State investigators are seeking an audio tape of S.C. Lt. Gov. Ken Ard in which the scandal-scarred “Republican in Name Only” acknowledges that he violated state ethics law.
“I’ve got a vast amount of my personal wealth tied up in this campaign and I’m just trying to recoup as much of that as I possibly can,” Ard told reported Corey Hutchins of The (Columbia, S.C.) Free Times after the paper busted him spending more than $20,000 in campaign cash on a array of dubious expenses.
After The Free Times story was published, Ard backed off of that statement. In fact, he told the Associated Press that he had “no idea” where Hutchins got the quote. Days later, however, Hutchins released an audiotape of his interview with Ard that confirmed the accuracy of the statement.
In fact, that recording – which The Free Times posted online – includes Ard repeatedly denying that he spent campaign cash on personal expenses.
Obviously, that lie was just the beginning of Ard’s problems. An SEC report released last month showed that Ard’s illegal use of campaign funds for personal purposes was much more flagrant than originally suspected. Also, the report revealed that Ard repeatedly provided false information to investigators – fabricating an official “economic development” pretense for a family vacation to Washington, D.C. and concocting a story about buying his wife an inaugural gown.
Now, investigators would appear to be piecing together evidence in an effort to win an indictment against Ard.
“Free Times was contacted this morning by a state investigator seeking an audio recording of a Jan. 31 interview between Ard and this reporter,” Hutchins reported on Wednesday. “Free Times directed the investigator to a publicly available recording of the interview posted online on Feb. 7.”
S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson launched a preliminary investigation into Ard’s campaign finance violations shortly after the SEC report was released – and after Ard paid $60,000 in penalties for committing more than 100 campaign finance violations. Shortly thereafter he referred the matter to a grand jury.
As far as we can tell, Wilson has handled the Ard investigation by the book – although some have speculated that Ard might be let off the hook given his proximity to a prominent GOP fundraiser (or more accurately, the proximity of the fundraiser to Ard’s dubious campaign finance activities).
Obviously Ard isn’t the only South Carolina “Republican” facing campaign finance problems. Newly-elected S.C. Ways and Means Chairman Brian White has a similar issue – while S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley has habitually refused to disclose the occupation of the vast majority of her donors as required by state law.
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By I want my Boston Whaler August 3, 2011 at 5:13 pm
Dear Ken,
For years I’ve had my eyes on a Boston Whaler 190 Montauk
http://www.bostonwhaler.com/Page.aspx/pageId/29592/pmid/204626/190-Montauk.aspx
with a Johnson 250.
Please stroke a check ($38,872) from your reptile fund to
BW Friend
P.O. Box 1257
Murrells Inlet, SC 29576
and I will take care of those pesky investigators.
Charge it off to “office supplies.”
By Bollywood August 3, 2011 at 5:25 pm
Toast, next……Haley
By Andy August 3, 2011 at 5:34 pm
Ard doesn’t seem very savvy with people who call him on the phone and just throw shit on the wall to see what will stick. Actually, he seems like a dumb fuck.
By Not exactly August 3, 2011 at 5:37 pm
How worrisome is it that state investigators can’t find audio that has been publicly available for months?
And how many times does Ken Ard say “to be honest with you” in that audio?
By MajorC August 3, 2011 at 5:51 pm
Nice suit. He wears it well. Obviously a man of impeccable taste and dubious ethics.
By BigT August 3, 2011 at 6:24 pm
@Not Exactly…that is a good (and humorous) point…
Also: When you’re relying on a media source as Blatantly Biased as Free Times for your ‘Investigation’ do you have any confidence of just and fair prosecution for anyone…???
What’s Next: Will they be asking FITS for a deposition on Nikki Haley…????
By indianexpress August 3, 2011 at 7:45 pm
In India Nimrata is known as a coconut. Brown on the outside and white on the inside. It is her heart that makes her write white on voter cards and traffic tickets. She desires to be white. Outside as well as inside. Is a shame. Many will suffer at the hands of a bad coconut. Spoiled coconut meat is horrendous. Darla knew it. Kendra found out quickly. Mitt was ill for weeks. Ard is contaminated and will perish. Shannon is fortunate to be far away. Eleanor couldn’t stop crying, Michelle collapsed after one evening. Catherine and Melina are next.
By BeefCake's Tongue August 3, 2011 at 7:50 pm
Ahhhhh, funny, that explains it. An X-ray tech at LMC accidentally scanned Nikki as she took a catnap on his examination table. The empty void between her ears lead to her demise.
By Victor August 3, 2011 at 7:53 pm
I heard Nikki is hard headed….. hahahahahahahahahaha.
By Bagman August 3, 2011 at 8:37 pm
Ard is funny, but he is toast…no butter, no jelly, just toast.
Nikki is a blazing hairless curry tasting coconut, now that is news.
By Bagman August 3, 2011 at 8:41 pm
Oh shit, just read she has the slightest hint of Lipton Tea behind the ears, and a pinkish hue to her undercarriage. What a woman.
By Poppy August 3, 2011 at 8:45 pm
Poor Nimrata…..her kinfolk back home call her a coconut. Nothing special, they are everywhere and frequently fall, injuring people. Sic, Tweet Nikki and ask about the coconut references back home.
By Albert August 3, 2011 at 10:06 pm
Major C,
The suit looks a bit, no a lot shiny to me.
By OhNoNotAgain August 3, 2011 at 11:28 pm
this might be how Wilson wiggles out.
because they can do the right thing and just use the recording on the Internet. Or they can “Demand” the actual original recording, and get into a free press legal battle, which they will lose.
then wilson will say he couldn’t proceed “in good faith” without the original, and Ard will walk.
By Waiting2See August 4, 2011 at 7:11 am
Wilson’s got to do something to look strong. He and his boss Nikki got their asses handed to them by Jean Toal. Then he lost the Yucca mountain case. Boy, I bet it’s looking tough to run for governor in 2014. Alan is looking for street cred, and thats it.
By Nikki's Twitter August 4, 2011 at 8:15 am
Get Excited The wonderful me has never lied, cheated, been vindictive or fired. Nobody calls me a coconut. I am great for me, SC and America.