By FITSNews || Where did the leak originate that has S.C. Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom and S.C. Superintendent of Education candidate Kelly Payne fighting for their political lives?
Obviously, we know who provided us with the information detailing the GOP power couple’s romantic relationship (we broke the story, people) but from whence did the intel originate? And who was ultimately responsible for pushing the information out to the press so methodically over the last two-and-a-half weeks?
We’re not Sherlock Holmes or anything (Larry Holmes, maybe),* but initial speculation is beginning to coalesce around the campaign of Newberry College president Mitchell “Mick” Zais, who is locked in a heated battle with Payne for the GOP Superintendent of Education nomination.
Multiple sources tell FITS that Zais’ campaign advisor (former SCGOP operative J.W. Ragley) was bragging loudly Wednesday about having hired a private investigator to obtain incriminating evidence that could be used against Payne.
Obviously, there are other suspects, but what strikes us credible about these reports is the time frame Ragley is alleged to have referenced in his rumored boasts – namely the receipt of information roughly two-and-a-half weeks ago documenting Payne’s relationship with Eckstrom.
According to multiple, independent sources, that time frame corresponds with a personal discussion Zais is alleged to have had with a prominent South Carolina education activist.
Specifically, Zais is said to have personally discussed incriminating information about Payne with Barbara Nielsen – a former two-term GOP Superintendent of Education whose endorsement is always sought after in the GOP Superintendent’s race.
When did this conversation take place?
Two-and-a-half weeks ago.
Clearly, the fingerprints of the Zais’ campaign were nowhere near the info we received, and there is nothing other than circumstantial evidence at this point linking them to the leak.
Also, Zais’ campaign is on the record with The State newspaper vigorously denying having anything to do with the emails becoming public.
Oh well, stay tuned …
* Thanks, Fletch
By Mike February 18, 2010 at 2:19 pm
Loose lips sink ships. Ragley was also bragging about hiring private investigators to GOP activists in the upstate.
By David in TR February 18, 2010 at 2:39 pm
Kelly Payne is nothing but an attention whore. She probably leaked the emails herself to get attention. Zais camp being involved doesn’t make sense.
Sic, we know you have a personal axe to grind with Ragley.
By FITSNews February 18, 2010 at 2:53 pm
David in TR,
You are correct. In fact, the entire purpose of FITS all along (but revealed only now) was to do whatever we could to weaken the political giant, J.W. Ragley.
Dammit! How did you know?!?!?
Seriously, though, what were you saying?
-FITS
By Crash February 18, 2010 at 3:05 pm
Will,
When are you going to give us the goods on Gresham? We know you have them. People dont go to DC and cause a scene like that without some inside scoop. Give it to us.
By santee563 February 18, 2010 at 3:17 pm
Zais is locked in a tight battle with Payne?!?! What planet are you on?!?! She’s got no name id, no money, and she’s a high school teacher. Not exactly a credible threat to anybody…certainly not a reason for a university president with good reputation and money to be concerned. Give us a break Willie.
By Beauregard February 18, 2010 at 3:31 pm
What is all of this talk of leaks? Someone told me that Payne was sleeping with Eckstrom back in November before Zais had even fully committed to the race. This “news” is no surprise to most political insiders in this state.
By Stupid Stupid Stupid February 18, 2010 at 3:34 pm
If Ragley did do this, maybe he is one of the best campaign operatives of all time! Maybe I should hire him to run my race for county dogcatcher!
Was he Black-Ops in the Military or something? Kelly Payne, get ready. Jay W. Ragley is the least of your worries. If you think what he supposedly did to you is bad, JUST WAIT until the Democrats get a’hold of you. And they won’t be gentle like R.E.
By berkeley voter February 18, 2010 at 4:19 pm
I didn’t think Kelly “I will trade sex for your endorsement” Payne could make herself look any worse than she already has. She’s trying to blame HER mistakes and poor judgement on her opponent. Where’s the evidence?
The leaker had to have access to his or her cell phone and emails. More likely it’s his wife or her ex or their kids.
How dare she try to smear an honorable more qualified candidate!
By SnakeMD February 18, 2010 at 4:35 pm
Hey Stupid,
I would leave General Zais out of this one. To say that he or any of his staff used Black-Ops tactics hits a little to close to home. Zais would never use any methods he learned from The United States Army Intelligence Support Activity unit (USAISA) in a campaign matter. He is above that. His staff does not fall under some clandestine Field Operations Group. Gray Fox knows who leaked these emails. It wasn’t JWR.
By Willianm February 18, 2010 at 4:48 pm
JW Ragley = Katon Dawson butt boy.
Katon Dawson = wannabe political consultant that is deep into opposition research and slinging dirt.
The two together are trailer park trash, of the best GOP type.
By POPhillip February 18, 2010 at 4:58 pm
The leak came from one of Kelly’s kids. Lots of kids have crushes on their favorite teachers and get very jealous of men around them. She trusts kids to run her campaign, so one of them had access to her email and get jealous of Richard and BAM! The emails from Richard get leaked by the ones sent by Queen Kelly don’t.
Jealousy is one of the strongest motives known to man. It makes people lash out and think they’re doing the right thing, no matter how much it fucks up everyones lives.
By NCINDIAN February 18, 2010 at 6:04 pm
Having worked with Zais at Newberry College and witnessing some of his handiwork, I would not be surprised if this turns out to be true. AS far as him being honorable (HA) and qualified ??? HA HA HA. He dang near sent the college into bankruptcy and really what qualifies him to head the education dept??? NOTHING!!!!!!
By SnakeMD February 18, 2010 at 6:37 pm
The Green Eyed Monster is at it again!
By Ynotfirst February 18, 2010 at 6:39 pm
yeah Sic, more on Barrett please……. please.
By Allison Kincaid February 18, 2010 at 6:43 pm
David, you don’t have the right to call anybody a “whore.” That is taking this too far. And to the other person who said everyone knew “she was sleeping with Eckstrom,”. I didn’t see anything in the e-mails saying this. You know it is possible for people to have a “romantic” relationship, where feelings are expressed, without sleeping with someone. As for District V seeing if she used school computers for e-mails. Well that might get rid of half the District, including top administrators. This District has a lot to clean up. It would be refreshing if this District came clean on their mistakes instead of trying to cover them up. They have so much to explain it is sickening.
By Rylyn February 18, 2010 at 6:44 pm
I think you are all looking in the wrong direction. I would check out those wanting Eckstrom’s seat. I don’t think Zais’s campaign had anything to do with this. I think you should dig a little deeper and on the other side of the street.
By David in TR February 18, 2010 at 6:53 pm
Allison-
Being an “attention whore” as I mentioned in my post above has a completely different meaning than that of which you are talking about. Read a book.
By scooter February 18, 2010 at 7:31 pm
I certainly have no clue who leaked! But, since we have not seen any of Kelly’s emails, I would wonder if this was more to do with hurting Richard. Maybe someone from HIS office that was unhappy? If it is to just hurt her, why nothing of hers to leak? I am just saying…..
By countryboy February 18, 2010 at 7:59 pm
Maybe Eckstrom used government computers and cell phones to e-mail and text, so someone was able to access his side of the communications, whereas maybe she communicated using only personal computers, phones and cells, so her e-mails, texts and calls couldn’t be accessed. Just a guess, but if she did that it would be pretty damn smart…..
By BIN News Editorial Staff February 18, 2010 at 9:40 pm
Let’s see. HMS Payne was tired of him.
She let him know it.
But he kept on and on; like a kid in puberty.
Then she was really tired of him.
And she really needed name recognition.
Suddenly, his side of the emails were sent to the media.
But her side of the emails were not sent to the media.
What? Her side of the emails were not released?
Wonder why? ;) Wink – Wink – Wink.
All of this from the same political pimps who brought us the sanfraud sex scandal, the ravenel drug scandal, the bauer cop scandals and the wacko sic(k) willie claim of a Midlands’ elected official with a Strom problem.
Political pimps. All of them.
By You Can Call Me Ma'am February 18, 2010 at 9:46 pm
If sent from his state computer or phone, a FOIA request might produce some results. Wonder if you can use a FOIA to see if a FOIA requested his phone/computer records?
By James the Foot Soldier February 18, 2010 at 9:56 pm
Could it be a computer geek at Lex-Rich $5 HQ was directed by a very liberal superintendent (perhaps the the ol’ doc was spurned in his advances – it’s now public knowledge she has a “weakness” for senior citizens) to dig dirt for his cronies….and only Eckstrom’s emails were released to cover their tracks??
By SnakeMD February 19, 2010 at 8:24 am
Allison writes: ” You know it is possible for people to have a “romantic” relationship, where feelings are expressed, without sleeping with someone.”
Why in the world would you want such a relationship? Sounds more like therapy to me. It’s like sexual gumbo without the cayenne pepper. If you poke me down there I can’t love you anymore… And that explains why your dentist just ran off with the waitress from IHOP. Love and lust takes all!
“South Carolina is too small for a good sized plantation and too big for an insane asylum…” W.P.Fox
By Overruled February 19, 2010 at 10:37 pm
Heated battle with Payne?? What in the world? Outside of FITS and Dutch Fork no one knows her. Hell, I’m beginning to think she may have leaked them herself to boost name ID….nothing like a little free publicity. But seriously, would you trust this woman to run your school system? Look who she chose to f*ck! C’mon !
By R February 20, 2010 at 4:31 pm
Seems to me not a damn one of these candidates is qualified to run the school system. If these are the kind of people that have been running them all along, no wonder our schools suck. Hopefully one day before its too late, residents of this state will wake up and get rid of all these political retreads. We don’t need Tumpy Campbell, Strom III, Joe Wilson’s son, we sure as hell don’t need Rick Quinn who seems to run for everything from dog catcher on up.
Its so discouraging on how much money we crap away on public education and get absolutely nothing in return. Do you realize how much better education would be in this state if we took the same amount of money we spend now and turned it over to private schools? I don’t care who wins to run the schools, nothing will ever change because the same morons who run the State Department of Education will still be there, the same mentality of “we need more money” will still be there, and the same socialist that run our colleges of education will still be turning out those inept unqualified brainwashed sorry excuses for teachers and administrators. As the saying goes those that can do, those that can’t teach, those that can’t even teach become administrators.
By southernmapart February 21, 2010 at 3:52 pm
By his looks, it’s been a long time since Eckstrom got it up. If so, then the Payne gal is using him. Private investigator? lol
By BIN News Editorial Staff February 21, 2010 at 4:10 pm
Amazing hos sic(k) willie will milk a story for hits over a weekend. The legitimate media (you know, honest news sources) have moved past this.
But you keep the slimelight on your old buddies as long as it will get you a few extra hits. Or are you waiting for your source to turn over her side of the emails. Now that would be news and give this story legs.
But we all know that ain’t going to happen. Is it, sic(k) willie!
BIN News Editorial Staff
Flair and Balanced
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By mike newberry Indian 1980 May 16, 2010 at 11:27 pm
Dr Zais doesn’t know how to keep his word to us alumnus.Why should we believe this liar now?