SOUTH CAROLINA STATE HOUSE REPORTER’S DEATH LEAVES A GAPING VOID
Veteran Associated Press reporter Jim Davenport died on New Year’s Eve – losing a two-year battle with cancer. He was 54 years old – and is survived by his wife and a teenage daughter.
Davenport went public with his diagnosis in September 2010 but continued to work through his illness for more than a year – breaking numerous major stories while he battled the disease. It wasn’t until earlier this year when Davenport’s condition worsened to the point he could no longer file stories.
Probably the best compliment we could pay Davenport would be to simply point at the gaping void left in his absence. Seriously … this man was a machine. Smart, prolific, relentless and unimpeachably honest. During his two decades as a reporter, Davenport published thousands of stories exposing the rampant corruption and taxpayer waste taking place on a daily basis at the S.C. State House.
In fact if more reporters followed his example, maybe this state wouldn’t be such a haven for corruption and inefficiency.
“He was a tenacious reporter who made it his mission to inform people in South Carolina about what their governors, lawmakers and other powerful officials were doing with their tax money and their influence,” Davenport’s former employer noted in breaking the news of his passing.
That’s an understatement. Davenport was an absolute bulldog who simply didn’t know how to let go once he sunk his teeth into a story.
In his absence, the press corps at the S.C. State House has devolved into nothing but a sycophantic assemblage of hero worshipers who regurgitate whatever nonsensical rhetoric our two-bit politicians dole out to them – barely lifting a finger to determine its veracity. And you can forget about the sort of fearless investigative journalism that was Davenport’s trademark.
Those days are long gone, it would appear.
Sad … very sad.
On a more personal level Davenport was a gentle and unassuming man, committed to faith and family – a good friend and trusted confidant who never let his work stop him from dispensing a kind remark or a word of friendly advice to someone in need. Yet while Davenport’s voluminous career as a hard-nosed journalist will be his legacy, we will always remember him for the unrestrained pride and unapologetic joy he showed whenever he spoke of his young daughter.
Beaming doesn’t describe it …
In fact more than anyone we’ve ever met, Jim Davenport showed us what it meant to be a father to a young daughter – a gift for which we will eternally be in his debt.
Rest in peace, Jim. And lets hope this state sees more like you sooner rather than later …
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29 comments
He was one of the best.
Keep in mind that Jim Davenport was a reporter for the Associated Press, not some local newspaper. As such, he was able to enjoy a certain independence from local political pressures and local publishers.
That said, he will be missed.
Who will assume the mantle?
Surely Fitsnews has not forgotten that Davenport broke the story that Sanford was missing? From the AP:
“Davenport was a tenacious reporter. He not only was the first reporter to tell the world in 2009 that Gov. Mark Sanford had been missing for a couple of days, but he followed the story for years. Davenport revealed that Sanford used taxpayer money to upgrade himself to business or first-class on flights and use the state plane for personal trips. That led to Sanford paying a $74,000 fine, the biggest ethics penalty in state history.”
Jim was the best. he had the nose to sniff out news, others ignored.
He broke the Sanford story and also uncovered and broke the story of Lt. Governor Bob Peeler’s salacious affair with campaign worker and next door neighbor Donna Gulledge.
Jim reported the facts and let the chips fall, was never out to get anyone, just felt the public had a right to know what was going on and who was responsible for the behind the scenes dealings.
He will be sorely missed.
I am very saddened to see that he has passed so young. God be with his family.
I had occasions where I interacted with Jim Davenport.
Unfortunately, he was much more eager for a story to take down a Republican. But he was a bit reluctant, like most media, to investigate, or criticize, a Democrat.
He was a Sanford-FITS type reporter. Quick to bash a Conservative, while looking for the good, or manufacturing an excuse, for the left-winger.
That said: Davenport would actually listen to you, if you could show incompetence by a Democrat even though he was slow to act. Not sure if that was Davenport of his liberal higher-ups.
While all clichés about fairness and objectivity will be lathered upon him, I did not see that. But we live in a society where honesty is not that much valued, especially where politics and media is involved.
God rest his soul
My god, you’re a wretch.
You are so very typical indicative and sad.
I am very saddened to see that he has passed so young. God be with his family.
…
He was a Sanford-FITS type reporter. Quick to bash a Conservative, while looking for the good, or manufacturing an excuse, for the left-winger.
As they say, you must first get behind someone before you can stab them in the back. At least he didn’t say “Is he dead yet?” or “I’m not going to grieve his passing,” but the douche level is roughly the same.
truly a new low for the village idiot. And that is saying something. Truly epic level douchebag and when we are talking about our own Sarah Palin..T.
that is saying something..
Some how, I am not surprised at the big idio”T”.
YOU BETCHA!
YOU BETCHA!
Honestly: If Davenport were alive, I think he was noble enough to confirm what I said.
And I bet he would be honorable enough to tell you how disgusting some of the ones offering the cliche praises are….
That is actually the best tribute you could give to him upon his passing….
While the ones commenting here aree also testifying to their level of character as well….
You are as absolutely full of shit as the Neuse River after the Hog pens burst, Big T.
We have had Republican government in this state for most of the time Jim Davenport has been at the AP. But when Jim Hodges was governor, he gave Goober Hodges as good as anyone.
Simply put, Big T, you aren’t just wrong. You are a God damned liar. You are so blinded by your partisan hate that you do can’t leave a guy alone on the day we learn of his death. Piss on you and all your seed, if any would have you to spread it.
Notagain: you are a GLOWING example of the Hatred the left has for the TRUTH…
When Hodges was Gov. there was a rash of rapes and abuse going on in the DJJ system. Hodges’ appointed lackey in that job was a token partisian, who refused a subpoena to the SC Senate to account for her Criminal neglect of DJJ.
I challenged Davenport to follow the DJJ Scandal…but he tried to divert, he even claimed he’d get to it. Helater laughed about it, as to admit what he was doing, when I overtly charaterized him for what he was doing.
If memorey serves, Davenport did break the story that Hodges was diverting money from Special Ed students to pay his leftwing Campaign operative. A Sanford insider planted that story. But it was one a very few reported regarding a very incompetent and corrupt democrat regime.
Again: Liberals LOATHE the truth. And Dishonesty, especially in Liberal politics, is the MAJOR problem in our society…
Damn Mr. T., you really put it on a dead man, who can’t defend himself. Pretty damn low I might say!
Liberals will WASTEE no opportunity to attack decency and honesty.
Did you people remember your Wellstone Memorial…and are you Totally Ignorant to your history and how much your nastiness has cost you????
So because he didn’t cover one dem scandal to the satisfaction of an irrational dirtbag, that means ie was a dem operative and it is ok to trash a dead man’s reputation? RIGHT. It speaks highly of him at he ignored you.
As to your delusion about my response, I do not have a hatred for most on the right. What I have for you, however, has nothing to do with your politics. If you were born and raised in the South, your mama raised you better than to speakill of the dead.
You are a sick, twisted, puny little piece of crud whose only affirmation in life ha to come from the negative responses you generate. I’ll continue to defend Jim, but otherwise, you can rot in hell. It would bother me to be you. To have everything, every single blessed thing, I write greeted with uniform scorn and rejection, to have no one ever agree with me, to have no chance at ever convincing one person that the sky is blue. I might say a bit more, but it occurs to me you might be a madochist and you are yanking your pud getting off on all the abuse.
Good write sic.
You are correct OBD. I just wish Will Folks would step up to the plate and recognize his short comings. Sic is just a repentance prayer away from greatness.
That sucks. R.I.P. Jim.
A tremendous loss for the people and the taxpayer.
Much more will be hidden from the public eye and their right to know will suffer greatly.
When I departed a position wherein I had been handling the media releases for a government agency a few years back, Jim wrote us a gracious note thanking us for our transparency and attitude toward the press. You don’t get many of those. He was a class act.
What’s left at the AP is that snoot Seanna Adcox. I wouldn’t call that jerk with a tip for all the tea in China.
Who is left of quality is Gina Smith and John Monk at The State (hated by FITS), and Tony Bartelme at the Post and Courier.
You must be an EXTREME liberal….
Very good reporter. RIP, Jim.
Is he dead yet,really? Stick him with a BIG fork…
Big 9,
You are a BASTARD!
Jim was a great guy. Maybe you are one of the people he shined the light on! Possibly Sanford ot Peeler?
When your day comes, hopefully people will feel the same about you!
I knew Jim for 26 years. Great guy. Great at his job. He will be missed.
I got the chance to meet Jim on a trip to Columbia when I ran for the PSC. He was nice, smart, funny, insightful but most of all actually took the time to talk with me about the PSC. Later when I was in Columbia when the legislature was working on re-apportinment and the 7th district our paths crossed again.
What surprised me most was he remember who I was and sought out my thoughts on how the new congressional districts would turn out. Here was a reporter who meet and knew most of the “power players” yet he actually wanted to know what folks in the Pee Dee and Grand Strand were thinking and concerned about. With his passing this state has lost a voice that remembered why he was in Columbia in the first place…Tom Grimes former SCGOP 6th district chairman