SC

SC Dems: So Much For Anti-Corruption …

ANOTHER SC JUDICIAL SCANDAL IS LOOMING …  || By FITSNEWS ||  South Carolina Democrats are hoping to make news this week on ethics reform (and “Republican” hypocrisy on the issue)  … but they’ve got some hypocrisy of their own to deal with. While the minority party pushes for new restrictions on self-interest…

ANOTHER SC JUDICIAL SCANDAL IS LOOMING … 

|| By FITSNEWS ||  South Carolina Democrats are hoping to make news this week on ethics reform (and “Republican” hypocrisy on the issue)  … but they’ve got some hypocrisy of their own to deal with.

While the minority party pushes for new restrictions on self-interest at the S.C. State House, one of their own is looking to get her husband installed as a judge – an effort that is reportedly replete with controversy (beyond the obvious nepotism).

Bill Funderburk – husband of S.C. Rep. Laurie Slade Funderburk – is running for a slot on the S.C. Administrative Law Court.   What’s the big deal (aside from the fact his candidacy will be voted on by his wife’s colleagues in the S.C. General Assembly)?

According to our sources, this race has become the focus of some dirty dealing by Funderburk supporters.  In fact we’ve heard allegations of vote-trading similar to those that befell the 2014 legislative elections.  We’ve also heard allegations of taxpayer resources being expended on inducements for Funderburk’s husband – who would be eligible for certain benefits were he elected to the post.

While we investigate these claims, we’d remind readers of our oft-expressed views regarding legislative corruption in the election of judges …

“The process by which judges are elected in South Carolina is inherently corrupt … and must be radically reformed,” we wrote last year, arguing “the integrity of an entire branch of government depends on it.”

That hasn’t happened …

Beyond long-overdue judicial reform, we would also humbly submit that any ethics reform package passed this year by the S.C. General Assembly include draconian new restrictions on relatives of lawmakers (and former lawmakers) getting state appointments.

We are sick unto death of politicians telling us how they support ethics reform … only to watch their kin folk get high paying gigs on our dime.

Enough is enough.

Anyway, stay tuned for more on this story very soon as we continue to dig into yet another judicial scandal in state government.

***

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24 comments

idcydm January 26, 2015 at 9:02 pm

Sure glad it’s only SC…
Federal agents on Thursday arrested powerful New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D) on federal corruption charges….

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nitrat January 27, 2015 at 10:45 am

Bill Nettles sure ain’t Preet Bharara.
Is there a regional supervisor for these US Attorneys or do they report directly to the USAG?
Maybe, we should write Eric Holder about the sorry job that Nettles is doing with the SC legislature…

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Hypocrit Republican January 26, 2015 at 9:44 pm

So Alabama Republicans have two choices now. They can either shut up and stop attacking gay people, or they can continue fighting a losing battle and have their marital affairs exposed for the whole world to see. Unlike being gay or straight, this is completely their choice. Go ahead conservatives, make Patricia Todd’s day.

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Dave Chappelle I'm Rick James January 27, 2015 at 8:15 am

Pretty sure this is a thread for an article titled, “SC Dems: So Much For Anti-Corruption.”

But, thanks for enlightening me about the political landscape of Alabama, I guess.

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Utah January 26, 2015 at 10:42 pm

The first reform should be the simplest: you are ineligible to run if you are a direct relative of a lawmaker.

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FastEddy23 January 27, 2015 at 4:37 am

… Or a paying (bribing) benefactor of a lawmaker.

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Time To Bring Down The House January 26, 2015 at 10:46 pm

It is painfully obvious that Bill Nettles (US Attorney General for SC) and Alan Wilson (SC Attorney General) will NOT be having charged and prosecuting any of these remaining large numbers of legislative shitwipe corrupt as corrupt and criminal has criminal can be, lawmakers.
.
It is up to the people to band together and do something more than just voting. Talking to them and making demands is getting nowhere. All they do is laugh behind the publics back and continues to SPIT in the Publics Face. This shit must be forced to stop. These corrupt sacks of shit must have their assess kicked out and into a prison cell. Nettles and Wilson are entwined in collusion with them all. Harrell was only brought down because of public pressure. And in all actuality, he got off pretty GOD DAMN LIGHT – with a slap on the back of the hand!

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nitrat January 27, 2015 at 10:40 am

It looks that way.

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euwe max January 26, 2015 at 11:21 pm

Looks like Republicans are going to keep running the state – better the thieves whose lies you know,,,

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FastEddy23 January 27, 2015 at 4:40 am

” the lesser of two evils? “

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euwe max January 27, 2015 at 5:01 am

No.. the evil you are the most numb to.. and which your friends are comfortable with vilifying.

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FastEddy23 January 27, 2015 at 11:34 am Reply
Bible Thumper January 27, 2015 at 2:54 am

Vote trading is not illegal for general legislation, but is illegal for judicial elections. I have posted the specific code before.

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GrandTango January 27, 2015 at 6:12 am

Everybody in the world is corrupt but FITS, the Civil Rights Movement and FITS Band of Merry, ignorant, Imbeciles…right?….LMAO…

Funny, reading the comments. You hate everybody. And ONLY you are moral, pure and w/o sin…If only you could wrest power from those crooks who have stolen it from you, Boz and RonPaul….

And Obama would be King if only the media would leave him alone, and Bush would not have foiled him, and set him up for failure, so long ago…

Oh – to be a Liberal or a Liberal-Tarian…and perfect in every way…with the ability to tell all the world how to do it….Hahahahaha…

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Bozz Fartin January 27, 2015 at 8:22 am

I take offense to that Big T. I only stole .50 out of my mom’s purse to get a slurpee at the Kangaroo on Business Highway 17. Does that make me corrupt?

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Buz Martin January 27, 2015 at 10:25 am

“Bozz Fartin” — another moldy oldie from The SNOB, eh, Farley/Flip/Sandi/pogo?

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Buz Martin January 27, 2015 at 10:26 am

Why you drag me into this, Big T?

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GrandTango January 27, 2015 at 11:30 am

Are you sure you want to include your name in the same sentence w/ the word “Drag?” …LMAO…

Just kidding Boz…I just like to use you as the consummate – “I know-it-all-everybody — else is corrupt and stupid, I want the power – Liberal-Tarian…

But there are MANY on here like that…including FITS…you’re just the most popular…and you’ve been around a long time, and you don’t change your name in shame like so many on here do…

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Buz Martin January 27, 2015 at 12:12 pm

Hmmm. “… change your name in shame …” Too bad you don’t apply that to yourself, when you stole the name of Ms. Peterkin, posted all over the place with it, and embarrassed the crap out of her. Too bad you don’t apply that to Flippy/Farley/SandiMorals/BuzzFartin/Etc., who has had hundreds of fake names in the last 4 years alone.

Thanks for saying I’m so popular. But more popular than Sic? More popular than Ron Paul? I don’t think so. I guess you meant more popular on the comment threads than a lot of others. Maybe. But if I am, it’s because I’m honest. And because even though I belong to the Republican party and vote mainly for Republicans, I don’t hew to any party line or fixed ideology. I care far more about who is corrupt and who is not, who really looks out for the people and who looks out mainly for themselves. I despise racism, and I mean true racism, not thin-skinned PB bullshit “racism” of the type huckster Al Sharpton prattles on about incessantly.

I have screwed up more than a few times. I’ve said and done things, politically, of which I was not proud. However, much of what you say about me and who you thing I am is grossly in error. Not quite as much as what your buddy pogo says, but under his influence, it’s gotten damned close.

I don’t see why you have to always come from the smack-down pit way of expressing yourself. Do you think that really wins people over? There are a great many conservative Republicans who read the comments to Will’s posts here, and those of others. Why don’t more of them express support for you? Could it be because you embarrass the hell out of the hell out of them?

I’m by no means a world-saver. I consider myself lucky, on any given day, if I am just able to save myself for being worm-food. In other words, just waking up is a major accomplishment. You’re not going to save the world with your rants on here, either, you know.

Why don’t you consider coming on here as yourself, T. Lawrence, and engage in some form of constructive dialog?It wouldn’t kill you. And you just might find that people would respond in kind and have actual discussion with you.

Worth a try, anyway.

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Crooner January 27, 2015 at 1:28 pm

Sheesh. Get a room.

Kershaw Co's Finest January 27, 2015 at 7:59 am

Laurie’s too young to remember Operation Lost Trust and Bill’s so old he forgot about it.

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Cola Kid January 27, 2015 at 9:39 am

There’s a case for Fraud that was filed in the Charleston County Courts (2011cp-10–4537)that the Bid Developers in Charleston (Everyone knows who they are) got caught red handed in. When the small group caught them they went to dozens of lawyers who stepped in to help. Each would back out quietly with their hands up in the air after taking documents to the court house. What was happening?
When the Fraud came to light, the facts were the story of blatant fraud that these men did not try to cover up.
The events that unfolded at the Charleston County Court House made it look like this group were being protected. Is that even possible?
Its worst that that. The conflicts that were found in Charleston were on every level. Knowing that their case would end up in SC Court of Appeals, the men filed the facts with the court that explained the fraud on the record. That was April 2012 and the document was the “OVERVIEW” served on the court. (Its on the link recorded a 2nd time in September) Judge McDonald presided and assured the men the “Overview” would be reviewed & Considered. False Orders are filed that end the case. Other documents that include a Reply are completely ignored as Judge McDonald Dismisses the case as if nothing relevant was stated on the record.
Off to the SC Court of Appeals (case link at bottom) and finally a top Appellate lawyer stepped in to write the Appeal.
The SC Court of Appeals reviews the case and writes a one page opinion that completely ignores all the documents that the group filed. Judge McDonald is now on the SC Court of Appeals
It wasn’t until the Bobby Harrell Indictments that the paper trail to the Developers came to light. There are payments at each attempt to dismiss the case. Theres also payments to Judiciary members all falling on dates prior to these crazy coincident occurring. It all got spelled out in a report sent to the SCAG office.
Then there is the trouble this group had filing criminal complaints. Not only were they not accepting complaints when the name of the Developers came up, There was a Asst US Atty telling the law enforcement that brought the case to him that he had already reviewed the case package and that he had met with the group’s manager. What, a federal prosecutor making false statements to a federal officer. Letters from DOJ show the same false statements are made there.
What is it thats going on that a very direct case for a Blatant Fraud carried out by 3 persons acting in a fiduciary position involving Tens of Millions of Dollars that makes it kept out of the Judicial system. Is it the fact that the key person that was needed to make the initial $500,000.00 wire was the past Chair of the Real Estate Ethics Advisory Committee for the SC BAR and that this was a real estate transaction. Or that the same person was original member of the Ethics 2000 committee.
Or Does the Judiciary use PAYPAL? JK…. But something is going on . Please weigh in with any details or other Fraud details.
Charleston case link
http://courtplus.org/Mobile/CaseDetails.aspx?CaseNum=2011CP1004537
SCCA Case Link
(http://ctrack.sccourts.org/public/caseView.do?csIID=53235)

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nitrat January 27, 2015 at 10:36 am

Hey, FITS, why don’t you compile a list of all the legislators who have immediate family members on the state employee dole?

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Crooner January 27, 2015 at 11:02 am

C’mon, Fits. How many current judges in SC were former legislators?

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