A police report has been filed by former S.C. Superintendent of Education candidate Kelly Payne against Republican Richard Eckstrom – who is likely to win a third term Tuesday as South Carolina’s Comptroller General.
In the report, obtained exclusively by FITS, Payne accuses Eckstrom of stalking her and says that she is “afraid he may kill her.” Ordinarily we’d dismiss such fear as irrational, but based on Eckstrom’s previous creepy emails (as well as some new communications that FITS has been shown), we can see how Payne might feel that way.
“(Eckstrom) showed up on my property tonight and now he’s stalking me,” Payne says in a frantic 911-sounding call to FITS. “I called the police. They’re on the way to my house.”
The call was recorded at 12:45 a.m.
“His car was in my neighborhood, circling my house,” Payne added. “He’s coming after me.”
In what may be his “signature move,” Eckstrom also planted one of his campaign signs in Payne’s yard.
Eckstrom and Payne’s combative relationship – first revealed by FITS back in February – has taken a dramatic turn in recent weeks, as Payne has sought an order of protection against the 62-year-old, married politician for allegedly threatening her. In one incident, Eckstrom is accused of hurling a garage door opener at the popular public school teacher turned political candidate.
Payne says this isn’t the first time that Eckstrom has stalked her. She also says that she has text messages in her possession in which Eckstrom displays threatening behavior. Eckstrom’s Democratic opponent – Robert Barber – began running a television ad last week attacking the incumbent Comptroller over a pair of personal issues – his extramarital relationship with Payne and a 1997 sexual harassment case that was settled with taxpayer money.
“Incumbent Comptroller Richard Eckstrom’s job is to protect our money, but Eckstrom spent over $57,000 taxpayer dollars to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit against him,” the narrator of Barber’s ad says.
A spokesman for Eckstrom has denied that any threatening behavior – via text message or otherwise – ever took place. Eckstrom’s office also maintains that the harassment suit was filed by a “girl” who got a bad job performance review.
(For pictures of the woman at the heart of that scandal, click here).
Nonetheless, Eckstrom was text-messaging Payne as recently as last week, telling her that he didn’t have an “off switch” for their forbidden, highly-combustible love.
Obviously, we’ll find out tonight whether allegations involving Eckstrom’s increasingly erratic personal life will impact his campaign.
UPDATE: Here’s the incident report.
UPDATE II: Payne has reportedly applied for an order of protection that would prohibit Eckstrom from contacting her.
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By NoName November 2, 2010 at 12:25 pm
What part of the State Commerce Department is being alerted to the showbiz potential of all this.
I mean damn…..they have to get some local shots for the State house I mean talk about stimulus.
Is there anyone else left in the State not under potential indictment or some type of cloud.
By sclawboy November 2, 2010 at 12:28 pm
So Kelly Payne calls the police (allegedly) and then calls you? For what purpose? Are you her knight in shining armor (stiffle giggles)? Or is she just out to ruin him and using you as her patsie?
Something smells about this.
By eggaday November 2, 2010 at 12:43 pm
how come the word INFIDELITY isn’t mentioned?
seems like a pattern to call it infidelity with Sanfraud and Haley but not with Eckstrom.
Please explain Sic
separate point: All Republicans either stalk themselves or employ other people to do so. *truth*
By OhNoNotAgain November 2, 2010 at 12:56 pm
This one won’t hurt/ Hasn’t been reported anywhere else that I’ve seen. None of it.
By Dabo Swinney's Army November 2, 2010 at 12:58 pm
she is butt ass ugly
By Skidmarks November 2, 2010 at 1:06 pm
Yes, sclawboy, something smells about this.
Smells so high that I believe every word.
And I can’t fault SIC for reporting it.
By Catherine November 2, 2010 at 1:41 pm
“butt ass” ugly? Obviously something only a Clemson fan would recognize.
When is Candid Camera going to show up at GOP headquarters in Columbia tonight?
By Brigid November 2, 2010 at 1:44 pm
“(Eckstrom) showed up on my property tonight and now he’s stalking me,” Payne says in a frantic 911-sounding call to FITS. “I called the police. They’re on the way to my house.”
The call was recorded at 12:45 a.m.
“His car was in my neighborhood, circling my house,” Payne added. “He’s coming after me.”
Why is she calling you? What is the nature of your relationship with her that you are who she calls in what sounds like an emergency?
By fitsnews November 2, 2010 at 1:56 pm
Brigid-
Kelly is a friend of our founding editor and his wife. Of course Sic Willie is also friends with General Eckstrom and his consultant, RJ Shealy.
To your point, though, if you think there is even a remote possibility that our founding editor is stepping out with anybody, then you’ve obviously never met Mrs. Sic.
-FITS
By Lex-co Cat November 2, 2010 at 1:57 pm
Kelly Payne is a histrionic attention whore. Actually, being a teacher is the perfect job for her; captive audience that renews every year. Oh and she gets what she deserves with that old guy. Crazy attracts crazy after all. And if you don’t think that’s true, it’s because you are crazy and in denial about it.
Pingback: Eckstrom incident report | Indigo Journal
By Shlomo November 2, 2010 at 2:26 pm
Awwww . . . they look like a Viagra ad.
By Emily November 2, 2010 at 2:31 pm
If Will knows both of these people and believes these threats are real, then I’d be inclined to believe him and discount his website being used as a political ploy. If my daughter was being “stalked” by some guy, I would be extremely mad, upset, worried, etc. My impression of Eckstrom is that he’s an okay guy, but this sort of behavior seems to be crossing the line into some mental illness. I believe the police will resolve this issue if Eckstrom doesn’t knock it off. Or maybe Eckstrom will resolve the issue by doing some real harm to this lady and then shooting himself. The sort of thing you hear about on the news about once a week.
By sclawboy November 2, 2010 at 2:54 pm
The incident report contains personal numbers and home addresses. Awesome.
I love her assertion that, because he is state comptroller, he has a lot of political power and could have her killed. Does anyone in this state who is not in the legislature have any real power?
By Skidmarks November 2, 2010 at 3:21 pm
He stuck his campaign sign in her grass.
Dicky, Dicky, Dicky, you little phallic stalker, you.
By Bob Sacamanto November 2, 2010 at 3:30 pm
Looks like the powers that be are looking for their next take down of a B&C Board member… Can’t have the legislature lose control, now can we?
By barney fife November 2, 2010 at 3:44 pm
This Payne Chick is a freak. They are both probably freaks, but she is like fatal attraction freakish. I happen to be facebook friends with her and she has pictures of the two of them hugging etc.
Freak!
By Andrew November 2, 2010 at 3:47 pm
He weighs a 140 pounds?
By courier72 November 2, 2010 at 3:50 pm
Skidmarks, LOL!
By Casual Observer November 2, 2010 at 4:25 pm
So last night (hours before the frantic 911 call??) Kelly Payne attended a Republican rally in Lexington where it was well advertised that Richard Eckstrom would be in attendance. If she is so scared of him, why is she going to places where she knows he will be????
By Huhhh??? November 2, 2010 at 4:40 pm
Mr. Folks may be in the process of being manipulated by Ms. Payne the way Brad Warthen and Cindi Scoppe were manipulated by Nikki about 18 months ago when Bobby Harrell “demoted” her from that Commerce committee that we now know was so profitable for her.
By really???? November 2, 2010 at 5:11 pm
is there anything over used more in the media than “obtained exclusively by…”?
By really???? November 2, 2010 at 5:14 pm
“Don’t tell him because I am scared.” then she calls FITS about it? this is complete bull.
By snakeMD November 2, 2010 at 6:05 pm
Hey folks, check this link out regarding Randy and Evi Quaid:
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20438800,00.html?xid=rss-topheadlines
You talk about crazy attracting crazy. This confirms it. Wait till the national media find out about another SC conservative going awry. Damn that horny chicken curse!
By Incredulous November 2, 2010 at 8:38 pm
You people are nuts.
By baker November 2, 2010 at 8:50 pm
I don’t mean this to be tasteless. And, really, we’ve got our problems and issues.
But why do Will Folks’ political friends seem to be people who get in the middle of such weird stuff?
Will was Mark Sanford’s spokesman. We know about Sanford’s story.
Will was a big fan of Thomas Ravenel. He got elected and then busted for coke and did jail time.
Will was a supporter of Nikki Haley. We know that whole story.
Will was a fan of Kelly Payne. She be totally innocent in all this, but it sounds as if she’s caught up in some weird situation (with a GOP official who Will has endorsed).
Is there just something kind of ‘out there’ about the libertarian crowd in SC?
By Sin City Sux November 2, 2010 at 10:16 pm
she looks more like a man than he does. he kinda looks like …..a prune
By Over Yonder November 3, 2010 at 10:51 am
Forget for a moment that this involves two people involved in politics. If they were anyone else, would you make these remarks or take her seriously? Probable answers would be no and yes, respectively. This is stalking. As to the event in Lex County, she would have been safe in a large crowd, surrounded by others aware of her situation. I’m certain there were law enforcement officers including SLED mixed in the audience. She was probably safer there than she was at home.
By straight out piece of s*** November 4, 2010 at 9:38 am
Please, you “step out” on the little wifey every time you talk about what you want to do to the naked women your posting on your site, including teenaged girls. Although, admittedly, since you’re trapped in arrested adolescence, Miley redneck is probably on your level. So I can understand your interest, as well as that of half the legislature. Did your daddy-in-law preacher not teach you about infidelity and lust in your heart? Oh, sorry, I forgot, your a liberatarian, an intellectual. When it comes to such things you enlightened ones find decency boundaries are for the uneducated little people. It’s much more sophisticated/educated to make $ if you’re a moral relativist. Then you have the convenience of reinventing morality to suit and to justify your vices and your wallet, no matter what the cost to others and to society.
At what age will your daughter be when you ask the little Mrs. to do her and let you watch, and then join in? Posting it and signing an affidavit about it would surely bring the news story some hits, er, I mean, some journalistic crediblity. We all know you like to screw and brag, and I’ll bet your audience would dig the girl on girl action. They’d surely wanna “hit that.”
By CheeseGrits November 4, 2010 at 12:00 pm
Making twisted sexual insinuations about a toddler? Pathetic and pathological. You are indeed a “straight out piece of s***.”
By Groundball December 23, 2010 at 7:54 pm
Is this the same man Kelly invited to talk to her “IT” Kids? I wonder if these kids asked him what it felt like to have the police called on him for harassing the same teacher who’s class he was in?
Both of these individuals are psychopaths and have no business being in public life.
By Groundball December 23, 2010 at 7:54 pm
….. and I mean he spoke to the “IT Kids” just last week!
By Say What? August 2, 2011 at 10:13 am
So the incident report says she’s 32 years old. That’s about as accurate as Nikki Haley’s voter registration card.
Trivia: (Q) Before he entered politics, on what popular 80s tv show did Richard Eckstrom star?
(A) http://rogergastman.com/wp-content/uploads/alf13.jpg