South Carolina’s most influential think tank is about to get a lot “influential-er.”
The S.C. Policy Council – which has taken on some of the Palmetto State’s most influential politicians and entrenched special interests over the last year – is about to take on some additional staff.
Sources tell FITS that the Policy Council has hired two new media professionals – Rick Brundrett of The State newspaper and Eric Ward of the Columbia Free-Times – to supplement its research and communications efforts.
We’ve worked with both Brundrett and Ward in the past, people, and both are solid investigative professionals – the kind Sic Willie wishes he could be.
Incidentally, the Policy Council’s communications staff already includes former State reporter (and former gubernatorial press advisor) Kevin Dietrich, who has been editing the organization’s outstanding new Palmetto Insider blog.
We’re not exactly sure what the SCPC and its hard-charging president Ashley Landess are gearing up for, but whatever it is Brundrett, Dietrich and Ward are “armed for bear.”
Which means status quo politicians in South Carolina should probably tread lightly …
By Bill September 27, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Ashley is a winner. She will so well, and the Policy Council will thrive. I am excited, and the crooks and cons in Cola should be worried.
By Strom's Daughter September 27, 2009 at 7:45 pm
I’m sorry . . . I have to laugh.
“South Carolina” and “think tank” are words that just sound funny together.
Kinda like “6,000 year-old-earth” or “Barkoot Luxury Apartments.”
You’ve got The State on your resume? Puh-leeze.
Any newspaper staffed by reporters who routinely — albeit quietly — refer to their own publication as “the plantation” is certainly a farce to be reckoned with, isn’t it?
By Red Bank Bar September 27, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Yes, sir, Mr. Rich. Anything you say, Mr. Rich. Plutocrats-R-Us, anything we can do for Corporate America, Mr. Rich.
By BIN News Editorial Staff September 27, 2009 at 8:56 pm
Ywan. sic(k) willie hates him some State newspaper, but loves them former staffers when they work for the S.C. Policy Scam Council. Sounds like S.C. Policy Scam got a new grant from Howie the Carpetbugger. Yawn.
By StupidShouldHurtMore (SSHM) September 28, 2009 at 12:40 am
Gearing up?
Are you kidding me? Why don’t you do a story on the recently departed Communications Director over there at SC Policy Council. Get the real scoop on a group that “looks conservative,” but has their own agenda that fails to adhere to their own conservative standard.
You’ll go all the way to DC to bother a former Barrett staffer, yet you can’t put down a slice of Z Pizza and walk the three blocks or so to the SC Policy Council and ask Landess … WTF?!?
There is a reason Landess flushed the entire staff when she took the reigns. Look into it . . .
- SSHM
By Toyota Kawaski September 28, 2009 at 8:57 am
The SC policy council HA HAHAHAHAHAHAH yea that De DE”im high society”Vaughters is a real sharp spoon
By Friend of Freedom September 28, 2009 at 1:08 pm
If SCPC wants to be a serious voice for limited government, then it needs to calm down on the ad hominem attacks on whoever happensto be today’s most-hated legislator.
They should use their resources to bring in national experts, conduct detailed fiscal analyses of legislation, and publish a comprehensive annual score card of important votes.
Bipec, Club for Growth, and PFC all have much smaller staffs and budgets but give their membership detailed reports on how lawmakers voted and alerts about what bills to be worried about.
By marvin September 28, 2009 at 11:58 pm
Yeah, FOF. Sure they do! See FITS post on Bipec report. I think Glenn McConnell got 100%, and Bobby Harrell got in the 90′s. Because THOSE guys are real pro-business.
Geez. Enough with the scorecards. No one outside Columbia reads Bipec’s, who is mostly funded by big businesses that depend on the legislature because they are regulated or want incentives. Don’t know much about PFC, but they do social issues, not spending. CFG is pretty solid, but that’s about it.
Good the sc policy council for investigating government spending. No one else will do it. Doubt they’ll put a dent in the mess, but the ones who don’t want them to try are all making money from government. Lobbyists. Politicians. Consultants. Overpaid, unemployeable legislative staffers. Toyota, SSHM, which ones are you?