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South Carolina’s “Republican-controlled” Senate voted overwhelmingly to remove state treasurer Curtis Loftis from office this week via a dubious end-around of the constitutionally prescribed impeachment method.
Rather than follow proper protocol – in which the House of Representatives would have first had to impeach Loftis ahead of a formal trial in the Senate – the GOP supermajority in the “upper” chamber held what amounted to a kangaroo court on Monday (April 21, 2025).
Without hearing from witnesses, examining evidence or having their allegations against Loftis made under oath or subject to penalty of perjury, senators voted 38–8 to remove the fourth-term incumbent from office for allegedly causing and concealing a $1.8 billion accounting error. This, despite the fact Loftis is not the state’s accountant and despite the fact clear and compelling evidence exists which points the finger of blame at another statewide constitutional officer.
Our founding editor called this charade out for exactly what it was… another example of the Palmetto State’s legislative tyranny.
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The vote to remove ?@TreasurerLoftis? by @SCSenateGOP. What will ?@SCHouseGOP? do? pic.twitter.com/WtG5RwtRzp
— FITSNews (@fitsnews) April 22, 2025
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“I am not surprised by today’s outcome,” Loftis said in a statement. “We knew this process would be more political in nature than the serious legal hearing one would expect to overturn a statewide election. But today is just one step in this process, and we will now weigh our options on next steps.”
Loftis was elected to a fourth term in 2022 with a whopping 79.7% of the vote – the highest percentage of any statewide official who did not run unopposed in that election cycle.
“I want to reaffirm to the citizens of South Carolina that I as your State Treasurer and the members of my office have faithfully fulfilled our statutory duties to provide core financial management services to state government,” Loftis added. “To be clear, there was no mysterious bank account, no missing or stolen money, and all funds managed by my office are accounted for and reconciled to the bank. South Carolinians can rest assured that their money is safe and secure.”
Senators claimed Loftis was the focus of an ongoing investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Loftis denied that allegation, saying the investigation was focused solely on the accounting error – which, according to him, fell at the feet of interim Democrat comptroller general Brian J. Gaines.
Gaines’ office was blistered in an independent report issued back in January on this ostensibly “missing” money. Also, his office went on the record in December 2023 demanding Loftis certify the “missing” $1.8 billion – i.e. making it available for lawmakers to spend. To his credit, Loftis consistently stated that if any funds were available due to the comptroller’s miscalculations – they should be rebated to taxpayers.
Needless to say, FITSNews will have plenty of updates on this saga as it advances (potentially) to the S.C. House of Representatives… and to the state’s courts, which will have the final say over whether the Senate’s kangaroo court was in keeping with the state constitution.
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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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5 comments
Thank you for posting this important information. Hopefully Allen Blackmon from Heath Springs will be challenged and defeated in 2028.
I cannot adequately convey the level of disappointment I have in him at the moment.
KC Voter, give me a call. My number is 803 804 2189. Thanks, Allen
Hilarious that Will Folks is now calling his new found darlings like Leber, Kennedy, Blackmon, and of course folks like Kimbrell and Cash also voted for Loftis’ removal “Republicans”.
Even funnier was Corey Allen’s head exploding at the news.
Perhaps the most gob-smacking aspect of the whole removal hearing was the absolute gall of Sen. Luke Rankin to stand up and pontificate against Loftis about “taking responsibility” over this matter – an accounting issue that resulted in not a penny of the treasury actually being lost- while Rankin and Glenn McConnell are the most responsible public individuals in the entire State for the largest ACTUAL financial loss to the public fisc and the individual finances of the people: a loss of 9.8 BILLION REAL DOLLARS for a failed nuclear power plant project in which Rankin set up the enabling legislation that placed all the risk of project failure to be shifted to the rate payers of the State. If Rankin has ever public stood up and taken responsibility for his critical role in that debacle – which continues to affect the pocket books of everyday South Carolinians to this day, I’ve never heard it.
Well, well, well! Looks like Beth Berenstain or whatever, Grooms, and others, are setting up an SC – Israel alliance. The story is currently on WACH’s web site. Why does our state need an alliance with Israel? Pam Evatt seems to be a supporter. Let the bribe money pour!!!!!