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by JENN WOOD
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Jasper County government descended into chaos on Friday (December 12, 2025) after county council adopted an emergency resolution (.pdf) accusing county treasurer Mike Skinner of threatening gun violence against county staff and unilaterally authorizing bonus payments — allegations serious enough to trigger immediate safety measures and referrals to state law enforcement.
The extraordinary action came at the end of a hastily convened, emergency meeting during which council members moved swiftly into executive session, citing both a criminal investigation and what they described as exigent safety concerns involving county employees.
By the time council emerged, the tone was unmistakable: this was no routine internal dispute.
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‘EMPTY FIVE CLIPS’
At the center of the storm is a message attributed to Skinner and included as an exhibit to the county’s emergency resolution — a message in which the treasurer allegedly described a desire to “walk up to that third floor and empty five fucking clips into both of them sorry fucking c***s,” referring to two county officials.
The message, which council indicated was sent to a sitting councilman, went on to describe feeling “nothing but recoil” and a “profound sense that something good finally happened.”
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Jasper County council’s resolution stated the alleged threat was directed at county administrative staff and was sufficiently serious and specific so as to initiate emergency protective measures and a referral to law enforcement.
Council “unequivocally condemns any form of political or workplace violence,” its resolution noted, while affirming its responsibility to protect the safety, health, and well-being of county employees.
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Jasper officials justified the rapid response by invoking emergency authority under South Carolina law, asserting that circumstances required immediate action to secure public facilities, personnel, and resources.
During the meeting, council amended its agenda to include discussion of the alleged threats — a move requiring a supermajority vote under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Members cited “exigent circumstances” and staff safety as the basis for the change before they retreated behind closed doors.
When they returned to open session, council adopted the emergency resolution without public debate.
The resolution directed the county administrator, in consultation with law enforcement, to implement any measures deemed necessary to ensure employee safety — including changes to access, security protocols, and facility controls.
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BONUS PAYMENTS UNDER SCRUTINY
The alleged threats were not the only issue prompting the emergency response.
Council members also accused Skinner of intentionally proceeding with bonus payments to staff within the treasurer’s office — despite being previously advised that such payments were improper on both constitutional and public-policy grounds.
According to the resolution, council reviewed evidence suggesting the treasurer made the payments unilaterally and without authorization. That matter, too, has now been referred to the S.C. Law Enforcement Division (SLED) for investigation.
The resolution frames the payments as a potential misappropriation of public funds — a finding that, if substantiated, could carry serious legal consequences.
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RELATED | JASPER COUNTY TREASURER BATTLES FOR ACCESS
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A LONG-RUNNING WAR WITH COUNTY LEADERSHIP
Friday’s dramatic actions did not arise in a vacuum.
Since taking office in July 2023 after unseating longtime treasurer Verna Garvin, Skinner has been locked in a bitter, highly public dispute with county council and administration — one he has repeatedly framed as a fight for transparency and financial accountability.
In April 2024, Skinner publicly accused county officials of attempting to silence him through what he described as a targeted audit limited only to the months he had been in office. He called the audit a “smokescreen” designed to distract from deeper fiscal and operational problems that predated his election.
“In effect, they seem to be saying, ‘don’t look here,’” Skinner said at the time. “Well, I have looked, and it’s not that great.”
Skinner claimed he inherited chaos upon taking office — including financial records stored in a leaking facility, missing documents, scattered checks, and what he described as a frightening lack of internal controls.
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RELATED | ‘DON’T LOOK HERE’: ANOTHER LOWCOUNTRY FINANCIAL SCANDAL?
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SUPREME COURT FILING AND ACCOUNT ACCESS FIGHT
By summer 2024, the dispute escalated into litigation.
Represented by attorneys Eric Bland and Ronnie Richter, Skinner filed a petition with the South Carolina Supreme Court seeking a writ of mandamus to compel the county to provide him access to bank account records associated with county funds.
The filing alleged Skinner discovered at least 96 bank accounts receiving deposits on behalf of Jasper County — accounts over which he claimed to have little or no visibility. Requests for records and information, the filing alleged, were repeatedly denied by county administration and outside banks without the consent of existing signatories.
County officials countered by accusing Skinner of exceeding his authority — including allegations that he made improper bonus payments to himself and staff.
Skinner denied wrongdoing and insisted he was not seeking signatory authority, only access to records necessary to fulfill the statutory duties of his office.
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FROM REFORMER TO FLASHPOINT
A retired Marine, educator, and former senior executive, Skinner has consistently portrayed himself as a reformer elected to disrupt what he describes as entrenched, opaque county practices. He has pointed to increased interest earnings — more than $1 million during his tenure — as evidence his approach was working.
“I feel like I’m in the middle of some strange conspiracy to hide, confuse and impede,” Skinner said last year.
County leadership, meanwhile, has increasingly cast Skinner as a destabilizing force — a narrative that culminated Friday with allegations serious enough to trigger emergency powers, heightened security concerns, and referrals to state law enforcement.
It remains unclear whether Skinner has been placed on administrative leave or whether additional security measures have already been implemented inside county facilities.
What is clear: Jasper County is now operating under an emergency framework — with its treasurer accused of conduct that has prompted both law-enforcement involvement and an unprecedented public rebuke from county council.
This story is developing and may be updated as more information becomes available.
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THE RESOLUTION
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
As a private investigator turned journalist, Jenn Wood brings a unique skill set to FITSNews as its research director. Known for her meticulous sourcing and victim-centered approach, she helps shape the newsroom’s most complex investigative stories while producing the FITSFiles and Cheer Incorporated podcasts. Jenn lives in South Carolina with her family, where her work continues to spotlight truth, accountability, and justice.
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16 comments
County Council has no authority to place the Treasurer on leave.
The power of a small time politician/county councilman can not be checked, according to them.
The power of a county administrator is, in their eyes, unlimited.
So the council knew of a “threat” for a week but did not search or secure the building until they could press release it?
I don’t know these people but I can smell the establishment bull shit from Greenville.
Hope the treasurer stays in office and that the people clean house.
How could he make good on such a threat, anyway? I don’t know of one court house in this state that a citizen can enter without being herded and scanned for weapons. Even MacGuyver’s innocuous Swiss Army knife will get you arrested and treated like a potential mass murderer, if you dared enter the sacred confines of one of our court houses with one on you. The level of paranoia in these buildings would tend to indicate that counties are fucking people over on a grand scale, compared to the 70’s and 80’s when these measures were not in place. It sounds like Skinner is a threat to their status quo.
Courthouses have metal detectors so we shouldnt worry about violent death threats? I cant wait to hear your views on race and women’s right to vote…
I agree!
The county administrator makes $285,000 per year, including benefits.
The per-capital income of the average Jasper County resident is $32,505.
Now you see why the administrator and council want the treasurer gone. He threatens the graveyard train. And $285,000 per year is a lot of gravy.
Good grief, that’s about what the administrator in Greenville County makes and many think he’s overpaid, and he probably oversees as many employees as Jasper has residents haha
If they are so necessary and do so much good that subjecting citizens to these searches and de-humanizing herding procedures are deemed necessary and worthy of continuation, yeah. How would someone make good on such a threat?
Where is the rest of that text thread.
I understand that there was a councilman on that thread that said the same sort of thing but has not been questioned.
Please post the whole thread.
Charge him , fire him, file a restraining order, hire a new treasurer, and we (taxpayers) will all pay his wrongful termination suit out of the insurance reserve fund. MAGA welfare! What a genuinely scary guy. I feel for my friends on Council and Jasper County government.
if Mr. Skinner thinks of the government building as a ” f-hole” he needs to leave. from day one he has used vulgar language about the county that signs his paycheck , has rude , uninformed employees , yeah , he needs to leave.
Sounds like he has a firm grasp on the situation at hand which he is faced with.
Skinner has had nothing but grief since winning this office. The office was run in such a lackadaisical manner for years and it was allowed with no consequences. Skinner tries to bring the office up to the current century and make employees accountable. God forbid! The county administrator is an overpaid, accountable to no one guy who allows some county employees to be the same. I have heard of one supervisor in a particular department that is not even required to show up for work unless he wants to but still gets big raises and bonuses. The majority of people in Jasper County are hard working people with morals. But, they are screwed by all the corruption that is allowed. Jasper Taxpayer hit it on the head!
Skinner is combating alot of grift and corruption. He has no actual intention of physically harming anyone, but he failed to understand that that kind of gruff Marine banter behind the scenes will come back to bite him in the ass; he is somewhat his own worst enemy in that regard. Hopefully he will learn this political lesson without it resulting in his removal from office before he can get all those county financial accounts back under his office’s control, as the law requires. Then he will be able to really uncover the misuse of public funds and force accountability.
Andy Fulghum is the only reason Jasper County is not a literal dumpster fire. Pay him whatever it takes to keep him. Fire and arrest the psycho treasurer.