Leighton Lord: “It Was An Asian Gang Or Something”

By Asian Gang King-Pin on March 11th, 2010 at 8:20 am

Our population maybe be small but our power is big. Bigger than we thought.

By Magic Marker on March 11th, 2010 at 8:42 am

1) Hilarious picture Sic.
2) Sharp ad by the Lord campaign.
3) Seems to me that fighting any organized crime (Asian, Italian, Filipino or Russian) is probably a good thing for Lord to tout.
4) Overall a good sketch of Lord’s biography of private sector experience and government service in some capacity. All 3 candidates have government service on their resumes, but Lord has the advantage of having managed a highly successful law firm. You don’t make managing partner by being just a nice guy or the best attorney; you have to be both and be a leader.
5) Not to miss the forest from the trees, but Lord is on TV. His opponents are not. That implies Lord is raising good money this quarter, and buying TV for a race like Attorney General is necessary to winning. You can win something like Secretary of State or Comptroller General without TV, but people look at the top law enforcement official differently than the other down-ballot races.

By Dylan Sanders on March 11th, 2010 at 9:39 am

I really think you are underestimating the gang problem in South Carolina. Asian gangs are a lot different than the other gangs they are into more high tech crimes i.e. identity theft and other crimes that don’t require huge numbers of people. Crime is a serious issue and we need someone from day one that has experience in dealing with gangs. Leighton Lord is currently all over the state raising money and he currently leads the AG Money race. The fact that Leighton Lord has raised more money than his opponents tells me I’m not the only person who thinks he will make a great Attorney General.

By fitsnews on March 11th, 2010 at 10:16 am

People, people … simmer down. We like Leighton Lord just fine and are having a little fun at his expense.

Seriously, some of you really, really need to get out more.

-FITS

P.S. – Leslie Mann in Cable Guy? Swoon!

By No Name on March 11th, 2010 at 11:05 am

Lost to many newcomers and the casual or professional lurker to FITS is the willingness to offer and many times use the site for ejudication of claims and smears.

On the Alan Wilson “cut” …….I would not mind seeing the substantiation by having someone post the scores for that try….got to believe that someone can pull that off.

After we see or don’t see that then we can see if anyone can reproduce the email.

But yea I would like to see if he failed the Bar exam the first time.

By JWS on March 11th, 2010 at 12:00 pm

He went “eyeball-to-eyeball with Peter Chong–the John Gotti of Asian organized crime.”

By Domo Arigato Mr Roboto on March 11th, 2010 at 12:33 pm

Fighting terrorism in DC? The one and only incident I can think of was over and done before most people could blink.

By My Name Efang on March 11th, 2010 at 12:43 pm

This ad was not well produced. Looked like one of those creepy Lawyer ads that airs late at night. I thought Bill Green was about to pop out of the curtain behind him.

By Caty on March 11th, 2010 at 4:27 pm

Leighton Lord has said he wants to eliminate the Prosecution Section of the Attorney General’s Office. Further, he said SC doesn’t need a 17th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. The SC Constitution clearly states the Attorney General is the Chief Prosecutor of the state. Guess he doesn’t read the Constitution much or think it’s important. I guess he also doesn’t realize that ICAC–internet crimes against children–is a part of the Prosecution Section. Ya know, Datelin is doing a great job of catching predators–we don’t need to waste time and energy on it. Inusrance Fraud is part of Prosecution, but it’s a bad economy, so who cares if two people stage an accident to get a quick check from their insurance company? State Grand Jury is a part of the Prosecution section, too, but I guess it isn’t important either.

Bolchoz wants a “death couch.” He doesn’t want a middle/ drug court. In his words, “Crack mama’s don’t need help, they need jail.” I’m sure Ozmint is clearing out some space right now at the prison for the crack mamas. He makes men wear black or brown socks to work, and although that’s not too big a deal, men’sd ress shirts have to be blue or white. Men can’t have facial hair. Women have to wear pantyhose. I guess he’s going to allot a clothing allowance at the AG’s office for his new rules? Most state employees can’t afford to buy new clothes.

Alan did fail the bar on the first attempt, but he passed it on the second. A lot of very intelligent people (the valedictorian of Boston College no less) fail the bar on their first attempt. Three days of grueling testing is tough. A car wreck, bad family news or any other stressful event could cause you to have a bad day and thus fail the bar. While Bochoz did work at the AG’s office as a Deputy, Alan is the only one who worked there as a prosecutor. He was shoulder to shoulder with the other employees in the office. He has a unique understanding of the transformations that need to occur in that office. He isn’t someone standing from a higher ground looking down, but he is someone who has worked the trenches.

By AI on March 11th, 2010 at 5:38 pm

I had come here to post about Alan Wilson, but Caty’s post says it all. Having passed two bar exams, I can tell you how brutal they are and know that in both states, there will very intelligent people who had a bad day and failed.

As for Leighton Lord, I don’t see how you can have an Attorney General who has never prosecuted a criminal case. This is even more ridiculous given that most of the attorneys at the AG’s office handle criminal matters, be it prosecution, appeals or PCRs.

By WorkingTommyC on March 11th, 2010 at 9:39 pm

Not sure who impresses me most yet. I know that Wilson impresses me least due to his princely status. I’ll not vote for another political dynasty. I learned my lesson with Bush.

By D.G. on March 12th, 2010 at 9:09 am

WorkingTommyC,

Good morning. I’m a close friend of Alan and Jennifer. I wanted to respond to what you said about Alan’s “princely status.”

I think some people have an impression that because Alan’s father is in Congress, he has a silver spoon in his mouth. That’s not true. Alan’s family is middle class. Sure, his father has a few million dollars in his campaign account — but that’s from contributions, not family money. Alan will never see one dime of that.

Alan and his wife live a modest life in Lexington. They both have full-time jobs — working hard just trying to raise their children and give them the best life they can — like so many others — probably even you.

And let me tell you — lawyers who want to make a lot of money don’t go into public service — they don’t run for office and they don’t work as prosecutors — you could make a lot more money elsewhere. Think about it.

Alan has been a prosecutor because he believes in the importance of the work putting bad guys away. He feels a great deal of satisfaction in contributing to his community that way.

I wish you could know him like I do, WorkingTommyC. I think you’d really like him.

By madcock on March 12th, 2010 at 8:45 pm

He’s trying to appeal to voters in a GOP primary.

As anyone who, for example, reads this site knows, most SC Republicans are flaming bigots who would much rather blame people who look different from them for the state’s problems, rather than doing the hard work and introspection to really improve our state.

It’s a smart move on his part. Just another version of Strom calling blacks who just wanted to be able vote in the 50’s and 60’s communists.

By You Can Call Me Ma'am on March 16th, 2010 at 12:06 pm

WILSON: 8 yrs of prosecution experience? Not in the AG’s office. He was put into a limited-time grant position to prosecute gun crimes. That funding ended, and he was let go by the AG, and he joined a local law firm. LET GO. NOT RETAINED. The other attorneys were moved to other positions in the office.

Actually, the Prosecution Section is part of the larger Criminal Division. Sounds like a big deal to eliminate the prosecution section, but that is a small part of the Criminal Division. The SGJ is mandated by state law, so it isn’t going anywhere. Outside the SGJ, cases “conflicted out” by the local solicitor may be sent to the AG to accept or assign to a different solicitor. What is left is VAWA (federal grant money matching money), Insurance Fraud (other sources of funding), Medicaid Recipient Fraud (send ‘em back to HHS), Medicaid Provider Fraud (poorly managed but still brings in millions in fines and settlements, is federally mandated and federally funded 75-25), 2 sexually violent predator prosecutors (mandated by law) and ICAC whose work is mostly done through local law enforcement, SLED and FBI. Incidentally, Federal stimulus dollars requested and received for ICAC were used instead for early retirement buyouts in the AGs office late last year. ‘Nuff said.

Investigations are done by SLED for insurance fraud, ICAC, securities, and SGJ. The heaviest workload is in the area of criminal appeals — from death penalty cases to DUI appeals, as well as the civil post-conviction relief cases. (PCR cases are not required to be handled by the AG’s office…they are the responsibility of the solicitor’s offices but long ago the AG’s office took on the workload.) New law school grads and less-experienced attys handle most of the prosecution/appeal/PCR work, with few exceptions.

The majority of cases handled (and the most important ones) aren’t ones that you’ll read about in the newspaper, but they are cases that only LEIGHTON LORD has heavy experience handling: complex civil cases (for South Carolina only or multi-state) that may involve state and federal entities, and that pay off in multi-million dollar settlements. That money goes back to the taxpayers through the treasury — sometimes earmarked for certain purposes like reimbursement of Medicaid — with the office retaining a portion for legal fees, etc. Those civil settlements are what is keeping the AG’s office afloat during budget cuts, despite the near-doubling of staff numbers and out of control spending under McMaster.

By SCLegaleagle on March 16th, 2010 at 2:43 pm

It is personally bothersome that Leighton Lord holds himself out as a proven crimefighter and in one of the most important positions possible on the subject. The cop on the street is the most important crime fighter. Only slightlymore than 1/3rd of Sheriffs have supported anyone, and the count is zero for anyone not named Alan Wilson. The real crime fighters are supporting Alan, whose military experience tells you that real (and supported) officers don’t take the credit for their Soldiers. Taking a deposition of a bad guy is not what crime fighting is about.

The fact that he takes credit as a “proven” crimefighter or that he had one of the most imortant positions is not only laughable and absurd, it is pathetic. God forbid he gets dirt under his nails or leave the boardroom. His TV add was a bit light and early, and should have done nothing but tick off every cop and every friedn or family members of cops.

By BJB from SC on March 16th, 2010 at 10:07 pm

My problem is the lies.
1. Wilson is a member of the bar. check their website
2. In research, Wilson was an attorney before he went to war, then got married after he returned. Therefore how cold his “wife” call people in reaction to not passing?
3. I have talked with several from the AG office, and there was no firing or letting go. He left to run for office.
4. He was a prosecutor on several kinds of cases and on the payroll according to the Lexington solicitors office. By the way, Donnie Myers has endorsed him.

It appears Bolchoz and Wilson have the prerequisites for the job, and Lord is covering it up with spreading rumors. If Bolchoz was more of a factor, I am sure Lord would smear him as well. Shameful for someone seeking that particular office.

On a last note, I have not seen Lord’s wife, but Jennifer is smoking hot. Anyone know what Bolchoz better half look like?

By D.G. on March 17th, 2010 at 9:06 am

R,

I would like to respectfully respond to your post about Alan Wilson, a close friend of mine.

It upset me to hear you write “what has Alan Wilson ever done on his own?” You are automatically assuming that he has been successful because of his father — and only because of his father. That is not true.

Let me tell you what Alan has done on his own:

Alan got his job at the Lexington County Solicitor’s office on his own merit. He successfully tried countless cases — including achieving something no other solicitor there has — 3 trial wins in one week. His boss there — Solicitor Donnie Myers — is now supporting him wholeheartedly in his candidacy. Alan’s success there led to his job as an Assistant Attorney General at the Attorney General’s office. Again, he successfully prosecuted cases there. Was his father there when he successfully presented evidence? cross examined witnesses? got guilty verdicts? No. His father had nothing to do with getting him those jobs… or his success with those jobs.

Then, there’s Alan’s military experience. Alan volunteered to serve his country in the National Guard… one of the most selfless acts one can do. While serving a year in Iraq as part of a field artillery batallion, Alan volunteered to lead a dangerous convoy through two insurgent attacks — evacuating soldiers from harm’s way and leading his troops to safety… a tremendous success for which he was awarded with the South Carolina National Guard’s highest honor, The Palmetto Cross. If that’s not leadership, nothing is.

Did Joe instill the values of public service and military service in Alan? Absolutely! Did Joe get Alan “free rides” and nepotistic perks? No way. Alan has worked hard for everything in his life. Unfortunately, he always has to fight the perception that Joe has got him everything he has. It’s just not true.

If you don’t think Alan is the best candidate for AG, then by all means don’t vote for him. But please don’t make assumptions about him that you can’t back up with facts. Alan is his own man with his own accomplishments. He can’t help who his dad is… can you?

Also, please don’t assume that Alan is using the AG’s office as a stepping stone to something bigger. Alan feels a great deal of satisfaction prosecuting cases and putting bad guys away so that families are safer. That’s why Alan has devoted his career to that. That’s why he’s running for AG. Can Leighton say that? No.

And if Alan were just riding daddy’s coattails, as you say, why have so many sheriffs in our state endorsed him? Now more than half of them. And 100% of sheriffs who are publicly endorsing a candidate are endorsing Alan. They are white, black, Republican, Democrat. You know what that says to me? That Alan has what it takes to be the state’s top cop — and our noble law enforcement officers know it.

And by the way, Joe’s staff is not running Alan’s campaign. They’ve got enough going on just with Joe. Think about it.

~D.G.

By You Can Call Me Ma'am on March 17th, 2010 at 6:18 pm

Dear DG — I was there, as were other employees. (And I’m still here.) He didn’t know until the day before his last one that he was leaving. Others were retained, he was not and was the last to know. Be careful whose spear you fall upon, my dear. When it’s mine, I play to win.

By You Can Call Me Ma'am on March 17th, 2010 at 6:22 pm

And Caty, SVP may be heard in common pleas, but it is supervised in the prosecution division by an criminal appeals attorney.

By You Can Call Me Ma'am on March 18th, 2010 at 12:31 am

ROFL. ROFL. ROFL. No surprise that the only thing you can do is yell YOU LIE. BTW I was more than happy to support Alan and even talked with him by phone long ago. But supporters like you have done him more harm than good and caused many to move to the undecided category or quietly support another candidate. Y’all have kept this issue in the spotlight by continuing to comment and react. You’re an amateur asshole and you took the bait so own it. SHANK!

By Andy on May 25th, 2010 at 3:26 pm

Alan Wilson is a good friend of mine as well. I have know the family for years. He a good person who will represent South Carolina well, and he is a great candidate for AG. He gets my vote, hands down.

Thank you for telling the truth about our next Attorney General, DG.