SC

Small Town SC Justice

You just gotta love South Carolina … where it’s always been (and evidently will always be) about “who you know.” The latest example? A traffic stop Saturday evening in Wagener, S.C. involving the son of town councilman George Smith – one that’s turned into yet another local government cover-up. According…

You just gotta love South Carolina … where it’s always been (and evidently will always be) about “who you know.”

The latest example? A traffic stop Saturday evening in Wagener, S.C. involving the son of town councilman George Smith – one that’s turned into yet another local government cover-up.

According to law enforcement sources in the town, Smith’s son was stopped traveling 70 miles per hour in a 30 mile per hour zone. (for those of you educated in one of the Palmetto State’s failing government-run schools, that’s more than twice the speed limit). After being pulled over, Smith’s son called his father and proceeded to tell the cop he had better talk to his dad before he did anything.

Correctly, the cop ignored the little brat.

Anyway, the officer – a new hire at the department – was in the process of administering a field sobriety test when the councilman himself arrived on the scene and proceeded to put his son into his personal car with his mother. At that point, Smith is said to have told the officer it would be “good for his job” if he just forgot about the whole thing.

Yeah … it gets better, though.

Fearing for his job, the police officer took video of the incident taken from his body camera to another councilman who is currently running for mayor of Wagener – which it turns out was a brilliant move. That’s because a cover-up of the incident was in full swing.

“George Smith lied and has changed his story several times,” a source familiar with the incident tells FITS. “Also the town gave the policeman a car with a defective dashboard camera, so when confronted the mayor said there was nothing on the camera – but he didn’t know about the body camera.”

A spokeswoman for the Wagener Police Department tells FITS the incident is “under investigation.” We have requested the incident report, dashboard camera video and body camera video from the traffic stop – but this information has yet to be provided to us.

In fact we were told we would have to submit “a form” to obtain this information – only to be informed moments later that the department was not able to provide us with a copy of this “form.”

Ah, South Carolina …

Anyway, we’ll let you know what we uncover …

UPDATE: The councilman’s son was reportedly under the influence of alcohol at the time he was pulled over. Here’s the latest on this story.

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32 comments

Smirks October 8, 2013 at 10:37 am

I hope he made another brilliant move and kept a copy of the video hidden away somewhere. “Man, it sure would be a shame if SLED received a copy of the tape, or even worse, it ended up on YouTube!”

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Black OPS October 8, 2013 at 10:45 am

SLED…SLED???? The same organization who had a copy of the Danny Frazier tapes bragging about illegal activity, having Law Enforcement on “LOCKDOWN” and naming all of the political figures in his hip pocket! And SLED sat on the info and did nothing, until the news media ran the story on WIS, The Free Times and Fits News! That SLED, one of Nikki Haley’s DO NOTHING CABINET AGENCIES!!
Did Keel also have a copy of the affidavit regarding the drug use, the illegal prostitution and sex parties involving high ranking elected officials, with law Enforcement standing guard and providing protection for the activities.
Yeah, let’s call Mark (deaf, blind and sitting on my A$$ ) Keel!

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CorruptionInColumbia October 8, 2013 at 11:07 am

Excellent post, Black OPS!

Poor old SLED. They cannot even obey the law when it comes to issuing CWP’s within 90 days if no valid reason to not issue one is found, so they make up their own change to state law and say they issue them within 90 “business” days.

Back in the late 70’s, an old schoolmate of mine who had landed a job in the SLED computer room gave me a tour of the place. It was quite fascinating. He told me in a hushed voice that the whole agency was unnecessary and wholly political in nature, including his own job. When I asked who else might possibly handle their functions such as the computer room, dog team, support to local departments in investigations and man hunts, he noted that SCHP could simply be labeled as “State Police” and take over those functions and do it much cheaper than having two independent agencies.

From this point in time, I can see he was right.

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sex lies and video tapes October 8, 2013 at 8:24 pm

SLED political Gestapo or Hatchet Agency??? You be the judge!!
I was associated with a high profile divorce where SLED and a Sheriff’s Dept was approached by a high ranking politician and his girlfriend and was granted an indepth investigation (at tax payers expense) in an attempt to discredit the husband of the girlfriend and the politician, prior to their divorce trials. Poor guy was put through one heck of an investigation
costing him a great deal of money, the allegations were false turned up nothing. All the guy did was outsmart the duo and catch them with their pants down. But, none the less, SLED leadership gave it their all to help out the politico and his piece of leg not leaving a stone unturned!
Kind of Hitlerisque or Stalinist!

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Schutzstaffel October 9, 2013 at 4:35 am

So SLED is nothing more than a whitewash agency for those in office or politically connected? I guess it doesn’t surprise me, and given what I’ve witnessed over the last few years in their “investigations” of such.

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Tonto October 8, 2013 at 10:37 am

Better call SLED…O never mind!

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Smirks October 8, 2013 at 10:38 am

Better call Saul! :P

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Five Dollars October 10, 2013 at 1:48 pm

State Liberty Encroachment Division?

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SexLiesVideotape October 8, 2013 at 10:46 am

What would Jeebus do?

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Boz Martin October 8, 2013 at 10:59 am

This reminds me of the entire Horry County PD cop car with an important piece of evidence in the form of the video camera that had taken some crucial footage in the Southern Holdings case (Doris Holt, Jim Spencer, et. al.) , which somehow vanished into thin air. Funny how that kinda stuff happens in SC isn’t it?
Oh yeah, btw, the video vanished as well. What are the odds, right?

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a face in the crowd October 8, 2013 at 11:17 am

Throw the father in jail on the spot.

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lindsey g October 8, 2013 at 12:19 pm

Maybe there was a pebble in his shoe. Speaking of Moped-Ted…how’s that DUI thing going?

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jimlewisowb October 8, 2013 at 11:25 am

Kinda wanted the story line to read:

Cockroach Councilman George Smith of Wagner S.C. was tasered into submission when he attempted to remove his whinny son from the custody of a Police Officer. As the twitching Cockroach Councilman was being handcuffed his wife exited their car bitching and continued bitching up to the point she was tasered several times due to the enormous amount of body fat. Once the Officer had both the Cockroach Councilman and his Cockroach Wife handcuffed he turned his attention back to the whinny little son of a bitch who started all of this only to find him in a fetal position on the pavement with his pants full of crap and piss running down his legs.

Follow up: According to Gloria Allred, attorney for The Councilman and his family, the family will be appearing on an upcoming episode of Myrtle Manor. The Police Officer is now a Porta Potty repairman

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EJB October 8, 2013 at 12:33 pm

Awhile back WIS TV showed a video, dash cam, of a state policeman tasing some woman politician while she was behind the wheel of her car during a traffic stop. Seeing her legs twitching as she got juiced was funny as hell (she ended up sliding out of the car). That Wagener cop should have tased pop and any other fool that stepped within range of the taser.

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Mickey October 8, 2013 at 11:39 am

Cottageville has four cops in cars at all times waiting like vultures for drivers to “speed” one mile over the 35 mph limit, then bang, they get their man.

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JJEvans October 8, 2013 at 3:46 pm

I know may people that have been pulled over in Cottageville. The town of Jamestown has 1 police officer that does the same thing.

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CNSYD October 8, 2013 at 11:54 am

Ding! Ding! Another dollar for the “government-run” jar.

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You know me October 8, 2013 at 12:17 pm

I’m glad my son’s not a thug. Course, obviously, that nut don’t fall far from the tree.

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Philip Branton October 8, 2013 at 12:09 pm

Dear US Senator Lindsey Graham……..

How can this article be used to illustrate what YOU know about Benghazi that you are not confronting Hillary Clinton about.!?

How can this article be used by Nancy Mace in a debate to tell voters about your “immigration” efforts…?

Senator Scott, we highly suggest that you get with Senator Graham and discuss the campaign donor lists that cross pollinate with Hillary Clinton’s “Foundation”..!!

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idcydm October 8, 2013 at 12:10 pm

Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on offices, a rottenness begins in his conduct. ~Thomas Jefferson

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Crooner October 8, 2013 at 5:03 pm

So Jefferson’s rottenness began after Washington’s second inauguration?

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idcydm October 8, 2013 at 5:32 pm

Pretty close, he was no saint.

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Ricky Naley October 8, 2013 at 1:16 pm

Gov. Nikki Haley’s campaign has reached an agreement with S.C. law enforcement and campaign watchdogs on paying to use state vehicles and security officers for campaign-related events.The agreement comes six weeks after news reports about Haley and two campaign staffers riding in a state-issued SUV involved in a minor wreck at a Greensboro event for a political group with ties to Republican N.C. Gov. Pat McCrory. Republican Haley collected more than $35,000 from N.C. donors in the days around the June event.The wreck raised questions about the governor’s use of a state vehicle for what appeared to be a campaign event. State ethics officials told The Associated Press that the Greensboro visit was not campaign-related.More than a week after the wreck was revealed, the governor’s campaign announced it would start paying mileage for state-owned vehicles taken to campaign events.The campaign has reimbursed the S.C. Department of Public Safety and SLED $1,178 for mileage dating back to Haley’s start in office in January 2011, spokesman Rob Godfrey said. The campaign already has reimbursed the state $7,610 for out-of-state travel.“We have always followed the guidance of law enforcement and the Ethics Commission, did so in this instance, and will continue to do so going forward,” Godfrey said. “But we also look for opportunities to clarify and strengthen these guidelines not just for us but for future governors.”Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2013/10/08/3026599/sc-gov-haley-agrees-to-pay-state.html#storylink=cpy

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dojo October 8, 2013 at 2:22 pm

sad part of it is – pond slime smith will probably be re-elected.

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Elfego October 9, 2013 at 8:13 am

Typical one horse politician.

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venomachine October 9, 2013 at 8:39 am

Soon to come for the Wagener PD: a ban on body cameras.

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Arlen Cooper October 9, 2013 at 3:45 pm

Wagener, like a lot of little towns has become a speed trap.

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Tommy Wilson October 10, 2013 at 12:55 am

You would think that the South Carolina State Police or SLED would get involved and investigate this. As a Law Enforcement Officer in Ohio with 26 years of service, I would have arrested the councilman and charged him with obstruction of justice..Then I would have arrested his son for driving under the influence. Someone needs to get in contact with M.A.D. (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) and let them know about this incident as well. They will put the heat on the Police Department and Town..

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Comrade1917 October 10, 2013 at 2:27 pm

Boss Hogg lives!

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Your Days Are Numbered. October 10, 2013 at 5:17 pm

There are going to be felony arrest by Federal Agents. The councilman and his son will be hauled away, booked, jailed — and later face over a decade behind bars.

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Edgar October 10, 2013 at 5:40 pm

It will depend on whether the Smiths are Democrats or Republicans. Jean Toal, the queen of all Democrats in South Carolina and who is completely in charge of “justice” here, will make the ultimate decision of what happens to the case. By the way, Vinny: who are you supporting? Toal or Pleicones?

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Justin84 March 14, 2015 at 7:24 am

Hate on my state much? You don’t know anything real about South Carolina, just what the media tells you. We have problems sure but this incident doesnt reflect the entire state. Name one state without problems.

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