By FITSNews || Several contributions made to the gubernatorial campaign of liberal Columbia, S.C. lobbyist Dwight Drake are raising red flags with state ethics officials, sources close to the S.C. State Ethics Commission told FITS.
In fact Drake’s campaign – which recently fired several members of its fund-raising staff after a disappointing fourth quarter – could be on the verge of a formal SEC investigation as a result of the questionable contributions.
During the most recent fund-raising quarter, Drake’s gubernatorial campaign received three $3,500 contributions – the maximum allowed by state law – from three employees of the law firm of Dick Harpootlian, who is a former S.C. Democratic Party Chairman as well as Drake’s gubernatorial “Svengali.” These contributions came from Harpootlian’s paralegal (Heather Herron), his executive assistant (Holly Langenburg) and a junior partner in his Harpootlian’s Columbia law firm named Graham Newman.
Ordinarily these contributions wouldn’t have garnered much attention, but all three were “received” by the Drake campaign on December 30, 2009 – the next-to-last day before the fourth quarter filing deadline.
Also, Harpootlian’s college-aged daughter, Katherine Harpootlian, donated $3,500 on New Year’s Eve – just beating the deadline.
Together, these four last-minute contributions helped Drake’s campaign clear the $200,000 mark for the fourth-quarter.
Harpootlian’s law firm also gave Drake $3,500 during the fourth quarter, although that contribution is listed as being received in November.
Obviously, it’s illegal for anyone to reimburse their employees for making political contributions – although it will be up to the SEC (if it investigates) to determine if that’s what happened in this case.
It certainly wouldn’t be unprecedented, as former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards was hit with similar accusations during the 2004 election cycle.
It’s also worth noting that Drake waited until Wednesday of this week (days after two of his top Democratic rivals had already filed their fourth quarter reports) to post his latest disclosure information – missing the reporting deadline by four days.
That has led more than a few Democratic insiders to speculate as to whether or not the last minute contributions Drake received from Harpootlian’s employees (and daughter) were actually received before the New Year’s Eve deadline.
Drake currently trails State Senator Vincent Sheehen and Charleston Attorney Mullins McLeod in the Democratic money race.
Stay tuned …
By The old man January 14, 2010 at 11:50 am
Wonder if Harpootlian will 1099 or W-2 those gifts to his staff members and daughter? I still like Dwight Drake. He will provide the greatest chance for fun and frolic at the Governor’s Mansion. I don’t mean like Sanford, but just old fashioned good time parties.
By stimulus guy January 14, 2010 at 12:28 pm
Blah Blah Blah.
By Ynotfirst January 14, 2010 at 12:37 pm
I like Dwight Drake too.
By Jeffy January 14, 2010 at 12:53 pm
Where is the wookie pic?
By freddie guy January 14, 2010 at 1:20 pm
What??? The lobbyist is not a straight shooter??? You don’t say???
This Drake guy that says he singlehandedly built the BMW plant AND delivered the Stimulus check to South Carolina from Washington, marathon-style!
In my opinion, he passes the smell test…
Fred
By freddie guy January 14, 2010 at 3:38 pm
http://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/RockBottom/archives/2010/01/13/riley-picks-his-gov-candidate-ready-to-campaign
Mayor Joe Riley just endorsed Vincent Sheheen. Right now Sheheen is holding Mullins on the floor waiting for him to scream uncle. …
Mullins:
He whooped you in fund raising and he just got your hometown mayor’s endorsement. You either got to pony up some more cash to say in this thing or you JUST GOTTA GO!
Whadya say Mullins
Fred
By O'Doyle Rules January 14, 2010 at 3:55 pm
I could be wrong, but isn’t November still in the fourth quarter?
And what happend to Jim Rex running? I haven’t seen his name posted in any articles recently as a democratic candidate?
By poster January 14, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Drake thought he would roll in money. please, of course Slick Dick gave that money to meet the numbers. all they have to do is subpoena bank records of the three donors and see if a deposit was made just prior and from who.
they wont….
Drake and Riley come up in the same era. Mullins is from Charleston and he gave Sheheen the endorsement….Drake and Mullins have got to be pissed.
By Minto W. McGill January 14, 2010 at 5:25 pm
Mayor Joe’s endorsement of Vinny Sheheen actually hits Drake harder than McLeod. Here’s why:
McLeod isn’t from Charleston, he’s from Walterboro. He did move to Charleston about ten years ago to practice law. Ten years is nothing to Charlestonians – he is definitely still a newcomer and will be until his grandchildren are baptized at St. Michael’s or St. Philips’s.
Drake obviously isn’t from Charleston either, but he has been a major political ally of Joe Riley’s going back to at least Riley’s 1994 campaign for governor. Drake raised a ton of money for Joe and was attached to his hip during the two-week runoff campaign against Nick Theodore. I am sure Joe was awfully glad to have Dwight raise all that money for him but I am not sure he was all that comfortable with a caveman-lawyer in a $900.00 suit and $400.00 shoes following him around during the campaign’s “home stretch.”
That’s the hard reality that Dwight Drake is having to face. Joe Riley and a lot of other muckety-mucks were very happy to have him bundle campaign contributions for them. And those that needed a quick and nasty fix to some problem in the General Assembly could count on ol’ Dwight to get it done for them. But just because you are everybody’s backroom darling doesn’t mean anyone is going to walk up the church steps with you on Sunday morning. Know’m sayin’?
By freddie guy January 14, 2010 at 6:28 pm
Minto:
Great points. Again, I think that McLeod is the dead man walking in this race.
Fred