CORRUPT COVER-UP COMMITTEES MUST BE ABOLISHED
We read recently in The (Columbia, S.C.) State newspaper that members of the S.C. House of Representatives are actively campaigning for several available seats on their chamber’s so-called “Ethics” committee. This is the panel which will hear a complaint early next year into the campaign finance scandal surrounding S.C. Speaker Bobby Harrell (RINO-Charleston).
We won’t get into the names of the lawmakers seeking these positions right now … because that really doesn’t matter. At least two of the candidates are nothing but stooges for Speaker Harrell, but that’s neither here nor there. What matters in our book isn’t who gets placed on this “cover-up committee,” it’s how lawmakers vote on a long overdue reform that would abolish this committee altogether, along with its equally corrupt counterpart in the State Senate.
Permitting members of the S.C. General Assembly to police themselves is a shamelessly corrupt arrangement that has … not surprisingly … led to shameless corruption.
The most notorious example? The disgraceful rigged hearing held earlier this summer into S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley’s illegal lobbying.
Despite clear and compelling evidence that the governor violated multiple ethics laws during her tenure in the House, Republicans on the “Ethics” committee nonetheless voted to dismiss all of the charges against her. This decision was based exclusively on testimony from the governor and sympathetic witnesses – and was reached without a public examination of the evidence (including evidence sought by the committee).
Haley’s accuser was never allowed to present his case, instead he was sequestered in a private room – unable even to listen as the governor called him a racist for daring to raise questions about her transparent lawlessness.
It was a show trial, people. Which isn’t surprising when you consider that Haley threatened members of the committee – and their “Republican” leaders – with political retribution if they went against her.
Of course Haley isn’t the only corrupt public official whose sins this committee has whitewashed. S.C. Rep. Brian White (RINO-Anderson), chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means committee, was busted last year using his campaign account for personal expenditures – yet he’s still getting a pass on it.
And this panel is supposed to “impartially investigate” the allegations against Speaker Harrell?
Please …
S.C. lawmakers cannot be allowed to continue serving as the exclusive judge and jury anytime serious allegations brought against other lawmakers. To do so is to continue inviting the corruption that is so rampant in this state. Instead, they should be subjected to the same laws – and the same prosecution – as any other elected official.
In fact this is Thesis No. 1 in our forthcoming Bible of Reform.
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12 comments
Bucket of Warm Spit
Don’t stand too close to a sentence that has “SC legislature” and “ethics” in it.
Speaker Harrell has been cleared of all wrong dooing here in the lowcountry. We elected him and are happy with him. You need to worry more about the morons you voted for, if in fact you even vote little Willie.
“Permitting members of the S.C. General Assembly to police themselves is a shamelessly corrupt arrangement that has … not surprisingly … led to shameless corruption.” Jean Toal is permitted to police herself, her judges and all lawyers in absolute secrecy. And the result is the same. Pure corruption.
What if the Mayans are proven to be correct? Then you whiners will not have to worry about this crap anymore.
I will see you on the far side.
Ha! Ha! Ha!
At least at a real dog and pony show you get to see them sniff each other’s butts, which can be mildly entertaining when you have your kids with you and have to explain it when they ask about it.
With the election behind them, all pressure for ethics reform is off the legislators. It’s another two years before any of them have to run again — an eternity in politics. Gov. Haley and Atty. Gen. Wilson went public with an ethics reform proposal, with their recommended legislation to be delivered to the legislature on Jan. 28th. Knowing she’ll claim any success from that for her own reelection in 2014, legislators will strangle even the best proposals. Corrupt Speaker Harrell, reelected by a landslide, will quietly help to squeeze any life out of ethics reform. I expect nothing more than a fig leaf to survive.
Bigfoot and lizard man are lurking behind every shadow
That is, Leatherman and Harrell.
Trial by Ordeal, I say.
Let some of We the People do the ethics committee and clean Columbia up once and for all.
Oh wait, we’d all be threatened or beat up or something.
As a continuing victim of specific agencies associated with Alcohol Legislation I have discovered the following. Legislators that oversite creation of laws obviously appoint those Judges they practice before. Those Judges are not a part of the unified judicial system overseen by the SC Supreme Court.The specific agency responsible to enforce Court Orders or agreements virtually does nothing to correct mistakes of Judges,Licensees or themselves. So you file a specific complaint, you will never know the results because it is A SECRETE.Let me know your problem; this may help fix the Ethics of our State. fixc2h5ohAgmail.com