SC

Bobby-Gate: Set To Blow

SPEAKER SCANDAL HEADS FOR HOMESTRETCH The ongoing saga surrounding S.C. Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell’s public corruption case is rapidly closing in on a resolution … one which will no doubt detonate with explosive force across the Palmetto State’s political landscape. Barring some back room deal we don’t know…

SPEAKER SCANDAL HEADS FOR HOMESTRETCH

The ongoing saga surrounding S.C. Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell’s public corruption case is rapidly closing in on a resolution … one which will no doubt detonate with explosive force across the Palmetto State’s political landscape.

Barring some back room deal we don’t know about, S.C. circuit court judge Casey Manning is expected to rule within days that the Harrell case should be handled by the S.C. House ethics committee – a corrupt panel of lawmakers whose sole purpose is whitewashing precisely this sort of complaint.

Don’t believe us? Look at how the commission handled a much more serious corruption case involving Gov. Nikki Haley (who was able to avail herself of this panel thanks to her status as a former state lawmaker). Or how it failed to even investigate ethics allegations against powerful S.C. ways and means committee chairman Brian White.

FITS has repeatedly called on lawmakers to abolish these “corrupt cover-up committees,” but to no avail.

Manning’s decision – assuming it is what we suspect it will be – would put the ball squarely in the court of S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson, who convened a grand jury in January to investigate the Harrell corruption case.

Since then Harrell has been engaged in a “blood war” against Wilson – one which recently culminated in an effort to secretly strip the state’s top prosecutor of much of his power.

Harrell’s actions reek of desperation – and have many wondering what, exactly, is motivating that desperation.

What we do know is Harrell is counting on the circuit court system to do its best to bail him out of a jam. In fact we’re preparing a major story in which the powerful lawmaker allegedly referenced his fate in an effort to help reelect his ally S.C. Chief Justice Jean Toal to the state Supreme Court.

Stay tuned for that report …

Back to the immediate situation, if Manning indeed attempts to refer the Harrell investigation to the legislature Wilson has the following three basic options:

1) He can classify ALL of the allegations against Harrell as criminal and elect to continue his grand jury probe.
2) He can classify SOME of the allegations against Harrell as criminal and elect to continue his grand jury probe.
3) He can accept the ruling and refer the entire case to the S.C. House of Representatives, discontinuing the grand jury probe.

Which option Wilson chooses could ultimately decide Harrell’s fate.

Harrell is in hot water for a variety of abuses – and that’s just the corruption we know about.

Here’s what we know: He reimbursed himself more than $325,000 from his campaign account for dubious flight-related expenses (Harrell is a pilot). In fact he has effectively admitted his guilt by returning $23,000 of these reimbursements – although a proper accounting of his flight-related costs would require him to reimburse tens of thousands more.

Harrell also stands accused of applying improper pressure on the S.C. Pharmacy Board and the S.C. Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (SCLLR) on behalf of his pharmaceutical business – using his official letterhead, no less.

Oh, and his political action committee is also under scrutiny for allegedly misappropriating and misreporting funds – including an effort to force taxpayers to pay hundreds of millions of dollars on an unnecessary transportation project.

Of course Harrell’s abuses pale in comparison to those of Haley – who was caught red-handed illegally lobbying government officials on behalf of her employer (among other offenses).

This website has already called on Harrell to step down – not only because of the allegations against him, but because of how he has chosen to respond to them. First he lied and refused to release his records. Then he assassinated the character of one of the reporters investigating him – strong-arming her newspaper into backing down by allegedly threatening to withhold an annual $12 million bribe given by the S.C. General Assembly to the newspaper industry.

And all that was before his latest round of hysterics …

Harrell is a bad guy, people. And most agree the actions he’s been accused of rise to the level of criminal corruption – not garden variety ethics infractions.

Can Wilson make that distinction stick, though?

If he can, Harrell will go down.

If he can’t, get ready for yet another Palmetto political whitewash.

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31 comments

Just another guy April 24, 2014 at 11:19 am

There was a great article in the state a couple of weeks back by Scoope showing how precedents was on the side of Wilson with former ruling by Queen Jean herself. It will be interesting to see how she back tracks on her own ruling.

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GrandTango April 24, 2014 at 11:30 am

Scoppe does not understand freedom and oppressive gov’t. It makes you more stupid, and close-minded, to read her column…

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a face in the crowd April 24, 2014 at 11:55 am

Scoppe is one of the few bright spots in the South Carolina media.

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GrandTango April 24, 2014 at 12:04 pm

Yeah..she, and her colleagues at The State like her, are doing wonders for the employment level at The State (aka Pink Slip University)….Hahahaha…

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a face in the crowd April 24, 2014 at 11:55 am

Scoppe is one of the few bright spots in the South Carolina media.

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lilTango April 24, 2014 at 12:37 pm

As opposed to your drivel?

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Just Another Guy April 24, 2014 at 1:52 pm

So I take it you want this to go to the ethics committee. Is that you Bobby? To Bad the SCOSC already ruled that the Attorney General can prosecute this if he wants according the constitution of South Carolina.

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anonymous April 25, 2014 at 5:50 am

Wilson has lost, deal with it.

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GrandTango April 24, 2014 at 11:28 am

Public Corruption???: He used Campaign money in a WAY Big Brother Government (FITS Daddy) said he could not…

If they get Harrell on this…so be it…But the Government taking politicians down for the way money, they collect, is spent..is Ludicrous…This may be a minor violation, but it is no big deal…

On the flip side: Obama is TAXING Every American for being alive…FITS is on his knees to Obama and Obama is walking Free..WTF is up w/ That…???

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Saluda Rapids April 24, 2014 at 12:32 pm

Why is it you are such a supporter of corruption? Are you unethical yourself? Or are you just in favor of Republican corruption? Which would just make you a hypocrite. I think I answered my own question. Keep casting votes along with your fellow low-information voters. You are ruining this country and will deliver another Gov. Haley and President Clinton Part II to us. Thanks a lot, dickhead.

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anonymous April 25, 2014 at 6:10 am

Wilson’s Grand Jury is pure fantasy, Harrell has prevailed and Wilson has lost, I suspect that the Grand Jury investigation is over and Wilson should find some other way to spend his time, hey, here’s a thought, maybe he could get his own campaign finances in order, he’s only been trying for about four years, Can you hear me now? uh uh uh … Can you hear me now?

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idiotwind April 24, 2014 at 11:31 am

absolutely nothing will happen to harrell. i would sleep like a baby if i were him. a lying thieving crooked baby.

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Native Ink April 24, 2014 at 11:45 am

Thanks for the rundown on Wilson’s options. The next question is whether there are state or federal laws that Harrell has broken, making this a criminal case. I assume there are. If this were just a matter of breaking “rules” not laws, then why would Alan Wilson want to call a grand jury?

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rebellozit April 24, 2014 at 12:47 pm

Just like the apparently ‘mythical’ corruption and false allegations of state and federal laws being broken in Myrtle Beach (MBACC and campaign donations), with indictments being promised daily for years by a handful of loones in that matter, does anyone really believe this bullsh%T or that there is anything here?

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Buz Martin April 25, 2014 at 10:36 am

Nobody cares what you think, Kacee.

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anonymous April 25, 2014 at 6:00 am

Wilson’s Grand Jury fantasy, that’s it, pure fantasy. Wilson and his cronies can wake up now, the fantasy is over. I know the truth hurts sometimes, it’s going to be okay scooter, it’s going to be okay.

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CNSYD April 24, 2014 at 12:42 pm

This just can’t be. Sic Willie called for Haley and Harrell to resign and they didn’t pay any attention to him. Such is the power of Sic Willie.

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anonymous April 25, 2014 at 5:56 am

The fact of the matter is that Wilson’s Grand Jury fantasy has just flown out the window, ya’ll can wake up now, the Wilson Grand Jury fantasy is over!

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Thomas April 24, 2014 at 1:44 pm

I predict if Big Daddy Joe Wilson has a say, he will advise his son to punt the Harrell football to Ethics. These two exist in the same plasma field and must be telekinesisly speaking and advising each other. Who are they kidding.

Winners: Joe, Alan, Harrell, Toal (for that matter, every Republican running for office in June’s primary 2014.)

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Torch April 25, 2014 at 12:25 pm

And the losers will be the people in South Carolina.

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jimlewisowb April 24, 2014 at 1:47 pm

Let Bobby Go, Let Bobby Go, Let Bobby Go

Don’t care where, as long as it is out of Columbia

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Libtard April 24, 2014 at 2:25 pm

There is no faith in the system in this state, time for the Feds to come down and orchestra Lost Trust II.

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anonymous April 25, 2014 at 5:45 am

If the Feds come in, they should look at Wilson’s campaign finance abuses as well.

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CharlesDikkens April 24, 2014 at 4:41 pm

Cooler heads will prevail and Two Bars Wilson will back down. But the spat has been fun to watch. If not, Manning will go with Bobby, the SCoSC will affirm, and the oxymorons on the “ethics commission” will whitewash.

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Det. Joe Friday April 24, 2014 at 4:49 pm

If Wilson doesn’t get an indictment of Harrell for ANY reason I’m voting against him.

Harrell is a criminal.

One of these two bastards is going to fall before (or in) November.

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anonymous April 25, 2014 at 5:43 am

It’s obvious that Harrell has prevailed over Wilson. Vote away scooter, it doesn’t change the fact that Harrell has prevailed.

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Same ol' Same ol' April 25, 2014 at 1:25 pm

C’mon y’all, you know there’s nothing to see here, just move along now…

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anonymous April 27, 2014 at 10:56 pm

EXACTLY!

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Ralph Hightower April 26, 2014 at 5:38 pm

Initially, I didn’t think that former AG Henry McMaster would make a good AG given his former position as SC GOP chair. I thought that he would be a partisan hack; but he surprised me by going after Democrats and Republicans without prejudice.
Does AG Wilson have a spine? How he responds and acts will make that determination.

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anonymous April 27, 2014 at 10:56 pm

A spine for what? He should have NEVER called for a Grand Jury. This falls into the category of: IF YOU ARE DUMB ENOUGH TO GET YOURSELF INTO IT, THEN, YOU ARE NOT SMART ENOUGH TO GET YOURSELF OUT OF IT!

uh uh uh …. uh uh uh …..

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Marty Martin April 27, 2014 at 5:24 am

“family values” Republicans are so corrupt!

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