Sources: Sandifer Won’t Seek Reelection

S.C. Rep. Bill Sandifer (RINO-Pickens) – the powerful chairman of the South Carolina House Labor, Commerce and Industry (LCI) committee – will not seek reelection in 2014, sources familiar with his thinking tell FITS.

The fiscal liberal has yet to make a formal announcement, but he has reportedly informed key financial supporters of his intention not to run again.

Sandifer defeated then-S.C. Rep. Nikki Haley for the chairmanship of the LCI committee in 2008.  At the end of this year, he will have been a state lawmaker for 20 years.

For years Sandifer has been a loyal henchman of fiscally liberal, anti-free market, crony capitalist House Speaker Bobby Harrell – routinely voting to grow government, raise taxes and defeat free market reforms.

He’s also had his share of notorious moments – most notably his near death experience at the hands of a prostitute in Panama City during a 2010 taxpayer-funded junket.

Sandifer would become the second House “Republican” chairman this week to announce his resignation – joining fellow fiscal liberal Roland Smith (RINO-Aiken), chairman of the House “ethics” committee (whose impending departure from public life we took note of here).

Pic: Travis Bell Photography