S.C. Sen. Robert Ford (D-Charleston) has been accused of taking thousands of dollars in campaign funds and depositing the money into his personal bank account – which would constitute illegal “co-mingling.”
How much money? Perhaps as much as $20,000 over the last few years.
According to documents unearthed by the S.C. Senate Ethics Committee – which is holding a hearing into Ford’s alleged campaign irregularities – the veteran Democratic lawmaker has written checks ranging from $50 to $1,000 to himself from his campaign account without providing any rationale for the payments. Ford is also accused of using campaign funds to pay for personal expenditures – like his gym membership.
It gets worse, though … one of the improper personal expenditures was allegedly for porn.
Earlier this month, Senate staffers accused Ford of illegally falsifying his campaign finance records as part of a deliberate effort to deceive investigators and evade accountability for his actions. If true, that could be a much more serious charge …
Other violations alleged to have been committed by Ford include failing to report contributions, failing to report loans and misrepresenting the amount of certain expenditures.
Shoddy bookkeeping on the part of elected officials is nothing new in South Carolina. In 2010, former S.C. Sen. Jakie Knotts (RINO-Lexington) received a “reprimand” from the same Senate committee after he was found guilty of a similar array of abuses – including improper “co-mingling.” In addition to the reprimand, Knotts was ordered to return the excess contributions, submit revised campaign finance reports and generally do a better job keeping track of his campaign funds in the future.
Ethics advocates were irate …
Will Ford receive a similar slap on the wrist? Or will the Obama-loving “Republicans” who run this committee drop the hammer on him?
We’ll see … either way, lawmakers policing themselves is no way to ensure accountability, even in those instances in which the system “works.” Ford should be investigated by an independent agency empowered with the ability to impose sweeping punishments – including removal from office.
Only then can our corrupt-as-hell state begin the process of restoring faith in our cesspool of a government …
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39 comments
With a GOP Senate and House, there may be some justice for all the corruption. but as we see w/ Obama the media does not care to prosecute you, if you are in a protected class of the liberals…
Ethics violations are common practice in SC. From the Gov to the Gen. Ass. they use the money for as personal income.
I know personally of a situation where two members personally benefitted from State funds they were responsible for obtaining. I filed a complaint and it was swept under the rug “they did nothing wrong”, I was told.
You use state money to inhance the value of property and within a couple of months the land transfers to the legislator, for a song…nothing wrong? I disagree!!
Been there done that, more than a couple of times. But take this advice: Next time you file complaints, send copies with the evidence to every tv station in the entire state.
And to this site…
Ethics violations are common practice in SC. From the Gov to the Gen. Ass. they use the money for as personal income.
I know personally of a situation where two members personally benefitted from State funds they were responsible for obtaining. I filed a complaint and it was swept under the rug “they did nothing wrong”, I was told.
You use state money to inhance the value of property and within a couple of months the land transfers to the legislator, for a song…nothing wrong? I disagree!!
Been there done that, more than a couple of times. But take this advice: Next time you file complaints, send copies with the evidence to every tv station in the entire state.
And to this site…
Ford has been there long enough to have plenty of dirt on the others, he will get a wrist slap. His constiuents will re-elect him, as they always have. Nothing to see here, move along.
I would be surprised if more than a handful of his fine “constituents” could actually name him if axed who their senator was.
Oh no, you di-unt!
Agree. Having seen how things work on the other side of the iron curtain, he will. But … it can all be headed off, if one wants too. Of course, several of the other corrupt pos will go down with him. And they need to.
The man is a felon who trades favors with other felons yet to be brought to justice. They all have dirt on each other. They use it to trade favors. It works the same way between lawyers and judges.
Ford has been there long enough to have plenty of dirt on the others, he will get a wrist slap. His constiuents will re-elect him, as they always have. Nothing to see here, move along.
I would be surprised if more than a handful of his fine “constituents” could actually name him if axed who their senator was.
Oh no, you di-unt!
Agree. Having seen how things work on the other side of the iron curtain, he will. But … it can all be headed off, if one wants too. Of course, several of the other corrupt pos will go down with him. And they need to.
The man is a felon who trades favors with other felons yet to be brought to justice. They all have dirt on each other. They use it to trade favors. It works the same way between lawyers and judges.
I really am not a prejudice person, but he does look like a gorilla.
I’ve always thought he looks like a younger version of Steve Benjamin. Maybe it’s the perpetual look of confusion on his fat face.
I really am not a prejudice person, but he does look like a gorilla.
I’ve always thought he looks like a younger version of Steve Benjamin. Maybe it’s the perpetual look of confusion on his fat face.
The POS better be sent to prison this time around. People all across the state of SC have had it will all of theses corrupt tyrants in office.
The POS better be sent to prison this time around. People all across the state of SC have had it will all of theses corrupt tyrants in office.
Today is officially —
MY BUCKET’S GOT A HOLE IN IT DAY
Today is officially —
MY BUCKET’S GOT A HOLE IN IT DAY
And the idiots in his district will overwhelmingly re-elect him again.
And the idiots in his district will overwhelmingly re-elect him again.
Hell, give the cockroach a pass
He doesn’t know the difference between co-mingling and copulation
Hell, give the cockroach a pass
He doesn’t know the difference between co-mingling and copulation
Shoddy bookkeeping my ass. Unfortunately, as others have said, the “ethics” committee is a joke. I’ll be shocked if anything of consequence happens to this cheat.
Shoddy bookkeeping my ass. Unfortunately, as others have said, the “ethics” committee is a joke. I’ll be shocked if anything of consequence happens to this cheat. The committee members will grandstand for political points for a while, and then he’ll get a slap on the wrist.
What’s up with his lapel pin?
Sho don’ look like a ‘Murcan flag pin to me……
Somebody should educate him to the fact that he is in SC and the USA – not some phony, made up, fairytale, bedtime storyland. But I guess that he needs something to stroke his ego so that he feels like he’s “somebody”.
What’s up with his lapel pin?
Sho don’ look like a ‘Murcan flag pin to me……
Somebody should educate him to the fact that he is in SC and the USA – not some phony, made up, fairytale, bedtime storyland. But I guess that he needs something to stroke his ego so that he feels like he’s “somebody”.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/commingle
seriously, why the misspelling?
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/commingle
seriously, why the misspelling?
His expression is that of a possum in the road when he realizes that he ain’t gonna escape from that oncoming car….
His expression is that of a possum in the road when he realizes that he ain’t gonna escape from that oncoming car….