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by WILL FOLKS
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Embattled South Carolina state senator Josh Kimbrell – who is neck deep in a bitter legal battle with his former business partner – is using his official position to push back at the lawyer representing his rival.
Kimbrell, one of five announced GOP candidates for governor of South Carolina in 2026, indicated his intention to file legislation which would bar retired solicitors from practicing law in their districts for a period of two years following their resignations from public office.
“For two years after leaving office, a solicitor may not represent a client for a fee or appear in court in the district from which he was elected,” Kimbrell’s proposed bill stated.
Kimbrell is expected to introduce his bill on December 10, 2025 – the first day senators are allowed to pre-file legislation ahead of the upcoming session of the S.C. General Assembly.
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“Part of judicial reform is reforming the revolving door between government service and profiteering off of that service,” Kimbrell said in a statement announcing the bill. “Every other public position requires a waiting period before becoming a lobbyist, etc., but solicitors can walk out the door and go exploit their expertise and experience for profit. It happens all the time. Greenville County is a great example. This must be reformed to restore public confidence in equal justice under law.”
Kimbrell’s proposal is a direct rebuke of former S.C. thirteenth circuit solicitor Walt Wilkins, who resigned as the top prosecutor for Greenville and Pickens counties on June 1, 2025. One of Wilkins’ first cases upon reentering the private sector was to represent Greenville, S.C. businessman Frank George Rogers in a lawsuit filed against Kimbrell.
Rogers’ suit claimed Kimbrell, his wife (Liliya Kimbrell) and an Upstate banker conspired to steal approximately $2 million from Exodus Aircraft LLC – a company Kimbrell and Rogers jointly owned. Kimbrell and his wife have subsequently been accused of violating multiple court orders imposed in connection with the lawsuit – including the alleged destruction of evidence related to the case.
Count on FITSNews to keep our audience apprised of any new developments tied to this ongoing Upstate court drama…
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THE BILL…
(Provided)
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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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6 comments
Phew it certainly is drama, but I’m going to get back in my lane. There’s more going on in south carolina than I thought and it’s easy to get sucked in.
Will- you have a great group, its entertaining watching your news and I dont think I have commented to Dylan but he’s a great political commentor. Ill be sure to get the in-laws a subscription.
Commentator*
This is a stupid bill proposed by a stupid man.
Kimbrell just needs to resign and get out of the public eye. A better bill would be to bar former lawyer legislators from running for judgeships and current lawyer legislators from practicing law in state courts while they are in office.
Former solicitors have no leg up when they leave office, quite the contrary, they usually have a more difficult time because they are competing with attorneys who were once adversaries
You have a better suggestion than Kimbrell. I’m in agreement that former legislators can’t become lobbyists without a waiting period, but what Kimbrell is proposing is similar to a Non Compete Agreement.
These Senators are the joke of SC.
Marital affairs, fraud, drinking and drugging,
Filing bills against their personal foes.
They are a joke.