TIPS, COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS FROM FITS READERS
“We should do this more often!”
Heard that before? Yeah … so have we. And we’ve heard it plenty from our readers as it relates to “The Wire,” our pseudo-regular (but mostly irregular) interactive catch-all format. As we move inexorably toward the launch of FITS 3.0, we are hoping to make “The Wire” a more regular format.
Why? Because it’s popular – and because people enjoy trying to guess who sends us the various tips, comments and questions we publish. It’s also the point of origin for all sorts of scoop, as tips that start on “The Wire” frequently find their way into mainstream media coverage. So bear with us … FITS 3.0 will be launched within the next two weeks (i.e. before Christmas), and we’ll be endeavoring to make this feature a permanent part of the new website (which we trust our readers are going to LOVE).
In the meantime …
Got a tip for us? Or a comment? Or a question? Submit it anonymously over on our tip line or our contact page … and remember, in addition to your tips we also publish letters to the editor and guest editorials (even anonymous ones) if you’ve got more to say on a subject.
Also feel free to reach out to our founding editor directly at w@fitsnews.com.
To the wire!
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DEMINT REPLACEMENT WATCH: BEST CHOICE?
Who does FITS think Nikki Haley should pick for Jim DeMint’s seat?
FITS: U.S. Rep. Mick Mulvaney. For reasons we will be relating in a post coming later today …
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DEMINT REPLACEMENT WATCH: MOST LIKELY CHOICE?
Who do you think Nikki Haley is going to pick to replace Jim DeMint?
FITS: At this point the two leading candidates are U.S. Rep. Tim Scott and former S.C. Attorney General Henry McMaster.
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DEMINT REPLACEMENT WATCH: FITS MISSED IT?
Fox News reporting that Nikki Haley has chosen McMaster. Surprised this is not on FITS.
FITS: That headline comes from Fox Nation – which excerpts content from other outlets. It is not an original Fox report. If you follow that link, you’ll see the post originated at Breitbart.com – and that the Breitbart post originated from a blog post that acknowledged the information as speculative. We’re not saying Haley might not eventually appoint McMaster – we’re just saying it didn’t happen last Friday.
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TIM SCOTT IS NO “CONSERVATIVE”
As you may know, our “conservative” Tim Scott is actually a big transportation spender and, along with Lindsey Graham, STRONGLY supports spending tax dollars on the I-73 boondoggle instead of maintaining our current system – all under the guise of so-called “economic development and jobs” (think Southern Connector in Greenville).
As it happens, the Heritage Foundation has done a lot of analysis on transportation infrastructure, and here is a link to some of their reports:
http://www.heritage.org/search?query=highway+infrastructure+and+spending
If Haley nominates Scott, she is not nominating another Jim DeMint.
FITS: Agreed.
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TIM SCOTT’S GIRLFRIEND
Is social conservative SC going to send a guy to the U.S. Senate whose main squeeze runs a “Naughty Bits” store?
FITS: You’re referring to Zee Patel, who owns “Bits of Lace” and several other Charleston, S.C. establishments. We’re not sure what the relationship status is between Patel and Scott, and frankly it’s none of our business. He’s single. She’s single. Let ’em mingle.
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YOU MISSED ONE!
In your otherwise excellent report on the race to replace Tim Scott (if Haley appoints him) you neglected to mention that Carroll A. Campbell III is considering a bid for the First U.S. Congressional District Seat. I know you don’t like Tumpy, but he is a legitimate candidate and failing to mention him makes you look petty.
FITS: Tumpy? A legitimate candidate? Really? This is all we’ve got to say about that …
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TOM RICE WATCH
A preview of what’s coming … Tom’s on the committee he needs to carry out the will of the folks he represents.
I also see the Rices attended the program for new Congressmen at Harvard.
I wonder if Tom went to the one Heritage gives? Or the FreedomWorks one?
FITS: “The Representative from Burroughs and Chapin has the floor …” Myrtle Beach Mafia lives!
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RE: EPISCOPAL SCHISM
This just in – a new video from Bishop Mark Lawrence.
In the video, Lawrence says “homosexuality is contrary to civilization” and is “a form of individual anarchy.”
Bishop Lawrence’s attitude is a good reason why so many are leaving the church.
FITS: As we’ve noted in our coverage of this ongoing feud, we think these decisions should be left to individual churches. Certainly government should have nothing to do with defining the institution of marriage.
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LEXINGTON CORRUPTION
Cynthia Frazier, wife of (Lexington, S.C. councilman Danny Frazier) has been hired by your good friend Beth Carrigg at the Lexington County Clerk of Court’s Office. Not even three months after Cayce fired her. Looks like the “Lexington Ring” is watching out for its own. I know FITS is sweet on Mrs. Carrigg but you really need to call her out on this.
FITS: We’re endeavoring to confirm that bit of information now. Obviously it would be profoundly stupid to hire this woman after she was recorded describing intimate details of her husband’s illegal activity – and doing so would reflect poorly on Carrigg.
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MORE LEXINGTON CORRUPTION?
I’ve heard that the phone system that the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department uses – the one that charges inmates something like $17.00 per minute – is owned by someone very close to Sheriff Jimmy Metts.
FITS: We haven’t heard that but can do some digging … feel free to send us anything you have on it, too.
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TO RECALL OR NOT TO RECALL
How do the voters in SC get a recall law passed–for all state and local officials?
FITS: It would take a constitutional amendment – which means two thirds of both chambers would have to approve it. Last session neither chamber came close to passing it. That’s too bad. We support recall …
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STOP SAYING “THAT”
Please, folks, make an effort to cease using the owrd “THAT” in your reports. It’s unbecoming of you! Please?
Thanks for reading this.
Sincerely,
Charley Finkbeiner
Summerville, S.C.
FITS: We are the Knights who until recently said “Ni.” And apparently “that.”
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“OBAMA THE NEGRO” POEM
Hey, FitsNews.com: Here is a tip that you might want to write a story about. A story came out by CBS 5 of San Francisco Bay Area about my poem about President Obama called OF OUR NEGRO SAVIOUR that I read at San Francisco State University.
The only mistake it made was saying I was a college student at San Francisco State University. I am not. I would love it if you would consider writing a story about this poem.The poem is also on Youtube. But I can also send you the written version of the poem. That one is prettier than the Youtube version because it has the correct indentations. And please read that one instead of the one in the article because the article one did not come out with correct indentations.
I am 47 years old. I live in San Francisco. And I am a painter and a poet. I tied to write a poem that explained why people love and hate Obama. And it is a serious poem. And feel free to critique it. I believe this poem is worthy of a story written by you. Please allow me to send you the poem. And then maybe you will see how it is worthy of a story. The first two stanzas praise him, the third stanza is very critical of his belief in big government, and the fourth stanza warns against looking for secular messiahs to save us and also it warns against giving our leaders too much power.
LOOK AT THE THIRD STANZA MOST. AND IF YOU CHOOSE TO READ THE POEM, READ THE YOUTUBE VERSION. THE VERSION IN THE ARTICLE DID NOT COME OUT RIGHT.
Sincerely,
Peter Reynosa peterreynosa10@gmail.com
FITS: Ummmmmmm … hmmmmm.
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY to S.C. Rep. Nathan “Head” Ballentine. Looks like somebody got a head start on the festivities by rolling his house this weekend. Take a look …
FITS: Ha! Funny. That reminds us … want on our birthday calendar? Just email us and we’ll get you added …
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SOUTH CAROLINA FAST FACT: The late Nickolas Ashford (of Ashford and Simpson fame) was born in Fairfield, S.C. The singer-songwriter and his wife Valerie Simpson are best known for their songs “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing.”
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14 comments
Two things:
Is Ballentine’s nickname “head” because he has an unusually large cranium or because that what he was getting under his table when sharing space with Mrs. Haley?
Second, good for Tim Scott for scoring a fairly hot #. I wonder if it’s true or spin/damage control after the last round of comments about his sexuality.
I haven’t heard that one. What, is he another Lindsey Graham?
That was the suggestion in the comment section of the last write up on him….
Apparently he was a virgin almost as long as “AC Green” as one commenter put it…lol…and I guess he used to talk about being so quite a bit into his 30’s.
I’m not judging the man on that basis…I just think that if he really is a closet homosexual that it’s sad and he should come out. If he’s willing to lie about that, what wouldn’t he lie about?
At the same time it would really be none of our business if he wasn’t a public official. I suppose I could let a “my sexuality isn’t your business” comment at least go. I’m more concerned about his potential for duplicity stemming from a desire for power, libido dominandi.(in other words, GOPers probably wouldn’t re-elect him so he might lie)
The reality is that 95% of pols probably fail that test anyway…but it needs to be pointed out.
Zee Patel is one hot woman, in my opinion. Not just a fairly hot one.
Heard Ballentine got the nickname “Head” from Marky Mark.
Nikki just thought it meant he wanted head and obliged when they were desk mates. All that noise coming from her office was them working on more than that legislation that got everyone kicked off the ballot. Right E!
Nathan’s house is the one next door. Good try though.
Nope. That is Head’s house. I’m sure he’s all appreciative for your attempt at cover, you and the other three people that call him your friend.
Pretty sure they toilet papered Head Ballentine’s house because he is a useless piece of shit!
In addition to his backing of I-73, a problem I see with Scott is having Walter Whetsel in his employ. Put these two facts together and they tell you he is without principle, and that as a Senator he would be – along with Tom Rice on the House side – a vote for the strictly crony capitalist interests of the “Myrtle Beach Mafia”. He’s not from this district, you say? No he’s not. But in the Senate, that doesn’t matter. With Soott, more money wasted on I-73 and more use of eminent domain to steal the property of American citizens to make it happen will be much more likely to come about.
Meant to say he is not from the geographical region of the 7th.
Why not Darla Moore for Senator. If anyone could put a face on high taxes and fiscal cliff’s, she could.
“If Haley nominates Scott, she is not nominating another Jim DeMint.”
All politicians hand out or support government money give-aways.
I know FITS worships Sen DeMint…..but what is the excuse for refusing to acknowledge Sen DeMint has helped ensure over $1 Billion in New Market Tax Credits (a.k.a., stimulus money)has gone to Greenville/Spartanburg in the last 10 years.
The New Markets Tax Credit Program (NMTC Program) was established by Congress in 2000 to spur new or increased investments into operating businesses and real estate projects located in low-income communities. Nearly the entire amount of stimulus money intended for South Carolina’s rural areas has been spent in Greenville/Spartanburg.
http://www.journalwatchdog.com/business/1033-where-tax-credit-is-due
Sen DeMint has given the grand opening remarks at several of these renovated and newly built areas.
The hypocrisy stinks to high heaven………and FITS the lapdog is willing to expose every one else in SC who has used NMTCs except Sen DeMint.
He is NOT the conservative he makes himself out to be….
Why isn’t Fitsnews not mentioning Mark Sanford as possible candidate for Senator and Jenny to replace Tim’s position. They been on all the news over the weekend. This blog seems to avoid mentioning them.
“FITS: U.S. Rep. Mick Mulvaney. For reasons we will be relating in a post coming later today.”
How can you countenance Mulvaney when you curse the so-called Lexington County Mafia.
He took Lancaster County to the cleaners, failed to pay his bills, defrauded their county council.
Do the words St. Katherine’s and Edenmoor ring a bell.
In addition, does he even LIVE in South Carolina?
Of course, he would be an excellent replacement for DeMented. Simply exchange one criminal with another.