SC

NAACP To Nikki Haley: Don’t Pick Henry McMaster

FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL’S “WHITES ONLY” PROBLEM ONCE AGAIN REARS ITS UGLY HEAD S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley has been warned by the NAACP not to pick former S.C. Attorney General Henry McMaster as an interim replacement for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Jim DeMint. Why not?  Because of McMaster’s…

FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL’S “WHITES ONLY” PROBLEM ONCE AGAIN REARS ITS UGLY HEAD

S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley has been warned by the NAACP not to pick former S.C. Attorney General Henry McMaster as an interim replacement for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Jim DeMint.

Why not?  Because of McMaster’s membership in a “whites only” country club.

In a letter to Haley from S.C. NAACP president Lonnie Randolph, Haley is asked to “eliminate any candidate who belongs to any club, organization or association that excludes African-Americans or other minorities.”

Along with several other prominent politicians (including S.C. Senate President John Courson), McMaster is a member of the Forest Lake Country Club in Columbia, S.C. – which excludes black members.

“I  hope it is abundantly clear that the position of United States Senator should not be held by individuals who have chosen to make such associations with organizations whose policies and actions perpetuate and promote the longstanding racial divisions in our state,” Randolph adds.

Haley did not immediately respond to our request for comment on Randolph’s letter.  McMaster is one of five candidates on her “short list” to replace DeMint – along with U.S. Rep. Tim Scott, former S.C. First Lady Jenny Sanford, U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy and S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) director Catherine Templeton.

As we noted in our recent assessment of Haley’s short list, McMaster’s “whites only” problem makes him a real long shot for this appointment – if for no other reason than Haley would have to pass over an African-American front-runner in order to give him the job.

For the record, we don’t think skin color (or gender, or sexual orientation, or religion) should be a factor in electing or appointing people to positions of public trust.  But what about membership in discriminatory groups, though?

We’re not sure … although the NAACP is certainly not at the top of our Christmas Card list.

Our litmus test is simple: Does the candidate stand up for freedom and free markets? If so, we support them.  If not, we don’t.

And on that count, Henry McMaster fails …

Incidentally, former SCGOP chairman Katon Dawson’s affiliation with this club – and his habitual dishonesty in addressing it – was a major issue in the 2009 race for chairman of the Republican National Committee.  In fact it likely cost Dawson that election.

Here is a screen shot of McMaster’s name appearing in the 2008 club directory – part of a series of exclusive reports we published on these “whites only” groups.  During the course of our investigation, FITS also uncovered Dawson and McMaster’s memberships in several other “whites only” social clubs.

Haley has said she will name her interim replacement for this seat by the end of the month – a nod that is widely expected to go to Tim Scott.

NAACP LETTER TO NIKKI HALEY (.pdf)

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21 comments

Sailor December 16, 2012 at 9:13 pm

Well in this day and age, this is a no-brainer. McMaster should not be on a short list, long list or any list!

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Robert December 16, 2012 at 9:22 pm

NAACP lost its credibility many years ago. But, I agree that McMaster would be a poor choice.

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MLK's mistress December 16, 2012 at 9:31 pm

When NAACP runs a campaign to admit white congressmen to the black caucus in an effort to stamp out racism I’m on board.

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jimlewis,owb December 16, 2012 at 9:56 pm

Does anyone know if the sign on the door of the Black Caucus Meeting Room reads: Blacks Only ?

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MLK's mistress December 16, 2012 at 10:12 pm

Probably not. They probably don’t get all ghetto until whitebread violates their space in order to keep things on the down low.

Is it the sign that offends you or the act of exclusion? (or neither?)

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jimlewis,owb December 16, 2012 at 11:31 pm

Neither

Plans are to go national with the old white bastards Party and wanted to know who made their Blacks Only Caucus sign.

Figured if we got our sign from the same vendor the owb could not be labeled racist.

Once we get a little more organized we plan to invite Congressman Clyburn to present his Treatise – Incompetence is a Racist Term

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Joe Wilson Is A Very Smart Man December 16, 2012 at 9:41 pm

Since he never was going to be appointed anyway,

Does any of this really matter?

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Tammy December 17, 2012 at 3:30 am

Joe Wilson is a bigot.

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CoolAireHeights December 16, 2012 at 10:03 pm

Actually, I could care less what he does in his personal life… as long as it is neither illegal nor grossly immoral. And yeah, about the immorality of exclusion… while it is true that I’ll NEVER be invited to join Forest Lake (even though I’m a white person), for some reason, it’s never remotely bothered me any more than to know that I’ll NEVER be invited to partake in some of the millions of blacks only, Asians only, or Hispanics only shindigs that take place annually across this nation. In other words, regardless of whether we like it or not, exclusion is a universal fact among ALL ethnic groups. And nah, if five years from now, we were to have a great Korean-American Senatorial candidate, I’m not going to give a rat’s a$$ if he just happened to be a member of a Korean-American only club…. as long as he is “E Pluribus Unum” in his public life and policy making.

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toyota kawaski December 17, 2012 at 8:35 am

great book by Forrest McDonald “E Pluribus Unum” and a very nice point. Well said

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SparkleCity December 16, 2012 at 11:17 pm

At this point, who cares who Queen Namrata chooses??

If this was choosing a new Pope, the white smoke would have come out of the chimney two weeks ago…………

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SparkleCity December 16, 2012 at 11:26 pm

Remember:

Tuesday is Soylent Green day!!!

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calhoun fawls December 17, 2012 at 4:46 am

The short list itself is a joke. Jenny Sanford, are you kidding me….what to piss off Mark or something? That lady over DHEC is a walking f up. Appoint her to save SC from more mess ups, I guess. It is gotta be Tim Scott. The other names, God I hope, are just window dressing for Haley to act like she is something.

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Frank Pytel December 17, 2012 at 6:20 am

Nobody cares what the black arm of the KKK does or says.

I have no clue who McMasterbater is and I don’t give a flip either. If Haley’s appointing, it will be disappointing.

Have a Great Day!! :) There won’t be many left with the Demlicans and Republicrats in charge.

Frank Pytel

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toyota kawaski December 17, 2012 at 8:36 am

take a bath you stinking punjab Engine

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Shoehorn Cog December 17, 2012 at 7:57 am

Why is it that every time I visit the gym I see some naacp’er park in the handicap spot and then go inside and hop onto a treadmill and start running?

There is just something odd about how those people think. Fuck the NAACP and all of it’s membership.

Yep, he done said “those people”. The n iS silent.

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shifty henry December 17, 2012 at 8:35 am

Well, I’ll throw in my reserved opinion at this point in the game:

……Nikki’s decision will be based on whomever will enhance (in her mind) her status with the GOP on the national stage.

Her thinking is “Nikki 1st” and what she can cash in on from the top tiers of the GOP. She just wants to get out of SC whatever it takes.

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CNSYD December 17, 2012 at 8:36 am

Is the “threat” that all NAACP members will vote Democratic in future elections?

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shifty henry December 17, 2012 at 9:16 am

….. good one!

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9" December 17, 2012 at 8:44 am

Joe Wilson has turquoise eyes,and his voice gives me an erection.Shut up!

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Choppers December 17, 2012 at 8:55 am

McNasty is a slumlord & vocal nasty homophobe. He wouldn’t let women sign his name for him in his office for fear it would look too nelly. Swirl with those turds in the bowl…

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