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South Carolina state representative R.J. May III‘s membership in the S.C. Freedom Caucus has been suspended, the group’s leader confirmed this week. May’s suspension comes amid an ongoing investigation tied to allegations involving child sex abuse material.
As FITSNews exclusively reported months ago, agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) special investigations unit (HSI) – with support from the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) – executed a search warrant on May’s West Columbia, S.C. home on the morning of August 5, 2024. FITSNews subsequently confirmed this early morning search of May’s home was focused on allegations related to child sex abuse materials, or “CSAM” – more commonly known as child pornography.
Shortly thereafter, we reported that multiple devices had been seized in connection with the raid – and that federal investigators were securing warrants which would enable them to search these devices.
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Freedom Caucus chairman Jordan Pace confirmed to FITSNews that May was formally suspended from the group “some time ago.” Multiple Freedom Caucus members have indicated to this news outlet that May had not been participating in activities since the execution of the search warrant.
May won re-election in an uncontested race this November, and raised eyebrows when he returned to the General Assembly last Tuesday (December 3, 2024) for an organizational session of the House of Representatives.
Along with his colleagues, May was sworn into office for another two-year term.
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? Staring down the business end of a federal investigation related to child porn (a.k.a. child sex abuse materials), state representative @RJMayIII is at the South Carolina State House today… first time he has been seen publicly in months. https://t.co/dLwjvE2muT
— FITSNews (@fitsnews) December 3, 2024
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May has been a controversial figure in Palmetto politics even prior to the execution of the search warrant, serving as vice chairman of the caucus while running primary campaigns against incumbent members of the Republican party in his role as president of Ivory Tusk Consulting, a Lexington, S.C.-based political consulting firm.
May has yet to be criminally charged in connection with the child porn investigation. In the event he is indicted, he would be suspended from the S.C. House as well.
That day could be coming soon. Five weeks ago, the office of U.S. attorney Adair Ford Boroughs submitted a formal request to a federal judge to retain evidence in his case. In that filing, federal prosecutors acknowledged having taken possession of “various electronics identified as one Lenovo laptop, one Amazon tablet, four cell phones, four hard drives, four SD cards, two DVD-Rs and nineteen thumb drives” which were “seized by agents of (HSI) on August 5, 2024.”
“The subject properties are associated with a pending criminal investigation in this district,” the filing (.pdf) noted.
The request from the U.S. attorney’s office indicated prosecutors intended to file criminal indictments against him “within three months.”
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Pace was recently pressed about May’s membership in the caucus during an event at the S.C. State House.
“I have not talked with him in some time,” Pace told reporters, adding that other members of the caucus hadn’t spoken with May, either.
Pace indicated to this news outlet that a formal press release about the situation was not forthcoming…
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
(Via: Travis Bell)
Dylan Nolan is the director of special projects at FITSNews. He graduated from the Darla Moore school of business in 2021 with an accounting degree. Got a tip or story idea for Dylan? Email him here. You can also engage him socially @DNolan2000.
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4 comments
And rightly so ………….
Put his sorry ass in jail where it belongs!
“some time ago…” Yeah right, we aren’t falling for that!
So…Jordan Pace really believes the people of SC are stupid. Crickets for months… nothing from the Freedom Tyrants, and then, “oh, we suspended him some time ago.” Ha! Maybe time ago means seconds. Seriously!