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by WILL FOLKS
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Agents of the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) have been asked to investigate allegations of corruption leveled this week during the Palmetto State’s annual budget-writing process.
S.C. Senate finance chairman Harvey Peeler sent a letter to the statewide law enforcement agency on Wednesday (April 8, 2026) asking its agents to “review certain allegations that were made during the committee’s meeting held yesterday.”
“The concerns were of direct appropriations in the annual (budget) for a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives,” Peeler wrote in his letter (.pdf).
As our media outlet reported yesterday, state senator Stephen Goldfinch – one of three Republicans vying to become attorney general of South Carolina in this spring’s GOP primary election – implied during the committee hearing that one of his campaign rivals had been funneling money through his government office for years to powerful Democrat state lawmaker Gilda Cobb-Hunter.
Specifically, Goldfinch accused S.C. first circuit solicitor David Pascoe of allegedly overseeing the transfer of hundreds of thousands of dollars to Cobb-Hunter through a budget proviso earmarked for the S.C. Department of Juvenile Justice (SCDJJ).
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Budget provisos are specific spending instructions which tell executive branch agencies how they can – and cannot – spend money.
“During our subcommittee last week, we encountered a proviso, 67.6, which looked to send $350,000 through the first circuit solicitor’s office from DJJ to – for, personnel expenses – to Gilda Cobb-Hunter,” Goldfinch said. “We’ve looked up those invoices – staff has pulled that file – and it looks like representative Hunter is being paid approximately $8,800 a month from state dollars that (have been) appropriated through this budget for many, many years.”
Goldfinch appears to have erroneously accused Pascoe of misconduct, as both SCDJJ and the first circuit solicitor’s office confirmed the money in question is not administered by the prosecutor – or the office he oversees.
“I have nothing to do with the disbursement of that money,” Pascoe told FITSNews, a statement confirmed by SCDJJ.
As for the Goldfinch’s allegation against Cobb-Hunter, however, Peeler told SLED chief Mark Keel in his letter that it appeared “a House member had secured or attempted to secure line-item appropriations directed specifically for the benefit of that member.”
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RELATED | CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS FLY AT S.C. STATE HOUSE
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“These allegations raise serious questions regarding potential conflicts of interest, compliance with state ethics laws and the integrity of the legislative appropriations process,” Peeler wrote, requesting SLED look into them “in light of the gravity of these matters and their potential implications for public trust in state government.”
FITSNews reviewed the past quarter century of budget provisos, determining the first state spending plan to contain SCDJJ monies earmarked for the S.C. first judicial circuit was the fiscal year 2002-2003 budget. That year, the amount totaled $175,000. Five years later, in the fiscal year 2007-2008 budget, the total increased to $250,000 annually. In the fiscal year 2022-2023 budget, the total increased to $350,000 annually – and has remained at this level ever since. Since the proviso was first introduced 24 years ago, a total of $6.025 million has been routed to SCDJJ per its instructions.
None of that money was routed through Pascoe’s office, however.
“Pursuant to Proviso 67.6, which the General Assembly initially included in the State Appropriations Act of 2002, the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice contracts with Community Advocacy Program to provide prevention and intervention services to youth and families in the first judicial circuit,” a SCDJJ spokesman told FITSNews. “This is separate from the Juvenile Arbitration Program that is operated by each Circuit Solicitor’s Office that is also mentioned in the Proviso.”
Despite having wrongfully accused Pascoe of steering money to Cobb-Hunter, Goldfinch continued to slam his rival for the Palmetto State’s top prosecutorial post.
“Where has David Pascoe been?” Goldfinch wrote on his Facebook page, referring to the appropriation. “For over 20 years, what looks like inside-transactions and sweetheart deals have existed right in his own judicial circuit and he’s said nothing. No inquiries. No questions. No investigations. Not a word. Why?”
“Is it because of his deep ties to powerful Democrats in Orangeburg and Calhoun counties?” Goldfinch added.
Keep it tuned to FITSNews as we track this ongoing situation…
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THE LETTER…
(SLED)
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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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3 comments
Gilda outlasted Harrell and every one of his committee chairs, I bet my house she beats Goldfuck without getting out of her chair.
The perfect issue for Goldfinch to rouse those right-wing racist, misogynist, Republican rednecks: accuse an outspoken, successful black female Democrat of being involved in wrong doing. Never mind that it is false.
So this has been happening for 20 years and Peeler never noticed? Nor did anyone else? Do any of them read the budget? I guess it was never important until it could potentially be used against a political opponent…..