By Seymour Glass August 19, 2009 at 2:37 pm
@ fitsnews,
Kind of like how Sanford’s NGA conference was a waste of money, right?
By Philip Branton is Crazy August 19, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Even if the ideas he referenced are viable, they will take an extra 5 years to be implemented because he is the one pushing them.
By sunnyvaleboy August 19, 2009 at 3:04 pm
You are right again Will. These conferences bring nothing to the host cities. All attendees usually sleep in their cars or on park benches, bring box lunches from back home, and never go to any local attractions in the evening. There is no tax revenue at all generated by conferences, conventions or other such events.
By columbia insider August 19, 2009 at 6:09 pm
Why was there a lobbyist in tow?
By Archer August 19, 2009 at 6:27 pm
Will, when you worked for the Governor, how many trips did you take? Enquring minds would like to know.
If we FOIA this information, we’d like to know in advance if we should be surprised to find you were pigging out at the trough at least as much? After we found out what a RINO hypocrite Markie Mark was, nothing any of his ilk does really surprises us anymore.
By Archer August 19, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Oh one more thing. Herbkersman’s father died a few days ago. You could have waited until next week to take potshots at him. How crass.
By Mike August 19, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Broom-
Andre obviously can’t pick a safe runway for his Mooney; I assure you he couldn’t even start a 5-ton King Air to taxi to the active. Besides, who would hop that ride?
By anonymous August 20, 2009 at 4:38 am
MARK SANFORD IS MENTAL
Meanwhile, the governor is contesting questions about other travel.
Last month, the Associated Press reported Sanford had flown in pricey, taxpayer-funded seats on commercial airlines for state trips. State Sen. David Thomas, a Republican congressional candidate who has been investigating those flights, said the more expensive flights on two state Commerce Department trips broke a law requiring lowest-cost travel and cost taxpayers $13,700 more than the economy class flights available.
In a letter to Thomas, the governor’s attorney, Swati Patel, argued that state code requiring employees travel “by the most economical methods” and buy coach seats on commercial airlines is “likely invalid.”
She repeated Sanford’s arguments that the state Department of Commerce — an agency he controls — booked the overseas tickets. The agency thinks it has discretion to book more costly seats for overseas economic development trips so the governor is rested when he steps off the plane and into meetings, Patel wrote.
“Regardless, we have serious doubts whether the obscure travel regulation on which your allegations rely remains valid,” she wrote, saying the decades-old rule likely doesn’t apply today.
She questioned whether the State Budget and Control Board can legally set travel rules, though state budget law specifically gives the five-member board — of which the governor is chairman — that authority.
“We are not aware of any reason why the travel regulations and policies adopted over the years by the Budget and Control Board would no longer be valid,” agency spokesman Mike Sponhour said Wednesday.
Thomas likened the governor’s argument to a speeding driver who is finally ticketed.
“Suppose you’ve been driving 70 mph down a 45 mph stretch and getting away with it for years. You can’t say the city of Columbia waived the law because it failed to enforce it before. That’s how ludicrous the argument is,” he said.
http://www.thestate.com/local/story/908819.html
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