Prosecutors, Crime Victims Put Pressure On South Carolina Lawmakers

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by WILL FOLKS

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A pair of prosecutors who have led the charge for judicial reform in South Carolina stood alongside victims of violent crime this week – demanding long-overdue changes to the Palmetto State’s badly broken system of “justice.”

With national scrutiny of South Carolina’s chronically, tragically failed judiciary approaching an all-time high… is now finally the time when a comprehensive overhaul of this incestuous, ineffectual system gains traction?

And becomes a reality?

At an event held inside the York County judicial complex, S.C. sixteenth circuit solicitor Kevin Brackett and first circuit solicitor David Pascoe – two prosecutors who have been battling judicial corruption for years (see here and here) – detailed their latest efforts to address South Carolina’s irredeemably conflicted, crime-enabling judicial selection process.

Brackett had a simple message for citizens frustrated with the status quo…

“Your safety is in your hands  – you need to reach out to your legislators and demand change,” he said.

Brackett proceeded to detail multiple cases in which offenders who should have been behind bars (or in a mental institution) were instead set free to wreak havoc on our communities – the tragic byproduct of a system which places a premium on political cronyism, not public safety.

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Lawmakers say they addressed their corrupt judicial selection process last year, but their efforts came up well short of the mark – with no end to the fatal consequences of this failure in sight.

“You cannot have an independent judiciary when (judges) are solely hired fired and funded by the legislature,” Pascoe said in his remarks, highlighting the fact that the scandal-scarred S.C. Judicial Merit Selection Commission (JMSC) continues to be controlled by a clique of powerful lawyer legislators.

These attorneys choose our judges – and then practice in front of them.

According to Pascoe, he and Brackett showed lawmakers the fatal flaws of this infinitely corrupt arrangement – yet were ignored.

“We showed them the cronyism,” Pascoe said. “We gave them example after example of favoritism. Kevin Brackett and I gave them two hours of receipts.”

Despite the provision of these receipts – and despite a legislative reform push led by state representative Joe White of the S.C. Freedom Caucus – lawmakers balked at making substantive changes to the system. In fact, the bill they passed in 2024 was so watered down it was even criticized as insufficient by status quo governor Henry McMaster.

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“I have made clear that my preference is for the federal model of executive appointment with legislative confirmation,” McMaster said at the time.

Whatever the ideal reform, the status quo simply cannot hold – especially as lawmakers prepare to settle scores with the judicial branch by installing one of their cronies on the supreme court.

“The current JMSC is still controlled by the legislature – it is still controlled by lawyer legislators,” Pascoe said, urging members of the S.C. General Assembly to put aside their “selfishness” and let “justice out-brave the madness.”

Specifically, Pascoe called on the GOP-controlled legislative supermajority to “pass a simple statute that takes legislators off the JMSC.”

Perhaps the most stirring commentary at this week’s event was provided by Lori Williams, whose brother – retired Rock Hill, S.C. police lieutenant Larry Vaughan – was beaten to death in the summer of 2021.  Former Chester County sheriff’s deputy Evan Hawthorne was convicted of Vaughn’s murder earlier this year.

“If we stay silent, nothing changes,” Williams said.

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“We elect these legislators to their positions at the State House – and we can take them out of the State House,” Williams said. “You need to write them, you need to call them, you need to email them, you need to sit in their office… and you need to tell them that you demand change.”

“If we don’t make changes in South Carolina you all will become victims,” Williams added. “Don’t wait until it affects your family to demand change. Stand up for yourself now. Demand change. Demand accountability.”

Joining the chorus for accountability in York County on this crisp fall morning was a new voice – a voice which has emerged as one of the most forceful, unflinching and unrelenting in this fight.

I’m referring to the voice of Steve Federico… whose daughter, 22-year-old Logan Hailey Federico, was brutally murdered by a career criminal and serial violent offender near the campus of the University of South Carolina campus five months ago.

“The system that was supposed to protect her also took her life because of the way it picks judges,” Federico said. “The system is broken. And I plan to turn it on its head. There will be no one who doesn’t hear from me.”

Federico has made absolutely sure of that in recent weeks as his impassioned advocacy has helped put the problem of South Carolina’s broken judiciary on the national map.

At Thursday’s press conference, Federico made it abundantly clear he is not about to let up…

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“Buckle up,” Federico concluded, referring to those who stand in the way of reform. “You’re about to get Federico’d.”

Reform advocates have picked an opportune time to get engaged. Lawmakers will reconvene in the South Carolina capital in mid-January for the 2026 session of the S.C. General Assembly. In mid-March of next year, the official filing period will open for partisan primary elections in the Palmetto State – with statewide offices and all 124 seats of the S.C. House of Representatives on the ballot.

That means there will be a lot of chances to replace status quo politicians with leaders who will actually represent their constituents for a change… leaders who will put the welfare of the public and the rights of victims

After candidates file for office – a period which closes at the end of March – partisan primary elections will be held on June 9, 2026. In the event no candidate wins a majority of votes on the first ballot, runoff elections would be held two weeks later (on June 23, 2026) between the top two-vote getters.

Due to the way South Carolina legislative districts have been gerrymandered, few of these races are competitive – especially when it comes to the general election in November. That means the vast majority of these legislative seats are won or lost in the spring primaries, when far fewer voters turn out to cast their ballots.

Make no mistake, FITSNews will be keeping our audience apprised as to which lawmakers (and legislative candidates) are supporting real reform of our judicial selection process… and which ones aren’t.

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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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