South Carolina Senator Claims Trial Lawyers Tried To Bribe Him

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South Carolina’s lawsuit reform debate was upended when one of the ten Republican lawmakers believed to be waffling on a comprehensive reform bill claimed on the floor that the state’s wealthy and powerful trial lawyer lobby tried to bribe him.

According to freshman state senator Tom Fernandez, trial lawyers offered him between $50,000 and $100,000 in campaign contributions to oppose S. 244 – comprehensive tort legislation introduced by Senate majority leader Shane Massey.

The S.C. Code of Laws (§ 16-9-210) expressly prohibits the bribery of public officials – including lawmakers.

“Whoever corruptly gives, offers or promises to any executive, legislative or judicial officer, after his election or appointment, either before or after he is qualified or has taken his seat, any gift or gratuity whatever, with intent to influence his act, vote, opinion, decision or judgment on any matter, question, cause or proceeding which may be pending or may by law come or be brought before him in his official capacity, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state penitentiary at hard labor not exceeding five years or by a fine not exceeding three thousand dollars and imprisonment in jail not exceeding one year,” the statute reads.

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Lawmakers and trial lawyer advocates quickly countered that campaign contributions are exempt from bribery laws based on a definition contained in state ethics law (§ 8-13-100). According to that definition, a “campaign contribution properly received and reported” is not defined under the law as a “thing of value.”

Public corruption investigators familiar with both statutes argued the criminal code was applicable – citing the prevailing language as the “intent to influence.”

“The intent to influence is the criminal act,” one investigator confirmed. “There is no exemption for the intent to influence.”

Fernandez’s shocking allegation was made during floor debate on Tuesday (March 4, 2025) – just moments after FITSNews reported that at least ten GOP lawmakers had told colleagues they were going to oppose the bill.

Fernandez was one of those lawmakers.

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? 10 "Republican" senators will reportedly side with S.C. trial lawyer lobby and vote AGAINST advancing comprehensive tort reform. They are: @LukeRankinSC, @JoshKimbrellSC, @ScSenGoldfinch, @TomFernandezSC, Billy Garrett, @AdamsforSC44, Everett Stubbs, @Kennedy4SC, @GambrellLaw… pic.twitter.com/Q36p3e9Q9N

— FITSNews (@fitsnews) March 4, 2025

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“Let me say the quiet part out loud,” Fernandez said in detailing the offer he received.

Massey’s proposed legislation seeks to reform South Carolina’s unfair, anti-competitive tort laws. Trial lawyers – who have been a dominant force in Palmetto politics since Reconstruction – have been playing defense in recent years after several high-profile wrongful death cases exposed the inherent unfairness of the state’s current system.

As previously reported, trial lawyers have dropped mad stacks of cash on ad campaigns targeting senators – as well as engaging the services of multiple MAGA social media accounts.

If Fernandez’s allegation is accurate, that’s not all they’ve been earmarking their money toward.

Whatever your position on S. 244, Fernandez’s allegation is deathly serious – and deserves immediate, thorough investigation. And not a “legislative ethics” investigation, either. I’m talking about a completely independent criminal inquiry complete with subpoena power over phone records, text messages, emails, trial lawyer group chats/listservs and other relevant materials.

Because as I noted earlier today, “politicians aren’t the only ones they have bought off… or tried to.”

And if the state is too conflicted to conduct a proper investigation, the feds need to step in… as they’ve done in the past when South Carolina elected officials decided to sell their votes to the highest bidder.

Allegations like this are precisely why the Palmetto State needs a dedicated, robust public corruption unit focused on rooting out bribes, kickbacks, payoffs and related malfeasance in public office.

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UPDATE |

State representative Jordan Pace of the S.C. Freedom Caucus told us this afternoon he intends to file legislation ensuring that any “campaign contribution” loophole in South Carolina ethics law is closed completely and permanently.

“Filing a bill tomorrow to fix that,” he told FITSNews.

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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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