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Days after overwhelmingly electing a rabid #NeverTrumper as their reading clerk, self-labeling “Republicans” in the South Carolina House of Representatives made yet another head-scratching move sure to enrage their conservative base.
According to committee assignments released this week, liberal Democrat Beth Bernstein of Columbia, S.C. has been tapped by the GOP majority to serve as chairwoman of the chamber’s family laws subcommittee – part of the purportedly Republican-controlled judiciary committee.
The appointment of Bernstein – a champion of the woke agenda – was viewed by many conservative lawmakers as a slap in the face, especially in light of the recent demotion of socially conservative lawmaker John R. McCravy III of Greenwood, S.C. It is also a rebuke of the conservative S.C. Freedom Caucus, which has long held that Republican leaders should not award subcommittee chairmanships to Democrats.
McCravy resigned from the judiciary committee last week in protest of what he referred to as “bills recently emanating from this committee, propounded by special interests and their lobbyists, designed to erode the family.”
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While McCravy’s opposition to a gambling bill was cited by his supporters, lawmakers familiar with his resignation told FITSNews he was mad at committee chairman Weston Newton of Bluffton, S.C. for stripping him of his subcommittee chairmanship.
Despite resigning from the committee, McCravy – who leads the S.C. Family Caucus – was nonetheless put back on the panel this week by S.C. House speaker Murrell Smith, albeit not in a leadership position.
Following the latest election cycle, Republicans occupied 88 of the House’s 124 seats – the second straight session in which they have enjoyed a numerical supermajority (i.e. occupying more than two-thirds of all seats in the chamber). Also worth recalling? GOP primary voters decisively endorsed conservative lawmakers – and decisively rejected GOP establishment challengers – during the contentious 2024 primary election cycle.
It’s almost as if they wanted the party to become more conservative instead of drifting further to the left…
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Clearly, GOP leaders have other ideas regarding the ideological direction of state government.
Bernstein, an attorney, is no centrist Democrat. She has made no secret about her support for all manner of left-of-center causes and ideologies. Unlike the vast majority of GOP politicians at the S.C. State House, though, she is consistent in her beliefs – and doesn’t pretend to be something she’s not. That’s commendable… although it by no means qualifies her to head up a family law subcommittee in a GOP supermajority-controlled legislative body.
If anything, Bernstein’s woke views would disqualify her from such a leadership post in a Republican chamber.
Conservatives’ beef is not with Bernstein, though, it’s with the so-called “Republicans” who keep elevating Democrats to key positions in state government – and advancing their liberal policies – with predictable results.
BANNER: Travis Bell Columbia SC Photographers
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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8 comments
Let’s face it, republicans in the legislature are just happy to have risen to their level of incompetence. They serve themselves first and then spout conservative philosophy. They are too young and inexperienced on the most part to take direction for those more experienced. They are already legends in their small, petty minds. We do not have a press in this state willing to call them out. The status quo will remain.
With liberal “republicans” like Smith in office and in positions of power nothing will ever change. What amazes me is the number of people who see what he does and refuse to call him out or hold him accountable. Then they talk about how good he is and what a wonderful job he does. Maybe they are just as liberal as he is and just putting on the mask…
Whatever happened to filling positions simply on the base of merit and ability, of filling a position with someone who would actually be competent and do a good job for good people of SC. Beth Bernstein has the background, the education, the skills, and the temperament for the position. The right wingers have become so obsessed with themselves and with their ideology that they can think of nothing else.
“If anything, Bernstein’s woke views would disqualify her from such a leadership post in a Republican chamber.”
Asking for a friend, what woke views disqualify her from the position? Some examples would be nice rather than “they say”.
Bernstein looks like an albino retarded chimpanzee. And what’s with her hair, she looks like a 3 year old after a nap.
For real!
Maybe she could benefit from advice from the President-elect about hair.
Do SC House members have to pledge allegiance to AIPAC the same way that members of Congress do?
Welcome to the Jew World Order, folks!