By fitsnews – May 23, 2012
Welcome to “the wire,” our pseudo-daily effort to engage the growing number of tips, comments and questions we receive here at FITS News. While we continue perfecting this new format, please keep your tips, comments and questions coming!
Also be sure and check back during the day as we occasionally add new items to the mix.
To the wire!
NIKKI HALEY VEEPSTAKES TRACKER
TIP: Thought you would like this Veep Tracker …
FITS: Interesting … our governor seems to be tracking like the Facebook IPO.
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NIKKI HALEY THE PIÑATA
QUESTION: You covered the story of the labor leader bashing the Nikki Haley piñata but didn’t offer much in the way of your thoughts. What do you make of the story?
FITS: Stuff like this is made to order for Nikki Haley. That’s why her office engaged in an aggressive media push to get the story out to as many people as possible.
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NIKKI HALEY INVESTIGATION
TIP: There is much more going on than what you have reported on Nikki Haley and Phillip Lowe. She is holding something much more important (and valuable) over his head than a decade old conviction. Start digging in her cabinet and see what you find.
FITS: Thanks for the tip … we are looking into this.
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MORE ON PHILLIP LOWE
TIP: You need to talk to SC Rep Shannon Erickson about Representative Lowe’s “ethics” when it comes to hitting on married women. You also need to look into his physical therapy business.
FITS: Wow … we’re on the second tip, obviously, but what else can you tell us about the first item you mentioned? Feel free to email any additional information to w@fitsnews.com.
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JOBS ARE JOBS
COMMENT: You attack Nikki Haley for incorrectly stating that a company is bringing 750 jobs to our state when it is really bringing 300. Can’t you just be happy about the 300 jobs? Jobs are jobs and we should be welcoming them in any number not attacking those who are bringing them here.
FITS: Jobs are jobs … we just prefer letting the economy create them as opposed to letting politicians cut checks to companies with our money.
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SAVANNAH RIVER SELLOUT
TIP: Nikki Haley’s leadership is paying off for Georgia again!
FITS: Color us shocked.
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TAXPAYER REBATE FUND
QUESTION: Is (S.C.) Sen. Tom Davis going to reintroduce his taxpayer rebate fund amendment this year? Would it not be more likely to pass in an election year?
FITS: Yes … and yes. Davis attempted to bring his amendment up for a vote in the State Senate earlier this week but Senate Finance Chairman Hugh Leatherman moved to delay it (presumably to get his votes in line).
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STATE BUDGET
QUESTION: (S.C. Senator) Shane Massey wants to cut $4 million from a budget that’s expected to be more than $23 billion? Is this a joke?
FITS: No. Apparently that’s all the “pork” Massey is willing to vote against.
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SC WELFARE AGENCY SCANDAL
COMMENT: In reference to your article about SCDSS, the consulants are actually being hired by the DSS Director and workers and who have been employed by DSS for 15 or 20 years never receive an interview for the position. For the FIP program (director Lillian) Koller has developed this program called JUMMP. What does mean? No one knows. But the program is intended to delay clients eligible for FIP up to 21 days before approval. Food stamp eligibility workers will be paid $20000.00 dollars a year to do FIP and the FIP eligibility workers are earning $29000.00 Koller stated “well Geogia pays less.” Contract SCDSS about the NEW FIP Program and SNAP Program on equal pay.
Please do not give email address out I am a DSS employee.
FITS: Thanks for the inside information … and we never give out email addresses. Please keep us in the loop on this, will you?
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USC TRUSTEE
TIP: Find out why Dorn Smith from the USC Board of Trustees lost his hospital privileges at McLeod Regional Hospital.
FITS: We heard some reports about Smith when we published this story on his disputed residence. We haven’t been able to nail down the story yet but we’re working on it.
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JOHN HAWKINS PUPPET?
TIP: Love your blog, by the way. I would love for you to take a look at this Kevin Owens clown running for SC House … I was at (a candidate) forum tonight in which many local politicians were speaking. This Owens guy is an obvious “political puppet” for John Hawkins. Yup, another slimy lawyer looking to belly up to the bar (no pun intended). He attacked Lee Bright, and joined the John Hawkins assault … Hawkins is a jerk, and Owens is a joke!
Take a look, my friend … I know you’ll expose this creep.
FITS: Calling John Hawkins a jerk is an understatement. The guy is pure evil (click here and here). Anybody affiliated with him is certainly suspect in our book.
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JENNY HORNE PUPPET?
TIP: Given your recent reporting on SC Rep Jenny Horne’s efforts to kill this year’s parental choice bill I thought you would be interested in seeing who she is supporting in the race for House District 97.
FITS: Interesting … thanks for sharing. Hopefully people will vote against that guy … whoever he is.
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CSOL BASHING
COMMENT: Do you have nothing better to do than sit around all day and attack CSOL? Your reporting is to blame for the school’s
FITS: Wait … it’s our fault that the S.C. Supreme Court threw out a section of the 2007 bar exam in an effort to artificially inflate CSOL’s passage rate? Or that just 40 percent of its graduates passed the most recent bar exam? Please …
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RACIST FIRE MARSHAL?
TIP: Columbia Fire Marshal preys on black people, from black colleges, to black owned businesses, to black people in shopping centers (check his ticket book). Matt Lam drove a city vehicle to Pelion every day for nearly six months with a suspended license. His name has appeared in more lawsuits than Exxon Valdez, check Richland & Lexington County records.
How can this public official skirt the law while the rest of us must abide by it – “He Lies!”
FITS: Wow … we will check the county records.
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POWER LINES
COMMENT: I love your new “wire” thing but every time I see the power lines it reminds me of the twist ending from the movie “Seven.” Scary!
FITS: Envy and wrath, baby … envy and wrath.
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Got a tip for us? Or a comment? Or a question? Submit it anonymously over on our tip line or our contact page … and remember, in addition to your tips we also publish letters to the editor and guest editorials (even anonymous ones) if you’ve got more to say on a subject. Also feel free to reach out to our founding editor directly at w@fitsnews.com.
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