By TOM ERVIN || We would expect a true conservative governor to spend our taxpayer dollars wisely. When Nikki Haley ran for governor, she promised transparency and accountability to the governor’s office.
The research document we are releasing today confirms that Governor Haley has broken her promise. Governor Haley’s idea of leadership is to wink and say, “trust me.” Governor Haley likes signing the back of taxpayers’ checks, not the front. Those who fear transparency like Governor Haley have something to hide.
This research documents the facts behind Governor Haley’s photo-ops, press conferences, sound bites and ribbon cuttings. The real question is, “What did we get for our money?” This seventy-eight page document details how Governor Haley wasted taxpayer dollars. It also documents how she is using a “pay-to-play” strategy to pump thousands in contributions into her re-election campaign.
Governor Haley’s jobs numbers simply don’t add up. She claims she brought 57,000 new jobs to our state. Our research shows that those numbers are not true. The State newspaper found last month that only about 56 percent of these promised jobs have been filled and that Governor Haley included some 1,800 jobs where plants actually closed.
Our research documents that Governor Haley failed to properly vet companies who were given millions of taxpayer dollars without any questions, conditions or accountability. The bottom line is that several companies took our tax money and left the state, never delivering what they promised.
PTR Industries promised 145 jobs and received more than $1 million in incentives. What South Carolina got was a company that laid off their employees and failed to pay their bills to Horry County.
5 Star and E Caps are examples of businesses that should never have received a dime from taxpayers. Both of these companies were held by a Delaware shell corporation. The same questionable businessman, who is now being chased by debt collectors, owned both companies. Governor Haley gave $1 million in incentives, but 5 Star never opened and E Caps went bankrupt.
Nephron Pharmaceuticals received $4.5 million in incentives from Governor Haley. In exchange, she got generous contributions to her re-election campaign. Governor Haley also was given unlimited access to the company’s private jet, so she could fly around the country collecting out of state campaign contributions. Governor Haley even claimed she “did not know” Nephron’s owners prior to her election. We later learned from her campaign manager that her claim was not true.
The ZF Group received a package of incentives from Governor Haley, including a $2 million grant for land. This grant came after years of layoffs by ZF. More than 700 South Carolinians have been laid off by ZF, but they took our tax money anyway. There are millions of dollars and numerous backroom deals that we will never know about.
I support giving economic incentives to companies who live up to their promises to create new jobs. When I’m governor, we will end this culture of backroom deals, corporate welfare and crony capitalism. We will post the details of economic incentives packages online for the public to see. We will release regular updates, so the public will know whether these new businesses are living up to their promises to create new jobs.
South Carolinians deserve to know the truth about how our tax dollars are bring spent.
Tom Ervin is a former state lawmaker and judge who is running for governor as an independent Republican. His remarks above were delivered at a press conference in Columbia, S.C.
26 comments
If the voters in South Carolina are half smart, Ervin will be the next Governor.
He can work with ALL the people of the State and accomplish good, which Haley can only dream about!
We will not have to deal with moral issues,ethics violations, rumors of infidelity, dead children at DSS, SLED sitting on criminal activity for months without investigating, being sold out to other States for campaign money, ridiculous, juvenile and immature statements(“join the movement, it’s a great day in SC, rock star”) security breaches, inflated job numbers, unkept promises, out of State fundraisers, using SLED detail as goffers and waiters, failures of leadership and appointees!
My God people look at the forest, it’s burning down under Haley!!!!!!! She will leave ashes and devastation for us!!! A very large bank account for herself!!!
I know Erwin. He’s as big a scumbag as Haley. He’s running to split the vote so maybe Shaheen will win. Erwin’s wife is catherine williams, a big workers compensation lawyer who wants more liberal workers comp commisioners to help his wife gouge businesses by liberal awards. Erwin was a lousy Judge who didn’t get reelected which is highly unusual in sc. He has had some illicit sex/harassment issues and is a super slime ball. He is of modest intelligence at best. His running to split the vote is the same ploy as Ravenel running against Graham. South Carolina has reached the height of sleazy between haley erwin and ravelel.
Jim,
You need to look at the polls!!!
Your comments, logic and reasoning are total BS!
You must be Michael Haley!
Polls.Ervin is at 3%.
Wrong!!!
Look at recent polls.
Just left the State Fair, Ervins booth had MORE visitors than Repugnants or Dumbacrats!
I work the fair booth for the Democrats and gotten good responses from a lot of whites and blacks about we need change in this state and even from a worker over at the Republican booth.I went and ask him give me 3 good reasons why Gov Haley should be reelected and he told me he was still up in the air about if he was going to vote for her because what has happen over at DSS and what,s been going on over at the Dept.of Educations at least he had an open mind and not had his head in the sand.
He was a circuit court judge for 14 years. Stepped down on his own terms. The only slime about Ervin is the slander spewing out of your mouth. You have poor grammar.
While I agree he should be the next Governor, his chances are extremely slim. I wish he had decided to run earlier so he could have challenged in the primaries instead of going in as an Independent on a petition ballot. Unfortunately, most folks are going to walk in, press the big R, and walk out.
Another home run by Ervin. He’s using Haley like a punching bag, rightfully so. Even if he’s not going to get elected he’s doing a public service. Gilligan, uh, not so much.
If Ervin would be elected, he owes NO ONE but South Carolina voters!
If Haley is elected, she owes her allegiance to contributors in New York, New Jersey, Georgia, Washington DC!!!!!!
Who do you want your Governor to represent?
Ervin is a lying Democrat.
You are a koolaid drinking fool Sir/Madame!
I know Ervin personally and he is NO Dumbocrat!
I also know Haley personally. She is an incompetent liar and has been a total failure. She is NO true conservative was able to fool and con enough voters, including the Tea Party, with her lies and I’m a victim lies!
I defended her last election and I was WRONG! I owe the people of SC an apology! I raised money for her, campaigned for her and soon after election saw the REAL Nikki Haley and it WAS NOT flattering or pretty!
She does NOT deserve reelection, if she is; It will be a horrible mistake!!!!!!!
He is doing what the Dems should be doing, that is discussing the issues that are important, not hysterical.
Real voters are concerned about these things. Erwin has a hard row to hoe and probably won’t do well, but great for him for doing his homework!
He may not have a snowball’s chance, but he can sure as hell depend on my vote. He strikes me as having a good measure of maturity & decency about him that’s not been seen in the governor’s office for decades.
Me too
You are right Pam.Tom is doing what all Dems do.Lie.
Another Ohaley feckless shill!!!!
Obama+Ohaley=Ocrap!!!!!!
Haley is a self serving liar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Say anything to get elected … anything necessary. Once in, do as you please or do nothing you promised. Next time around, using the same material when you are a failure …. .. . Throw the skank out. Had enough of her. Give someone else a shot at making a difference that we can see … someone who actually does know how to take charge and run things … a leader. Not some smiling face who uses their charm to trick and dupe others into believing they are something they are not. Typical traits of a psychopath. And that is exactly what Haley is. A pSyChOpAtH.
You are all idiots with a vengeance.
And you are a koolaid drinking fool!!
Say anything to get elected … anything necessary. Once in, do as you please or do nothing you promised. Next time around, using the same material when you are a failure …. .. . Throw the skank out. Had enough of her. Give someone else a shot at making a difference that we can see … someone who actually does know how to take charge and run things … a leader. Not some smiling face who uses their charm to trick and dupe others into believing they are something they are not. Typical traits of a psychopath. And that is exactly what Haley is. A pSyChOpAtH.
Tom Ervin is a liar by his own TV Adds for the position!
He’s got my vote
4 more years of Haley’s lies, incompetence, sell outs and betrayals will be nothing short of a Biblical disaster for South Carolina!
I just hope we don’t elect any more trial lawyers to public office.
Maybe Nimrata should sue him for libel and slander. Of course, then she would have to testify under oath.