|| By FITSNEWS || This website ran an item earlier this week about Bill Funderburk, the spouse of a state lawmaker who is seeking a judicial appointment to South Carolina’s administrative law court.
Funderburk’s nomination will be voted on by members of the S.C. General Assembly – including his wife, Democratic lawmaker Laurie Slade Funderburk.
Is that right? We don’t think so … and have said so.
“Any ethics reform package passed this year by the S.C. General Assembly include draconian new restrictions on relatives of lawmakers (and former lawmakers) getting state appointments,” we wrote. “We are sick unto death of politicians telling us how they support ethics reform … only to watch their kin folk get high paying gigs on our dime.”
Shortly after our post published, though, we were urged by one insider to focus our anti-nepotism zeal elsewhere …
How come?
“Because Funderburk is going to win,” our source said. “And you don’t want to be on board with a loser.”
Wait … huh?
Why on earth would a “Republican-controlled” legislature elect the spouse of a Democratic lawmaker? Especially at a time when the spotlight is squarely focused on the epidemic of self-service within the S.C. General Assembly?
Is this person serious?
Yes … and the answer to the question ‘why” is as simple as it is sad.
“They don’t wanna say ‘no’ to one of their own.”
In other words, lawmakers are exceedingly reluctant to turn down Funderburk’s husband because doing so would set a precedent for their relatives – and they’d prefer to keep getting jobs for their relatives on your dime. That is why nepotism works … because everybody is playing the game.
7 comments
Well, as the Black Caucus showed when they aligned with the TEA Partiers on the Amazon tax deal the first time around, if you coalition, you can throw a monkey wrench in someone else’s plans.
“They don’t wanna say ‘no’ to one of their own.”
Looks like I am going to have to revise my list
8 animals that eat their own kind
1. Sand tiger sharks
2. Polar bears
3. Spiders
4. Hamsters
5. Parasitic wasps
6. Chickens
7. Tiger salamanders
8. Fucking Cockroaches
http://theweek.com/articles/464891/7-animals-that-eat-kind
http://www.thestate.com/2012/09/09/2432298_a-breakthrough-for-a-local-bookseller.html?rh=1
Says in this article that he is a retired attorney. Guess the book business ain’t going so well.
Do they want to say “no” to 500 to 1000 angry South Carolinians showing up at their offices? Their homes?
The legislature…..SC’s new Royalty. It is nice to be King or Queen!
Politics and corruption have always been and will always be.I used to be idealistic instead of realistic,but as you get older,the ‘moral outrage’ subsides,and you accept things as they are,but maybe you’ve learned that,already-you’ve got more time and a blog to fill…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vIIZydXDqg
Back in the late 1900’s and early 2000’s, Funderburk was the token attorney for the SC Employment Security Commission. He was a “yes man” that catered to the whims of the inept leadership at SCESC. When serious cases/lawsuits aroused, the state agency would hire real lawyers to represent the agency. Just sayin’.