Earlier this week we posted an item about former S.C. lieutenant gubernatorial candidate Bill Connor’s interest in challenging U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (RINO-S.C.) in 2014. In that story, we quoted a text message we received from Connor saying he was prohibited from discussing his political plans while serving on active duty overseas with the U.S. Armed Forces.
“I am on active duty military orders outside the state and therefore cannot talk politics until I return,” Connor told us.
That makes sense. However several hours after our story broke, an extensive interview with Connor was published by another website – an interview in which Conner overtly discussed his future political plans (including his interest in challenging Graham).
“I am strongly considering a run for Sen. Graham’s seat,” Connor said in an interview posted to the website BenSwann.com. “I do not believe that Graham has provided the ‘consistent’ conservative leadership expected by South Carolinians (particularly conservatives).”
Really? Congratulations on that expert analysis, Connor. You are hereby promoted to “Captain Obvious.”
Anyway, Connor goes on to speak extensively in the lengthy interview about his military service, saying he is interested in running against Graham because he “just wants to defend the Constitution in a different manner from the way I defended it as an infantry officer in Afghanistan, Kuwait, Egypt (Sinai), etc.”
The interview – which calls Connor a “war hero” in its headline – concludes with a link to his official website, www.BillConnorOnline.com.
Hmmmm …
Connor certainly appears to have run afoul of Defense Department regulations governing political activity. Specifically, active duty soldiers are not allowed to “make statements to or answer questions from the news media regarding political issues or regarding government policies or activities unless specifically authorized to do so by an appropriate supervisor or commander.”
Did Connor have permission from his superior officer to conduct a political interview with BenSwann.com? We’ve got a call into the U.S. Department of Defense in an effort to determine the answer to that question … so stay tuned, we’ll let you know what we uncover. Also, Connor returns from his current military deployment on August 19, at which point he is expected to formally announce his intention to challenge Graham.
Currently three candidates – Charleston businesswoman Nancy Mace, S.C. Sen. Lee Bright (R-Spartanburg) and social conservative Richard Cash – have said they are going to run against Graham. Former S.C. Treasurer Thomas Ravenel has also hinted at a possible challenge.
Assuming no one gets fifty percent of the vote in next June’s primary election, a runoff election would be held two weeks later.
38 comments
My son is in the Army reserves. He is reluctant to speak with me about Obutthead, which I think is silly.
Never the less, it is highly frowned upon to do so publicly for enlisted and unheard of for officers.
More to the point, you’re kind of whining Sic?
So your son is sucking from the government teat, eh?
He’s got your ass covered. ?
Seriously. I have never and will never put down anyone that puts their butt on the line to defend this countries shores. That is the ONLY core function of the federal government of These United States of America.
My son is in the Army reserves. He is reluctant to speak with me about Obutthead, which I think is silly (maybe he voted for it. Hmmm?).
Never the less, it is highly frowned upon to do so publicly for enlisted and unheard of for officers. Unless of course you have 10 lb.’s of brass on your shoulders.
More to the point, you’re kind of whining Sic?
So your son is sucking from the government teat, eh?
He’s got your ass covered. ?
Seriously. I have never and will never put down anyone that puts their butt on the line to defend this countries shores. That is the ONLY core function of the federal government of These United States of America.
There may be an explanation here- Conner is not a full- time active duty soldier. If he is in the National Guard ot the Army Reserve (and I think he is in one or the other), then he is not always going to be in the status of active duty. So for example, if he gave the interview to BenSwann while he was home in Orangeburg practicing law, no harm, no foul. If he was truly deployed overseas when he responded to FITSNEWS, then he was doing the right thing.
Connor makes it pretty clear on his Facebook page that he’s on active reserve duty these two weeks.
And the article, published yesterday, says that the author reached out to him “this week.”
There may be an explanation here- Conner is not a full- time active duty soldier. If he is in the National Guard ot the Army Reserve (and I think he is in one or the other), then he is not always going to be in the status of active duty. So for example, if he gave the interview to BenSwann while he was home in Orangeburg practicing law, no harm, no foul. If he was truly deployed overseas when he responded to FITSNEWS, then he was doing the right thing.
Connor makes it pretty clear on his Facebook page that he’s on active reserve duty these two weeks.
And the article, published yesterday, says that the author reached out to him “this week.”
Chris is on point in his statement if Connor was home, in Orangeburg, practicing law when he gave the interview he has not run afoul of the DOD regulations regarding political activity. I also will not disagree that the timing of publishing of the interview does merit at least a review of DOD compliance.
At the end of the day though, none of this is going to matter. Unless Connor, Mace, Bright or someone else suddenly hits the Powerball, none of them will have the finanical resources to match Sen. Graham’s financial war chest. The GOP has a unique oppurtunity this political cycle. The top of the ticket has its version of a political first string in Scott, Graham, Haley and in 6 of 7 Congressional districts an incumbent GOP representative.
The question is whether SCGOP Chairman Moore can turn the strength at the top of the ticket into some of a political wave and pick up down ballot local elections. Barring some success on turning those races anything less should be viewed as squandered and a failure.
Since the Republican Party controls almost every political office of consequence in this state exactly what “down ballot local elections” are you referring to?Amusing how Republicans who TOTALLY dominate and control politics in this state, except in some rural, Minority majority counties and legislative districts ,act as if there are more worlds to conquer.You OWN SC!Now do something with it!
SPF-your comments that the GOP dominates this state politics shows how little grasp you have of either. The statement is quite clear-down ballot local elections means just that local, as in county and municipal elections. As for your statement that Republicans totally dominate and control politics in this state with exceptions of rural or minority counties/districts; perhaps you would do well to review voter trends in this state, as well as familarize yourself with elected goverment officals. The last time I looked the mayors of Columbia (Benjamin), Charleston (Riley), Sumter (McElveen) and Florence (Wukela) were democrat, just to name a few. I’m sure Columbia, Charleston, Sumter and Florence may seem like small rural towns…especially when compared to metropolitan areas like Philadelphia, Washington DC, Detriot and Chicago.
Further if you take the time to do a little research (start with SCVotes)you will see that counties like Richland, Charleston, Sumter, etc. continue to vote Democratic in local elections. Until the Republicans can be as competative in Newberry, Chesterfield and Saluda as they are in Horry, Lexington and Greenville there is work to do and seats to be turned.
As to your attempt at a verbal backhand, your comment-“You OWN SC!”; I’m sorry to inform you that the property owners/voters/residents of this great state own SC. Not an elected offical (whether they are named Riley or Thurmond) and certalinly not a political party. To assume or even more dangerously in your case, think, that the Republicans control this state demonstrates that you have as much of an understanding of goverment and politics as a clock understands the passing of time.
Oh Good God.Get off your high horse Homer,Everyone knows SC is a deep red Republican State.
Both US Senators are REPUBLICANS.
All state elected officials are REPUBLICANS
Both state legislative chambers are overwhelmingly REPUBLICAN.
Six of the seven Congressmen are REPUBLICANS.
Who gives a damn as to the party affiliation of the damn Coroner of podunk county?Has NOTHING to do with anything.
The rest of your post is a bunch of pseudo patriotic BALONEY.
Waive the flag and tell the citizen/taxpayers how they really control everything .Bobby Harrell ,Hugh Leatherman et al depend on suckers like you buying that BS?
And as PT Barnum said,theres one of you born every minute.Now get out there and pull that GOP lever,
“Bo”
The mayoral elections for Columbia and Charleston are not held in November of even years, so your argument does not apply to those examples. I don’t know about Sumter, but I think the Florence example is valid.
Nevertheless, we need FEWER GOP officeholders. The problem is we don’t have COMPETITIVE elections at all. Probably more than 80% of all state and local offices are either ‘slam dunk’ D or ‘slam dunk’ R. Competition would create better government.
Chris is on point in his statement if Connor was home, in Orangeburg, practicing law when he gave the interview he has not run afoul of the DOD regulations regarding political activity. I also will not disagree that the timing of publishing of the interview does merit at least a review of DOD compliance.
At the end of the day though, none of this is going to matter. Unless Connor, Mace, Bright or someone else suddenly hits the Powerball, none of them will have the finanical resources to match Sen. Graham’s financial war chest. The GOP has a unique oppurtunity this political cycle. The top of the ticket has its version of a political first string in Scott, Graham, Haley and in 6 of 7 Congressional districts an incumbent GOP representative.
The question is whether SCGOP Chairman Moore can turn the strength at the top of the ticket into some of a political wave and pick up down ballot local elections. Barring some success on turning those races anything less should be viewed as squandered and a failure.
Since the Republican Party controls almost every political office of consequence in this state exactly what “down ballot local elections” are you referring to?Amusing how Republicans who TOTALLY dominate and control politics in this state, except in some rural, Minority majority counties and legislative districts ,act as if there are more worlds to conquer.You OWN SC!Now do something with it!
SPF-your comments that the GOP dominates this state politics shows how little grasp you have of either. The statement is quite clear-down ballot local elections means just that local, as in county and municipal elections. As for your statement that Republicans totally dominate and control politics in this state with exceptions of rural or minority counties/districts; perhaps you would do well to review voter trends in this state, as well as familarize yourself with elected goverment officals. The last time I looked the mayors of Columbia (Benjamin), Charleston (Riley), Sumter (McElveen) and Florence (Wukela) were democrat, just to name a few. I’m sure Columbia, Charleston, Sumter and Florence may seem like small rural towns…especially when compared to metropolitan areas like Philadelphia, Washington DC, Detriot and Chicago.
Further if you take the time to do a little research (start with SCVotes)you will see that counties like Richland, Charleston, Sumter, etc. continue to vote Democratic in local elections. Until the Republicans can be as competative in Newberry, Chesterfield and Saluda as they are in Horry, Lexington and Greenville there is work to do and seats to be turned.
As to your attempt at a verbal backhand, your comment-“You OWN SC!”; I’m sorry to inform you that the property owners/voters/residents of this great state own SC. Not an elected offical (whether they are named Riley or Thurmond) and certalinly not a political party. To assume or even more dangerously in your case, think, that the Republicans control this state demonstrates that you have as much of an understanding of goverment and politics as a clock understands the passing of time.
Oh Good God.Get off your high horse Homer,Everyone knows SC is a deep red Republican State.
Both US Senators are REPUBLICANS.
All state elected officials are REPUBLICANS
Both state legislative chambers are overwhelmingly REPUBLICAN.
Six of the seven Congressmen are REPUBLICANS.
Who gives a damn as to the party affiliation of the damn Coroner of podunk county?Has NOTHING to do with anything.
The rest of your post is a bunch of pseudo patriotic BALONEY.
Waive the flag and tell the citizen/taxpayers how they really control everything .Bobby Harrell ,Hugh Leatherman et al depend on suckers like you buying that BS?
And as PT Barnum said,theres one of you born every minute.Now get out there and pull that GOP lever,
“Bo”
The mayoral elections for Columbia and Charleston are not held in November of even years, so your argument does not apply to those examples. I don’t know about Sumter, but I think the Florence example is valid.
Nevertheless, we need FEWER GOP officeholders. The problem is we don’t have COMPETITIVE elections at all. Probably more than 80% of all state and local offices are either ‘slam dunk’ D or ‘slam dunk’ R. Competition would create better government.
“I do not believe that Graham has provided the ‘consistent’
conservative leadership expected by South Carolinians (particularly
conservatives).”
Really? Congratulations on that expert analysis, Connor. You are hereby promoted to “Captain Obvious.”
By that logic, Nancy Mace is “Captain Obvious,” too.
“I do not believe that Graham has provided the ‘consistent’
conservative leadership expected by South Carolinians (particularly
conservatives).”
Really? Congratulations on that expert analysis, Connor. You are hereby promoted to “Captain Obvious.”
By that logic, Nancy Mace is “Captain Obvious,” too.
Connor has serious mental issues if he believes he can be elected to any political office in this state.
Connor has serious mental issues if he believes he can be elected to any political office in this state.
I hope he does run. He’s run for just about everything else. A legend in his own mind.
I hope he does run. He’s run for just about everything else. A legend in his own mind.
“just wants to defend the Constitution in a different manner from the way I defended it as an infantry officer in Afghanistan, Kuwait, Egypt (Sinai),”
Whatever he did in Afghanistan, et al, it wasn’t “defending the Constitution.”
“just wants to defend the Constitution in a different manner from the way I defended it as an infantry officer in Afghanistan, Kuwait, Egypt (Sinai),”
Whatever he did in Afghanistan, et al, it wasn’t “defending the Constitution.”
DOD regs.. nothing will happen.. So sad too bad.. As far as the race goes- let us not forget the copious numbers of democrats that will vote in that primary to ensure that graham gets the nod. The bigger the crowd the better Miss Thangs’s chances to retain the tiara…. Maybe Connor Cash and Bright will remove themselves from the race and let it actually be a contest.
DOD regs.. nothing will happen.. So sad too bad.. As far as the race goes- let us not forget the copious numbers of democrats that will vote in that primary to ensure that graham gets the nod. The bigger the crowd the better Miss Thangs’s chances to retain the tiara…. Maybe Connor Cash and Bright will remove themselves from the race and let it actually be a contest.
Well, let’s hope we get to choose between Mace and Bright. No more birds and no more crackers.
Well, let’s hope we get to choose between Mace and Bright. No more birds and no more crackers.
the guy has an obvious case of “the runs”…
the guy has an obvious case of “the runs”…
Enough already! 4 opponents, is no one going to run against Tim Scott?
Enough already! 4 opponents, is no one going to run against Tim Scott?