By FITSNews || South Carolina’s “Republican” gubernatorial candidates were supposed to have the state’s political stage to themselves on Thursday, but an acrimonious exchange between two top Democratic candidates threatened to upstage their “high-profile” debate in Charleston, S.C.
The back and forth started when liberal lobbyist Dwight Drake blasted State Senator Vincent Sheheen (D – Kershaw) Thursday for his “lack of leadership” in addressing a gaping hole in South Carolina’s unemployment reserve fund.
Less than a decade ago, this fund had an $800 million balance, but today South Carolina has been forced to borrow roughly that same amount from the federal government to continue paying out unemployment benefits. That debt is continuing to grow along with the state’s unemployment rate, which at 12.6 percent is fourth-highest in the country.
A legislative audit released earlier this week blasted the agency for its gross fiscal mismanagement.
According to a release from Drake’s campaign, Sheheen was briefed on the impending disaster in April of 2008.
“What did Senator Sheheen do?,” Drake says. “Absolutely nothing then and nothing since. It shocks my conscience that as a legislator responsible for screening and approving the selection of commissioners to run the agency, Senator Sheheen was told flat out that the fund was going bankrupt and did nothing-and nothing is what he continues to do.”
“We have had 8 years of a do-nothing governor in Mark Sanford – we simply can’t afford another one,” Drake added.
Rrrrrrawwwr!
Sheheen’s campaign didn’t take long to respond.
“A full year ago, I joined 18 of my Senate colleagues – Republican and Democrat – in requesting an immediate and detailed audit of the Commission’s assets, procedures and management controls,” Sheheen said. “That report was finally made public earlier this week.”
“Either Dwight Drake is just realizing that our Employment Commission is in serious trouble, or he’s telling untruths,” Sheheen added. “Perhaps Dwight’s just been too wrapped up in his lobbying for payday lenders, Big Tobacco and companies dumping hazardous waste on our shores to get his facts straight about what’s happening in our state government – but either way, it’s unacceptable behavior from someone who wants to govern this great state.”
By Minto W. McGill January 28, 2010 at 6:07 pm
That’s the best Drake can come up with on Vincent? That he was a minority senator fiddlin’ while the ESC burned? Good luck with that, Dwight. And while I’ll give Dwight the benefit of the doubt that he does have a conscience buried deep under all of his dirty lobbyin’ money, I guarandamntee you it would take a whole lot more than any of this to shock it. . .
By Vern January 28, 2010 at 7:06 pm
Drake needs to go back to his corporate lobbying because Vincent is going to kick his butt…This is such a ridiculous unprovoked negative attack…I am glad Vincent did not hesitate to kick the Caveman in the ass!
By freddie guy January 28, 2010 at 7:44 pm
Vincent wins yet another battle in this war!!! When your closet has the skeletons that Dwight Drake does, this ain’t a smart move.
If Dwight stands a chance against Sheheen, he will have to raise the money the old fashioned way and just flat out-campaign him.
So far, that ain’t happening. Dwight has sat around on his fat lobbying ass waiting on this race to be handed to him while demanding that his peons hand him cigars…
When I picture this guy working hard, I picture Boss Hog screaming at Enos and Cletus! Don’t worry Boss, we’ll catch that Sheheen soon…
Fred
By Matt January 28, 2010 at 7:56 pm
Sheheen is just too bland. A Democrat version of Gresham Barrett.
By Catherine January 28, 2010 at 8:07 pm
I’ve known Vincent and his family my whole life, and believe me the only way his opponents will find any mud to sling is if they fabricate it themselves (his uncles’ sordid history notwithstanding). He really is as wholesome, down home and good guy as his image portrays. I don’t support his politics, but he is a wonderful person, and were he to win the election, he certainly wouldn’t embarrass us on the national stage, which is actually saying a lot these days. I have also found that “nice guy” is not synonymous with “push over” where Vincent is concerned. He’d make a great governor if only he weren’t a Democrat.
By Oh Boy January 28, 2010 at 10:07 pm
Oh, I thought the reason the ESC was broke was because one of Sanford’s few “accomplishments” was to lower the amount of employer contributions to the fund – everybody was really stoked about it. Unfortunately just like the “more tax cuts” while we are swimming in government debt crowd, this just meant that employers paid less, and then the ESC went broke.
It is as foolish as those who say cut taxes (which is easy, because people like that) but don’t have the political courage to also limit benefits and services (not as popular, people don’t like that).
The ESC going broke is a perfect example of modern Republican conservatives who have not idea what fiscal conservatism is all about. They think tax cuts themselves, unrelated to any sound economic theory whatsoever equates to fiscal conservatism – and misunderstand the actual complexities of the Laffer curve so pervertedly that they still can’t understand why Bush II “stimulus checks” were as useless as the Democrats stimulus package.
By Hal I. January 29, 2010 at 5:18 am
As a longtime Dem. voter I’m glad to see Drake take on Sheheen. I don’t think Vince has the cojones to go up against the Republican attack machine, although he showed a little bit of brass here. Here’s to a good old fashioned throwdown in the primary! May the strongest candidate prevail!