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As our media outlet continues to investigate local government turmoil in Hampton County, South Carolina, it has not gone unnoticed that neighboring counties also appear to be awash in scandal. Most notably, a recent filing with South Carolina’s supreme court on behalf of the newly elected treasurer in Jasper County indicates more than one county in the Lowcountry could be about to face financial scrutiny.
Also, who can forget the lid we blew off in Beaufort County last year?
As previously reported, Hampton County is facing “allegations of fraud, millions of dollars in missing or misspent funds and a habitual failure to report required financial information to the public.”
Could a similar situation be unfolding in Jasper County?
On June 5, 2024, Lexington-based attorneys Eric Bland and Ronnie Richter filed a motion with the high court seeking a writ of mandamus that would compel the county to give newly elected treasurer Michael Skinner access to county bank accounts. A writ of mandamus is a coercive writ, or order, that forces a public official to perform a ministerial duty that is required by law.
Skinner unseated the incumbent treasurer in the general election on November 8, 2022. He was sworn into office on July 1, 2023 at the beginning of the fiscal year. Having received no transition in the intervening eight months, Skinner allegedly “encountered chaos and disorder suggestive of efforts to sabotage his ability to perform the duties of his office,” per the motion.
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According to the filing, when Skinner took office he found the county treasurer’s website had been taken offline – and a number of “documents had been removed from the treasurer’s office and placed into storage without any indication as to what records were removed or where they had been stored.”
The filing stated Skinner located the county’s petty cash drawer three days after being sworn in – locked in the office of another county official. He was also subsequently refused access to the outgoing Jasper County treasurer’s office government email account. More concerning, the filing noted that since taking office Skinner has discovered there are at least 96 bank accounts which receive deposits on behalf of Jasper County – and which are not within the oversight of the office of the treasurer.
Of those accounts, the filing claimed Skinner has access to only 23 of them. When his request to county administration for access to the accounts was denied, Skinner communicated his concerns to state treasurer, Curtis Loftis.
Skinner and Loftis then “co-signed letters to South State Bank, the Bank of the Lowcountry, Bank of America and Regions Bank to grant signatory authority to Skinner on all bank accounts associated with the Tax ID’s and Jasper County agency names or entities.”
This request was unsuccessful, the filing claimed, as the banks allegedly refused to grant Skinner access to the accounts without the consent of their existing signatories.
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RELATED | HAMPTON COUNTY OWES $3.6 MILLION TO CAPITAL PROJECT FUND
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Jasper County officials appear unlikely to back down. During a special county council meeting on June 14, 2024, council members voted unanimously to hire attorney Walt Cartin with the Parker Poe to not only represent the county, but also to investigate whether Skinner violated any laws by using public funds to hire Bland and Richter.
According to reporter Mitchell Black of The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier, Skinner is a “neophyte” who has “bemoaned” his lack of access to these accounts. Black proceeded to cite county officials who accused Skinner of making improper bonus payments to himself and members of his staff.
The county requires all funds “generated from fees collected and monies received by the county departments’ employees and/or elected officials” to be “memorialized with appropriate accounting methods for the purposes of audit and all such funds shall be timely deposited with the county treasurer’s office.”
According to the county, though, “there is no law placing a duty on (county officials) or the other unnamed, but necessary, parties to provide the treasurer with signatory authority over all the accounts, there likewise is no law that gives the treasurer this right.”
Bland and Richter have steadfastly maintained their client is not looking for signatory authority, merely a record of all transactions.
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In a press release on July 21, 2024, Bland and Richter announced their firm had “agreed to adjust the terms of its engagement to mirror those of the attorneys engaged by the county.”
“We understand the importance of responsible fiscal management and transparency, and we will do our level best to ensure that the residents of Jasper County are not unduly burdened by legal costs,” Richter stated. “Our firm is committed to providing the necessary legal support to the Jasper County Treasurer while ensuring that the terms of our engagement are fair and equitable.”
The press release also noted Skinner was willing to withdraw his petition if the county would grant him access to its bank accounts.
“This ongoing legal dispute underscores the critical need for clear and transparent financial oversight within the county’s operations,” the release added.
FITSNews continues to report on county finances throughout the state. Our team recently spent some time in Hampton County speaking to community leaders, elected officials – and most importantly to citizens who are seeking answers as to how the county ended up in such dire financial straits.
We published the first report from our visit earlier this week.
Anyone with information related to this story is encouraged to email research@fitsnews.com.
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THE WRIT…
(S.C. Supreme Court)
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Jenn Wood is FITSNews’ incomparable research director. She’s also the producer of the FITSFiles and Cheer Incorporated podcasts and leading expert on all things Murdaugh/ South Carolina justice. A former private investigator with a criminal justice degree, evildoers beware, Jenn Wood is far from your average journalist! A deep dive researcher with a passion for truth and a heart for victims, this mom of two is pretty much a superhero in FITSNews country. Did we mention she’s married to a rocket scientist? (Lucky guy!) Got a story idea or a tip for Jenn? Email her at jenn@fitsnews.com.
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1 comment
Electing democrats will result in mismanagement. Always.