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by WILL FOLKS
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South Carolina lieutenant governor Pamela Evette listed a pair of registered lobbyists as campaign contributors on her most recent filing with the S.C. State Ethics Commission (SCSEC).
Why is that a problem? For starters, the S.C. Code of Laws (§ 2-17-80) expressly forbids lobbyists from making campaign contributions to elected officials – meaning any donation received from them, no matter how small, against the law. Compounding the issue, Evette’s campaign listed the two lobbyists’ occupations as “retired” – even though both are currently registered to lobby, according to SCSEC paperwork.
While the contributions from the two lobbyists – $94 from Brandon Dermody and $47 from Kathryn Wylie – amounted to mere droplets in the bucket of Evette’s $4.58 million war chest, the lieutenant governor’s opponents seized on the apparent deception in reporting.
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“We have a crime and a cover-up,” an operative on a rival campaign told us.
Obviously, that’s bit of a stretch… especially seeing as these contributions were likely “provided” in the form of tickets for events sponsored by Evette’s campaign. Still, Dermody’s affiliation with gambling interests could make his minor investment in Evette’s candidacy a major talking point for her opponents.
Particularly as Evette courts evangelical voters in the Palmetto Upstate…
Evette’s allies have played fast and loose throughout the 2026 campaign, including our recent reporting on an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) complaint filed against Patriots for South Carolina, a political action committee supporting her candidacy.
And while we’re certain these modest lobbyist contributions will be refunded (if they haven’t been already), the talking points associated with them could wind up sticking as the 2026 gubernatorial campaign hits its homestretch…
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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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