HE LIKES PUTTING IT IN HIS POCKET
According to the recently released Palmetto Liberty scorecards, S.C. Sen. Wes Hayes has one of the worst voting records in the State Senate – scoring an abysmal 18 out of 100.
This isn’t surprising. For years Hayes has fared poorly on multiple scorecards that track the fiscal records of so-called “Republicans” in the S.C. General Assembly – due in part to his steady support for massive increases in government spending and steady opposition to a taxpayer rebate fund that would have sent surpluses and government “savings” back to the taxpayers.
What’s Hayes doing with all that new money? Well, in addition to blowing it on a soaring bureaucracy he’s pocketing plenty of it himself as part of a shameful legislative pension deal that enables him to more than triple his annual taxpayer-funded income. Not only that, Hayes is one of the lawmakers who refused to disclose this income on his statement of economic interests – the same form that caused numerous non-compliant candidates to be removed from the 2012 primary ballot.
Take a look …
In addition to his abysmal fiscal record, Hayes is one of the arch-defenders of our state’s failed public education monopoly. More than any other State Senator, it was Hayes who sunk a scaled-down parental choice proposal that would have helped exclusively low-income children trapped in South Carolina’s all-too-numerous failing schools.
Need more?
In addition to all of this, Hayes is the chairman of the Senate “ethics” committee – a legislative entity that exists for the sole purpose of providing political cover to Hayes’ fellow RINOs.
What has Hayes’ leadership done for our state?
That’s easy: It’s moved South Carolina backward. And made it more corrupt than ever.
Hayes is opposed this November by Joe Thompson, a petition candidate who is one of the strongest free market supporters we’ve ever seen run for office in this state. A small businessman and Tea Party activist who helped build grassroots support for U.S. Rep. Mick Mulvaney in 2010, Thompson is the real deal – and precisely the sort of committed fiscal conservative that the State Senate so desperately needs.
Can he win?
It’s a longshot … but to their credit, several leading fiscal conservatives in the S.C. Senate are said to be stepping up and endorsing him.
Also, FITS recently saw some polling in this York County Senate district which would indicate that its voters are much more ideologically aligned with Thompson than they are with Hayes.
On a question asking whether they support new government spending or taxpayer rebates, respondents affirmed by more than a 3-to-1 margin that they want their Senator to send more of their money back – not blow it on more government.
Given the leftward bent of the mainstream media in York County, that’s a reassuring percentage … we just hope voters remember Hayes’ refusal to support such rebates when they cast their votes three weeks from now.
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55 comments
Hope Hayes goes down
South Carolina has become so corrupt, it makes me sick to my stomach. These crooks need their god damn butts kick into the slammer.
We are going to have to all join forces to take people like this low life down. It has to be done. We can’t depend on Alan Wilson of Nikki Haley to do it. WE HAVE TO DO IT. And voting is not the only way to do it.
Wes Hayes is a man of integrity. If the criticism of him is that he opposes school choice (which I believe to be detrimental to SC)and refund of taxes (when our state needs so many infrastructure immprovements, increase of law enforcement officers and other necessary expenditures), then that is no criticism. Failure to report the legal pension payment is a smoke screen because there is no requirement that it be reported. I do fault the legislature as a whole for enacting the legislation that allows this pension arrangement.
Senator Hayes is very low key and works well with his fellow senators and his district. He is effective and does not try to “hog the limelight”. I believe him to be one of the most honest and sincere Senators in SC and in my opinion, more so than Tom Davis.
PS. I do not work for Senator Hayes and have no vested interest in the outcome of the election. I just have known him and observed him for many years and know him to be a good man and a good Senator.
Sincerity is a sure winner so long as you can fake it convincingly.
So why does he take a pension that pays him more than full time teachers and police?
Good man wouldn’t vote himself a pay raise like that and not help out the true servants.
More BS from the voucher lobby. Wes Hayes has faithfully represented the best interests of his district, and among those who know him, these attacks on his integrity are going to fall very flat.
Voucher people are so intent on getting their hands on state money they will say anything. They will attack everyone who does not support them, even hard working successful children. They have no morals, no ethics and no credibility. They pretend to care about public education, when they really only care about lining their pockets.
So here is the real scoop folks, Joe Thompson is nothing but a tool of the voucher lobby, and all the evidence you need is this article. He cares nothing about York County, nothing about quality education and the the things that will make more people successful and bring more jobs to South Carolina.
Study after study has shown that when looking to move to a state, businesses look at the quality of the Public Education system. The reason northern York county is one of the fastest growing parts of South Carolina is because of the quality of York County public schools. Thousands of people who work in Charlotte live in the Rock Hill-Fort Mill area because of the public schools.
Like most of politicians who manipulate the Tea Party folks, its all about money and power. They want a government job. Look at Mr. Thompson’s mentor, Mick. Have not heard him discuss term limits much since he got into power have you?
By the way, Why don’t the people paying for this flyer identify themselves? Because you would then know who and what they are.
Good for you, honey!
If that is true why is York County unemployment 10.5%? Hayes home county is worse than the Obama economy!
John, it probably has something to do with the job layoffs in the banking/financial sector. It has fallen 3 percentage points in a year though.
York County’s unemployment rate is in line with Mecklenburg County’s rate and well below the unemployment rate of its neighboring counties Lancaster (Mick Mulvaney’s county), Chester, Union and Cherokee. So I guess you could say Mick Mulvaney’s home county is way worse than the dismal South Carolina economy. I guess its time for Mick to go!!!!
Uunemployment is very low among college educated York County residents.
So we know Jan is a huge liberal, looking for Mulvaney to go and Wes to stay. Shows Wes’ support. Liberal scare mongers.
John, the point was your hypocrisy. It shows you are a one issue person, probably looking for a government hand out, and no idea what you are talking about when it comes to unemployment. What is good for the goose is good for the gander. If you believe Wes has failed to properly represent his district because unemployment is at 10%, you must really believe Mick has failed to properly represent his district, where unemployment is way higher.
Voucher clown!!
Off-shore Wes, can you say Turks and Caicos?
I got that mailer too! It is interesting too, never once has Wes Hayes said it isn’t true – all the facts are correct. He just doubts they are ‘effective’. Which means he hopes residents don’t focus on the facts, just support him anyway.
Over his lifetime John has consumed an outrageous amount of drugs. He has never even denied it. Is this the kind of person who supports Joe Thompson? Do you really want to trust someone who may be a drug addict?
I outright deny that, because its a random false attack and you don’t even know me. Is that all you can do? Make stuff up and hope it sticks?
Wes Hayes is a career Politician who is in bed with the “good ole boys” in Columbia. South Carolina is ranked 45th in ethics and 48th in School Performance in the Nation. He is Chairman of both the Ethics and Education committees in the Senate. This says it all! He needs to go!
Joe Thompson says he is simi-retired successful business man and working as a part time selling petroleum products.
What kind of business is he simi-retired from? Sounds to me like he is simi-unemployed, and looking for a government job to supplement his income. Perfect candidate for the voucher lobby.
It’s sad that Wes would hide behind the skirts of West Point – and fail to define the issues. Whose fault is it that he chose to take the sweetheart retirement deal? Whose fault is it that he chose to protect the sweetheart deal for himself and his good old boys? It’s Wes’ fault…
I think York needs a real newspaper that looks at this stuff. I read The State online and Cindi Scoppe has been going after this for a long time.
It’s outrageous that part time legislators make MORE THAN DOUBLE for their investment in retirement that those people who are on the front lines and serve us – full-time – each and every day.
Its sad that the people who produced this flyer, choose to hide period. Step into the light. Let the voters know who and what you are. What are you hiding? Who or what is pulling the strings?
By the way where is Tea Party favorite Ralph Norman on this race?
The result of the changes are on the state web site. I do not see any increase for Hayes. If fact it makes it so elected officials are now on the same plan with teachers, police, etc. The real reason for this propaganda is the patriots tea party efforts to take money from public schools and give it to private schools. http://www.retirement.sc.gov/
Not true, Bob. I’ve seen you repeat that lie several times now. The changes in the law, only apply to future legislators. Current legislators will continue to get the same sweetheart deal.
Also no version of the School Choice bill, for years, has included vouchers (money following children). The bill is a tax credit bill, plain and simple. No one receives government money, people just keep more of their own money. (Apparently Bob, is not in favor of people keeping more of their own money.) This also means that there will not be government strings affecting private schools, as you have stated on other articles.
By the way Bob, do you want to disclose how close you are to Wes? Maybe the fact that you used to host his website?
Fully agree with Amelia and Jan.
Just ask Wes Hayes about our Higher Education Graduation rates… Most fall well below 50%. It does no good for the private sector to hire anyone that graduates if they can’t understand what the real world and the private sector is about. Well, I guess there’s always a government job waiting for them… SC being a Right to Work State… Wes Hayes takes money from the NEA no wonder we never get real reforms in our education system. Looks like its only working out for Wes Hayes to me.
Folks, we get the government we deserve if we send people like Wes Hayes back to Columbia. Bigger spending, more government, more regulations, less liberties and an Education Program that just plain stinks. Oh, and I forgot about the billions in unfunded state pension obligations that will never be paid because the money will not be there. Choose wisely.
All this is BS!!!
No Tea Party Candidate is ever good for South Carolina.
They are all puppet pawns of the Koch Brother’s Derivative and Bank skimming schemes.
Bill,
The only thing that will save this state and the republic at large is the Tea Party. They are the only “party” who is not asking government to DO MORE STUFF…the Tea Party is simply saying…government should operate within its constitutional constraints. They say NO MORE than that.
65% of self identified Tea Party members oppose any change to Medicare or Social Security.
What other stuff are others asking the Goverment to do?
Friends,
I have known Wes Hayes for over 20 years and have served with him in the military for a fair number of those years. He is a nice man, he is a decent man and I consider him to be a friend. But I don’t want a friend in Columbia, I want a representative.
I supported him for many elections simply because I knew he was a good man, but as I examine his voting record, I see disturbing truths. He is not really conservative. I don’t say that to degrade or disrespect the man, it is simply the truth.
Joe Thompson is a good man and a stark contrast to Wes Hayes’ tendency towards ever-growing government and ever-increasing government control of our lives and our money.
Those who support Wes, I sincerely appreciate your love for the man, but please look at the reality of his votes. If you are liberal, then I fully understand your love of his policies and tendencies, but if you are conservative you MUST look at what he is doing.
He is part of the problem in our Senate – which has obstructed, neutered or watered down most of the good legislation approved in the house. Our Senate is a graveyard for good legislation.
If you can follow the links in this story and NOT want to vote for Joe Thompson, then you are part of the reason why SC doesn’t improve its performance.
I don’t want to hurt Wes, he is a great guy. But I want good representation from someone who remembers that the money he spends comes OUT OF MY POCKET and the pockets of many others like me. Wes has been in Columbia too long and seems to have forgotten that fact.
So that we understand who you are Mark, specfically what good House legislation do you contend Wes opposed? Please be specific so we can judge your objectivity and credibility.
I suspect Mark would be happy if Wes would spend more of my money paying for private school tuition.
Dude, with friends like you, who needs enemies. I’ll bet Hayes is surprised to find out you consider him a friend, assuming of course he even knows who you are. I know I would be. Unless you just friended him on Facebook and think that makes you a friend.
Good point Bill. If Mark is truly a “friend” why did he not use his full name? People I consider friends would not anonymously attack me on an open forum. They would say whatever they have to say openly.
Mark says he was in the military, but he certainly does not seem like the kind of guy you would want to depend on to have your back.
Time to go Wes! Joe Thompson is the right man for the job. Reminder Joe will be listed as a petition candidate.
Jan and Tom,
I made allowances for your type in my first comment. You are obviously liberal and want government to do everything for you or you are simply a friend of Wes’ and don’t have the integrity to vote for effective and honest government. I understand and offer my sympathy, but your badgering and whining won’t change what is true.
Regarding my comments about legislation that Wes has opposed…well let me just say this. Read the reports from conservative organizations that rate legislators on their VOTES and NOT THEIR RHETORIC. If you want to look to the SCEA, or NEA as your sources…so be it, but they don’t represent most South Carolinians – in fact they don’t even represent what is best for our kids…they protect and shield good and bad teachers. (A former Teachers’ Union President once said, “When the students start paying union dues, then they will be concerned about the students”).
And regarding to my military service and my friendship to Wes…it is all real. Continue the mud slinging if you must…it works to convince the uninformed and those who are too lazy to become informed…but this year, many people are waking to the fact that many politicians in SC have not served us well.
If Wes wins again, he won’t be the worst in the SC Senate, but unfortunately, he won’t represent conservative principles either.
Mark I always make allowances for your type. Rather than debate the issues you choose to attack the messenger. If you spent any time reading FITS news you would know I do not rely on the government for anything. You would also know that I consistently and vehemently oppose giving state money to parents who send their kids to private school. I have no children in school. I paid for my child’s education and if you want your kid to go to private school you pay for it. Please don’t ask me to help out. I help pay for public education. I believe a good public education system is necessary for a democracy to survive (as did Thomas Jefferson). I do not object to paying for public education and I expect it to be good. I do object to being forced to have my tax dollars go to a school that may not even be willing to take the people the voucher crew say they are trying to help; because I am no fool.
I know what you are trying to do. Your posts state it all. You can’t come up with any bill Wes opposed that was good other than the voucher bill, because you really never gave that any thought. He refused to give the Private Schools state money and that is all it took for you to abandon your “years of support”.
Just be open and honest. Just admit you want Wes out because he stood between you and a government check.
And once again if you are a friend, why do you hide who you are? Why do you attack anonymously a man you say is your friend, and who knows your position? You have called him dishonest. Are you really friends with a man you believe to be dishonest.
As for me being friends with Wes Hayes, I have met the man a few times, but I would not presume to say he considered me a friend.
The bottom line is that Hayes is part of the status quo. South Carolina cannot achieve any sort of economic recovery when all you have are gladhanding legislators like Hayes. We need new people with new ideas, preferably someone with some real life business experience — not just experienced in the ways of Columbia politics.
OK Alex, give me specifics. What is Joe Thompson’s business experience? Why hasn’t his mentor Mick Mulveany endorsed him?
Do you even know anything about York County?
Jan, All we need to know about York County is that it contains Rock Hill’s Industrial Mill Hill, and that an armed robbery in York County typically involves a claw hammer. Yet the politicians are Bible-thumping hypocrites. Go figure. I think you people don’t have the right number of chromosomes.
Well Lance, while I do not live in Rock Hill, there is no such place as the Rock Hill Industrial Mill, or at least there has no been for the last 20 years. As far as Bible thumping hypocrites, I may agree. Depends on who you are talking about.
According to the Policy Council, whatever that is, the FBI has been called in on this one. Indictments any day now.
Just take a bunch of spending bills where real conservatives are voting in minority blocks and liberal republicans side with democrats – here is some low hanging fruit (check those votes) on over riding vetos for earmarks, like Veto 37,5,3 and many more from H4813 the appropriations bills. I dont want to waste much more time on you trolls, so I’ll let Wes’ club for growth and Palmetto liberty PAC scores speak for themselves – F.
So why won’t Mick Mulvaney and Ralph Norman endorse Joe Thompson. You never addressed the business experience you claim he has. What is his business experience? He says he is successful. At what?
From what I can tell he is just someone willing to take money from the School Voucher people and push their agenda to discredit SC public education so they can get their hands into my pocket.
Jan,
NEWS FLASH…..
SC Public Education is not working; we are consistently rated among the worst in the nation. You and the other trolls clearly are MORE CONCERNED about teachers having jobs than children getting an education.
Why don’t you just come out and speak the truth…what is it in Wes Hayes’ voting record that you find so attractive that you cannot consider replacing him?
Mark,
As I suspected you are a one issue person and Joe Thompson is a tool of the Voucher Lobby. You don’t give a hoot about public education, or the children of this state. You just want the taxpayers to give money to you and other people with kids in private schools. I am not interested in helping you pay for your kids to go to private schools and vouchers or tax credits are not designed to do one single thing to help public schools or poor children who are in bad schools.
York county has excellent public education. Our public schools are better than any private school here, and if people would take steps to make the public schools everywere better, instead of spending all of their time trying to get money from the government, we would have better schools. However, you and the other membes of the Voucher lobby simply want to abandon the public schools and you want the rest of us to help you pay to do so.
As I have always said, if you really think that a voucher will help public education, then limit the voucher to poor children in failing public schools. But you will not, because that is that is not your goal. You want state money for people who are already in private school.
And you are willing to attack Wes because he will not make me and the other people with no kids in school or people who have kids in public school help you pay to send your kids to private school.
Bill,
I neglected to respond to your ignorant remark…
Apparently you consider friendship more important than good government. I am absolutely certain, that though I disagree with most of his votes ON CRITICAL MATTERS …Wes is not so shallow that our friendship would be jeopardized by my decision to support Joe Thompson.
I like my friend Frank who is a brilliant engineer, but I don’t want him to remove my gall bladder. I am sort of silly in that way.
I vote for what I believe in…not who I like. I liked and respected GWB, but I thought he was horrible for conservatism on most issues…so it is with Wes Hayes. A good Christian, a kind man…but not one who I think is right for SC today.
So, go at it…find some more opportunities to troll in support of Wes Hayes, but I would challenge you to tell us exactly what issues are important to you that you would appreciate Wes Hayes’ votes.
Mark, you once again failed to state what “good legislation” you contend Wes did not support.
Are you talking about school vouchers?
Wes Hayes is a good, honest and honorable man. He has character and integrity and in my long time position at the State House, I have seen many who did not possess these qualities. Wes needs to be on the South Carolina Supreme Court. When it was mentioned several years ago, Toal and her disciples raised all holy hell in opposition. Toal has 4 politically weak cohorts now who will not stand up to her. Many thought that Hayes would challenge Toal’s unethical, secretive and behind the scenes politicin’. With Pleiconas preparing to leave, Kittredge out to lunch, Beautty in pure subservience to Toal and Hearn presently politically neutralized, we need someone over there to challenge the Queen-Dictator.
Jan,
I have wasted enough time with you. But thank you for revealing your true motives in our exchanges.
By the way, do you read anything about SC politics that doesn’t come from the politicians who want your vote?
All this is so the tea party can get the law changed to take money from the public school system and give it to private schools. Then they will no longer be private. What a bunch tea party patriot dummies. All these mail out are just lies about Wes from a group that has had “patriot movement members, Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols”. There are others, just google “patriot mcveigh”. They will say anything. I looked up the pension data and then got the facts on the ethics claims. This tea party patriot junk is just lies. Yes we do not need Wes on the patriot “team” we need him just like he is following the motto “Duty, Honor, Country” with honesty and integrity. Vote for Truth, justice and the American way vote for Wes Hayes.
Bob,
You are wrong. Just what exactly is untrue in the mailings?
I actually have not received one to know about it.
Mark, did you know that you have to have read a mail out to be able to say anything. The mail outs are pure lies.
Jan,
We live in a republic, not a democracy.
I don’t want the state to use its money on private education…but that’s a fallacy anyway…because what you and Wes Hayes and half of our legislature forget is….IT’S NOT THE STATE’S MONEY….IT IS MONEY FROM THE PEOPLE.
And many of us (clearly not you) believe that the status quo in education is not good enough. Many of us find that being 48th, 49th or 50th in the nation is really not an incentive for businesses to choose SC. And selfishly, we want better for our children…statewide.
It is evident that you don’t actually have any reason to support Wes Hayes, other than his service in office virtually guarantees an endles stream of funding to education with no real accountability or demand for improvement.
It saddens me that I have to support the opponent of such a decent man, but his votes (read the story and do some research if you want to know which votes I disgree with) have been on the wrong side of issues for too long.
I expect he may win, and you may choose to boast as if I have lost something…but in reality, my child will do fine…but his victory will sacrifice a good education for about 40% of South Carolinians.
Those who find satisfaction in that are wrong.
Jan,
Your persistent questions about the integrity of Mr. Thompson led me to do my own research about who he is and what he stands for. Previously on the fence about who to vote for in this seat, I am now convinced that Mr. Thompson is, indeed, the best choice for State Senate District 15 given the dismal standings of our state in so many areas.
In answer to your questions about his business experience, turns out it is quite impressive. He has held senior management positions with three Fortune 500 companies over a 35+ year career. You don’t get to that level in huge corporations without a significant degree of ability, effectiveness and success.
Running a state is, or at least should be, like running a business. Mr. Hayes has had a very long time to fix the problems we have in this state. I agree it’s time to give someone else a chance.
Thank you, Jan, for bringing up all these questions about Mr. Thompson’s background. I have made up my mind to vote for him and will be contacting his campaign to volunteer on his behalf.
Joe does have a connection with far right, anti-government anarchists through his radio program, Patriot Talk co-host Jeff Mattox (Kershaw County) and has invited guests such as Larken Rose, author of “When It’s OK To Shoot a Cop” to appear on the show.
In August 2011, Mattox caused a major flap over his indication of approval of Larken’s article when it appeared on the Kershaw County Patriot’s Facebook page. Mattox was forced out of the Kershaw County GOP when his connection to Larken gained state and national scrutiny, even making it into Politico.
All this occurred while Mattox was co-hosting Patriot Talk with Joe, as shocking as that might be. Joe was silent on the subject then and even recently when Rose was on the show about 6 weeks ago.
Thompson is a weak candidate with questionable connections and a tool of out of state special interest groups. He’s guilty of the rankest hypocrisy and a shoot-from-the-lip mentality. i see nothing of respect for truth and accuracy.
By York Conservative October 26, 2012 at 12:36 am
Not true, Bob. I’ve seen you repeat that lie several times now. The changes in the law, only apply to future legislators. Current legislators will continue to get the same sweetheart deal.
Also no version of the School Choice bill, for years, has included vouchers (money following children). The bill is a tax credit bill, plain and simple. No one receives government money, people just keep more of their own money. (Apparently Bob, is not in favor of people keeping more of their own money.) This also means that there will not be government strings affecting private schools, as you have stated on other articles.
By the way Bob, do you want to disclose how close you are to Wes? Maybe the fact that you used to host his website?
Reply
York Conservative , you are a liar. The changes in the law do not give Wes or anyone else an increase. He and other legislators simply went with the plan put in place before they were elected. The propaganda simply lies and says the recent changes gave them something new. They say he hi the “Jack Pot”, or “Golden Parachute”. They are lies. If anything the new changes simply put the legislature in line with everyone else. Now if you had already completed your twenty-five years, the new changes do not change anything. There are folks in teaching, policing etc. who are drawing their pensions and are still working. Then you try to use the argument that I do not favor people keeping their own money. That is just your twisted TEA PARTY PATRIOT talk. I am not in favor of any plan that will take money from our public schools and what they are proposing is a voucher plan but a tax credit is the same, just another name. Wes is close to all his constituents and accessible to everyone.