What goes up must come down, right? And some things come down faster than others … (with all apologies to Galileo, who obviously never included politicians in his gravitational experimentation).

Anyway, in the not-too-distant past when our founding editor worked under S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley (double entendre intended), she used to insist that any new logo for her then-nascent statewide ambition incorporate “Haley’s Comet” – her trademark.

So ubiquitous has this comet now become in South Carolina politics that even Haley’s antagonists use it in their anti-Haley logos.

In this week’s editions of The Spartanburg Herald-Journal, veteran South Carolina political cartoonist Robert Ariail has an interesting take on the current trajectory of “Haley’s Comet.”

Pretty accurate, eh?

Anyway, props to Ariail. To check out more of his work, click on the link below …

ROBERT ARIAIL (Official Site)

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Earlier this week, a friend of ours forwarded a cell phone picture of a rather curious barroom trivia question: Who is South Carolina’s current lieutenant governor?

Take a look …

(Click to enlarge)

The answer to that question, of course, is Ken Ard (RINO-Pamplico). In fact, Ard received more votes in 2010 (735,089) than any other contested Republican on the statewide ballot – approximately 45,000 more votes than Gov. Nikki Haley received.

But should he still be the lieutenant governor?

After all, it’s been more than five months since S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson referred Ard’s ongoing ethics case to a statewide grand jury (and more than two months since we last dug our spurs into Wilson regarding his investigation).

Honestly, we thought that this case would have been wrapped up by now … although to Wilson’s credit his investigators have obviously been digging.

So what’s the hold up?

First, for those of you who haven’t been following this scandal (or those of you who have gotten caught up in the numerous Nikki Haley scandals), Ard is facing a host of allegations stemming from his illegal use of campaign funds for personal expenses. He’s already paid a fine related to the ethics violations he committed, but his effort to cover up these illegal expenses has landed him at the center of a criminal probe.

Wilson referred the case to the grand jury in July after an ethics report revealed that Ard spent tens of thousands of dollars in campaign cash on football tickets, iPods, a Playstation, a flat-screen TV and clothing for himself and his wife – and then lied about those expenses on his state ethics forms.

More seriously, sources tell FITS that Ard’s campaign illegally traded cash for contributions early on during his candidacy in an effort to make it appear as though he was receiving more financial support than his GOP rivals. According to these sources, this “cash for contributions” scheme was devised in early 2009 by S.C. political consultant Robert Cahaly– an advisor to Ard (and S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley).

A notoriously unethical advisor, Cahaly was indicted last November for illegal campaign activity on behalf of S.C. Speaker Bobby Harrell.

Anyway, conspiracy theorists have had a field day with the Ard case – or at least they did. The case has all but disappeared from the headlines in recent weeks.

Some Democrats previously expressed concern that Wilson and Ard may have cut a deal involving the latter’s secretive grand jury proceedings (perhaps in an effort to avoid dragging a prominent Republican fundraiser into the investigation).

Others have expressed fear of the so-called “Ard fallout,” i.e. the likelihood that an indictment against the lieutenant governor could result in similar scandals enveloping numerous other South Carolina elected officials.

Another popular conspiracy theory? That Wilson has been waiting for powerful S.C. Senate President Glenn McConnell to get his ducks in a row before moving on Ard.

If indicted, Ard would be automatically suspended from office pending the outcome of the charges against him. In the event he were to resign from office or be convicted, McConnell would be in line to take his place – although it’s unclear at this point whether McConnell would temporarily relinquish his powerful Senate leadership role in an effort to avoid assuming the politically impotent lieutenant governor’s office.

Most Palmetto political observers believe that McConnell would somehow find a way to avoid becoming lieutenant governor – a process that would make a mockery of the state’s constitution, but which would cement his legend as the state’s preeminent political operator (and preserve his powerful legislative perch in the process).

In fact, it’s widely-believed that McConnell has a resignation letter already on file with the Senate clerk’s office in the event that the lieutenant governor’s office should become vacant for any reason – thus enabling him to shirk his constitutional duties and pass the office onto someone else, presumably a candidate of his choosing.

Others believe that McConnell is leaning toward taking the job – citing the numerous ticking time bombs associated with Haley and the likelihood that he would ascend to the governor’s office.

One way or the other, we’re likely to find out something very soon …

Pic: Travis Bell Photography

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The chairman of the S.C. Retirement System Investment Commission (SCRSIC) is livid with State Treasurer Curtis Loftis over his alleged involvement in the agency’s affairs – “meddling” which may have led to the resignation of the system’s controversial chief executive.

Allen R. Gillespie – the Anderson, S.C. investment manager who heads up the commission – believes that an investigation initiated by Loftis into the taxpayer-funded expenses of Robert L. Borden is what drove the flamboyant Lamborghini-driving retirement czar to resign his post last month.

Borden’s five-year tenure was marked by secrecy and controversy – and his resignation was viewed as a victory for open government advocates.

Sources familiar with the situation tell FITS that Gillespie plans to confront Loftis at the next meeting of the commission – which oversees a pension system with unfunded liabilities totaling anywhere between $14-17 billion.

This website has offered several common sense ideas on how to lower that deficit – and it seems that state lawmakers are finally offering up some of those solutions.  The only problem?  They’re proposing that taxpayers subsidize these reforms by giving state employees pay raises in the upcoming state budget as a sort of quid pro quo.

Needless to say, we’ll be keeping an eye on this brewing feud … but as far as we can tell it’s yet another example of Loftis doing his job (and pissing off all of the right people in the process).

The State Treasurer has a fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers – which means he can and should investigate anyone he damn well pleases who is believed to be operating in a manner inconsistent with the taxpayers’ bests interests.

Also, if Borden had nothing to hide you would think he would have made his case publicly rather than resigning abruptly …

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The internet is all in a tizzy after a judge in Oregon ruled last week that bloggers in the Beaver State (isn’t that what Oregon is called?) do not enjoy the benefits of the state’s “shield law,” which prevents reporters from being compelled to turn over their sources.

Despite the fact that Oregon’s shield law extends to persons “engaged in any medium of communication to the public,” U.S. District Court Judge Marco A. Hernandez  ruled that blogger Crystal Cox was not protected by the statute.

“Although (Cox) is a self-proclaimed ‘investigative blogger’ and defines herself as ‘media,’ the record fails to show that she is affiliated with any newspaper, magazine, periodical, book, pamphlet, news service, wire service, news or feature syndicate, broadcast station or network, or cable television system,” Hernandez wrote. “Thus, she is not entitled to the protections of the law in the first instance.”

Not surprisingly, more than a few people emailed this ruling to us … presumably as a warning.

Well … we’re not skeered.

We dare any judge (state or federal) to try and compel us to rat out a source. Seriously, go ahead … make our day.

In addition to his army of highly-skilled lawyers, our founding editor has concocted an inventive legal strategy in the event any judge ever attempts such an extraction on him.

Plan B? Letting said judge arrest him for refusing to rat out his source, which of course would turn him into a First Amendment hero … dramatically expanding his power and influence.

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Robert L. Borden, the flamboyant Lamborghini-driving chief of the S.C. Retirement Systems Investment Commission (SCRSIC), resigned from his post on Friday to take a position with a North Carolina investment start-up.

Borden, whose five-year tenure has been marked by secrecy and controversy, makes a whopping $485,000 a year (not counting his government benefits). He was also in line to receive a one-day bonus of $66,000 earlier this year before that raise was blocked by S.C. Treasurer Curtis Loftis.

In an interview with The (Columbia, S.C.) State newspaper, Borden acknowledged that will be taking a pay cut as he prepares to enter the private sector – which should tell you all you need to know about the exorbitant pay state government is doling out to bureaucrats.

Robert Borden

Sources familiar with Borden’s decision say it comes as a result of an internal investigation that Loftis’ office launched earlier this year.

FITS referenced that investigation in a story we posted earlier this week.

A source close to Loftis said that the Treasurer hopes Borden’s departure will usher in a “new era of sunlight” at the agency.

“Whoever is chosen as his replacement is going to have to be transparent about these investments and transparent about their role in these investments,” the source said. “These are the people’s assets.”

Loftis has been seeking specific information from Borden’s office – including travel records and expense account information – which Borden has thus far refused to provide. In fact, Loftis has been forced to send Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to the SCRSIC in order to obtain the information.

Several of those requests have been ignored.

In addition to Borden’s lack of transparency, the state’s retirement fund is currently faced with unfunded liabilities totaling anywhere between $14-17 billion. We’ve offered several common sense ideas on how to lower that deficit, but so far state lawmakers and Gov. Nikki Haley have been unwilling to embrace those reforms.

Last fall, FITS broke the story of a controversial pension fund takeover engineered by Borden. After the mainstream media picked up on the scam, the rats started scurrying from the ship.

Borden’s original plan was for state government to create a new investment corporation that would manage up to $9 billion in retirement assets – including investments in South Carolina companies. The new company – dubbed “NewCo” – would have employed 50 people and operated on an annual budget of $29 million, which ostensibly would have been paid for out of “savings” in investment fees. “NewCo” would have managed up to $6 billion in retirement assets almost immediately – while eventually managing up to $8.7 billion of the state’s $25 billion pension fund.

Under the proposed plan, executive salaries would have risen to private sector heights. But unlike the private markets, these employees would not have their own money invested in the scheme …

Needless to say, the creation of this new entity was fraught with all sorts of ethical problems – most notably a complete lack of transparency and accountability at any step of the process. Basically, public employees’ savings would have been spent/ invested under the plan without their input … and with no oversight from either the legislative or executive branches of government.

That’s why the S.C. Budget and Control Board under S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford rejected the scheme.

While Borden’s initial effort failed … he has successful begun the process of taking this idea “in-house.”

Borden’s commission – which had a $5.8 million budget a year ago – convinced Haley and our “Republican-controlled” S.C. General Assembly to appropriate another $5.5 million in the current budget. The agency was planning to ask for $19 million in the coming budget, although it’s unclear how Borden’s departure will impact the agency’s budget request.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Allen Klump 864-915-4059
Allen.Klump@mail.house.gov

Congressman Duncan Votes to Protect SC Jobs
The South Carolina Delegation’s Legislation Helps Protect Jobs in the Palmetto State

WASHINGTON, DC – South Carolina Freshman Congressman Jeff Duncan applauds passage of H.R. 2587, the Protecting Jobs from Government Interference Act that ends funding for the NLRB’s lawsuit against Boeing.

“I’m an original cosponsor of this legislation because I believe what the NLRB has done to Boeing and to the people of South Carolina is one of the most egregious bureaucratic abuses of power that this Administration has perpetrated. And with this Administration, that’s saying something,” said Duncan.

“Earlier this year, the National Labor Relations Board decided it had the power to tell a company where it could move, what it could build, and how much. Whatever you think of the NLRB, whatever stance you have on labor unions, would you ever think our government would consider such an unconstitutional power grab?”

“In the midst of the great recession, when our #1 focus should be creating jobs, the NLRB is trying to stop an American company, from building American airplanes, with American workers, right here in America.”

“If the NLRB wins this lawsuit, American companies won’t be deciding on whether to move to a union state or a right-to-work state. American companies will make decisions on whether to continue production in the United States or to take their manufacturing process and the jobs that go with it to another country.”

“I’m thrilled that the House passed this bill, and I urge the Senate and the President to sign this jobs bill.”

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(Editor’s Note: The above communication is a news release from an elected official. It does not necessarily reflect the editorial position of FITSNews.com. To submit your letter, news release, email blast, media advisory or issues statement for publication, click here).

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The head of S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley’s security detail was dismissed from her post earlier this month as a result of an alleged affair with the acting director of the South Carolina Department of Public Safety (DPS), multiple sources have confirmed to FITS.

Shannon Branham – who was Haley’s choice to lead her gubernatorial security detail – was relieved of command earlier this month by Mark Keel, Haley’s newly-appointed S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) chief.

The reason behind Branham’s dismissal? A rumored affair with Kenny Lancaster, who replaced Keel on an acting basis as DPS director seven weeks ago (and who was widely-regarded as the favorite to become Keel’s long-term successor at the agency).

Branham

Despite being provided with the justification for Branham’s dismissal, Haley was said to be infuriated by Keel’s decision. That’s not surprising. After all, Haley hand-picked Branham for the job even though the former narcotics agent had no training or experience in leading a protective detail. Also, we’re told that Branham – like former S.C. Budget and Control Board director Eleanor Kitzman – has become one of Haley’s top “secret keepers.”

In the wake of the mushrooming scandal, Branham has been reassigned to SLED’s Midlands, S.C. field office. Responsibility for Haley’s security has been transferred to Jack Proffitt – a respected law enforcement veteran who previously led the security details for former S.C. governors Carroll Campbell and Mark Sanford.

The scandal comes in the wake of alleged interference in the independent agency’s operations by S.C. First Gentleman Michael Haley – as well as confirmed reports of Gov. Haley using her protective detail as cocktail waiters.

Branham did not immediately respond to our request for comment. Lancaster declined to comment.

“This is crazy,” he told FITS.

Both law enforcement veterans are married. In fact, Branham is married to Ken Branham, a Highway Patrol lieutenant (a.k.a. a subordinate of Lancaster’s) with more than two decades of experience on the force.

According to our sources, Branham and Lancaster’s alleged affair was first uncovered several months ago by a group of state troopers who discovered the pair canoodling in a bar in Beaufort County, S.C. at 1:30 a.m.

Both were inebriated – and Branham made a mad dash to the ladies’ restroom when she saw the troopers, a witness to the scene tells FITS.

We’re also told that a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request submitted by a local television station will reveal multiple late-night phone calls between Branham and Lancaster. Haley – who is obviously no stranger to such late-night calls – did not respond to our request for comment.

Spokespersons for SLED and DPS declined to comment as well.

Developing …

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If the effort by Barack Obama’s National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to block Boeing from building a manufacturing facility outside of Charleston, S.C. was just what Gov. Nikki Haley needed to shore up her anti-union credentials, a budding controversy over a prayer rally in Texas could help the first-term Republican shore up her support among social conservatives.

And given her anemic approval rating, we wouldn’t be surprised if Haley jumped at the opportunity …

Haley has been invited by Texas Gov. Rick Perry (a rumored 2012 presidential candidate) to attend a “nondenominational, apolitical, Christian prayer meeting” scheduled for August 6 in Houston, Texas. The purpose of Perry’s rally? To promote “”unity and righteousness” (and to highlight his social conservative credentials among 2012 GOP primary voters, of course).

“As a nation we must come together and call upon Jesus to guide us through unprecedented struggles, and thank Him for the blessings of freedom,” Perry said earlier this month in announcing the event.

Blessings of freedom? Ummm … what country is he referring to, we wonder?

Anyway, we fail to see the controversy in Perry holding a prayer rally (we’ve still got freedom of religion in this country, don’t we?), but the panties of some on the far left of the American political spectrum are in a wad over this event.  How come? Well, the rally is being organized and funded by the American Family Association – a group that liberals have singled out for vitriol as a result of its aggressive anti-gay rhetoric.

According to CREDO -a “progressive” San Francisco-based firm that mobilizes liberals to action on a variety of causes – the American Family Association is a bad, bad bunch of people. In fact, CREDO refers to the group as “a Mississippi-based conservative Christian organization that’s so vehemently anti-gay, they’ve been identified as a ‘hate group’ by the Southern Poverty Law Center.”

Hmmmm … so does that make them buddies with S.C. Sen. Jakie Knotts (RINO-Lexington), whose infamous reference to Haley as a “rag head” prior to the 2010 GOP gubernatorial primary earned him top billing in the Southern Poverty Law Center’s “Hate in the Mainstream” report? And helped cinch the GOP nomination for Haley?

Anyway, while we haven’t delved into the allegedly “hateful” positions of Perry’s Bible-thumping buddies in Mississippi, we generally find the trigger-happiness of the Southern Poverty Law Center in assigning “hate group” status to various religious groups to be ridiculous. Obviously we support gay rights (including civil unions and the repeal of “don’t ask dont’ tell”), but we also respect the right of churches to preach what they want to preach about homosexuality.

At the end of the day, we don’t care what anybody’s religion or sexual orientation is … we care about their position(s) on bread and butter free market and individual liberty issues.

In response to Perry’s invitations, CREDO has blasted out an email to South Carolina liberals urging them to contact Haley’s office and demand that she not attend this “discriminatory” prayer event. Our guess is that Haley wasn’t planning on going in the first place – but we can’t say that for sure because her office did not respond to our request for comment.

What do you think Haley should do? Vote in our poll and post your thoughts in our comments section below …

Pic: Radioactive Records

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