COLUMBIA, S.C. CAN’T GET IT TOGETHER …
Our founding editor will be departing the unmitigated clusterf*ck that is Columbia, S.C. very soon … taking his family and his burgeoning new media empire (a.k.a. his laptop) with him.
Sic Willie apparently has had enough of the corruption, incompetence and business-unfriendliness of “Mayorhood” Steve Benjamin‘s regime – which has tens of millions of dollars to spend on baseball stadiums (and failed speculative economic development deals) yet raises fees on residents when it’s time to make long-overdue water and sewer repairs.
As city councilman Daniel Rickenmann recently said, he’s not sure “which is more full of it: our sanitation system or our politicians.”
We concur …
Nowhere is the City of Columbia’s amateur hour “leadership” more painfully on display than in its chronic mismanagement of perhaps the most important function of government: Law enforcement.
Surprised? Don’t be. “Mayorhood” took office under a cloud of police corruption … one that’s only gotten thicker (and more expensive for taxpayers) in the intervening years.
Now Columbia – home to rampant lawlessness – is searching for a new police chief. Unfortunately that process isn’t likely to result in a credible selection – or a safer city.
Earlier this week Tony Fisher – former director of the Spartanburg Department of Public Safety – withdrew his name from consideration for the position, telling The (Columbia, S.C.) State newspaper there was “no consistency in leadership and expectations.”
Sources familiar with the search process – now down to three candidates – echo that concern. They tell FITS stories of secret insider alliances, outdated provincialism and plunging morale among officers.
One source who has been following the dram says the city’s recent chiefs have made “incredible mistakes in judgment, ethics and management.”
Really? That’s putting it nicely (see HERE and HERE).
“I can only imagine the officers’ morale,” our source said.
Indeed – in fact one veteran city police officer confirmed as much to us.
“We have no leadership. None,” the officer said. “We have rats selling secrets to city leaders for advancement (not) officers solving crimes.”
Wow. It wasn’t always that way, though …
“When Charlie Austin was city manager, say what you want, but he understood the police department,” one source told us, adding “this isn’t a difficult situation for someone who knows what they’re doing.”
Austin may now be a part of the problem, though, as multiple sources have spoken to FITS regarding his close personal association with current Columbia, S.C. city manager Teresa Wilson – who is running the search for the new police chief.
According to these sources, Austin is leveraging his “extremely close” relationship with Wilson to regain influence over city affairs. If that’s true, he’s certainly not steering Wilson in the right direction on the public safety front.
The three finalists for the position are Huntington, West Virginia police chief William “Skip” Holbrook, former Richmond, Virginia chief Bryan Norwood and Peterson (Colorado) Air Force Base security chief Gregory Reese – none of whom are impressing those with knowledge of the department’s needs.
“The only person with police chief experience in a similar situation is Norwood,” one of our sources noted. “And he left under a cloud.”
Indeed. Norwood resigned after it was revealed he helped forge community service documents for rapper Chris Brown – a story which attracted national attention.
“We have a history of not hiring the right people because the right people aren’t being attracted,” one source told us.
A group of local businessmen led by Don Tomlin offered to pay for an executive search firm to assist the city in finding qualified candidates – but Wilson rejected the offer.
Why? Because she wants a police chief she can control …
“They want to run the department,” our source said. “Knowledge is power – and they want the knowledge. They also want to put their people in leadership positions – people who are loyal to them, not the new police chief.”
What kind of qualified candidate is going to come into an environment like that?
Good question …
Of course, it’s a perfect environment in which to put a flawed candidate like Norwood.
“Why bring in someone who has a troubled past – who has this political baggage – unless you just want control,” our source said.
Exactly …
This website loves to rail against government – but one of the things government absolutely should do is protect people’s lives, liberties and property. That’s a “core function” – one that must be performed with maximum competence, efficiency, integrity and transparency.
Unfortunately, until Columbia’s leaders start looking out for the citizens who elected them – as opposed to their own power bases – the city will never come close to reaching that ideal.
106 comments
“taking his family and his burgeoning new media empire (a.k.a. his laptop) with him.”
Funny!
It won’t matter much over time who the police chief is. Poor city leadership will drain the city of its productive people over time. The only thing keeping it going is the fact it’s the capital and gets taxpayer dollars.
Anyone notice sign in and around 5 points about a “media blackout”? I didn’t bother reading them, what’s that about?
What’s keeping this city going is the tax incomes from small and mid-sized businesses who don’t receive healthy tax breaks, which makes up for the fact that only half the city’s land area actually PAYS TAXES. The business community, especially small, has long highlighted the incompetent leadership of this city. This is nothing new. The sooner the city begins listening to the small business owners and patrons, the better. Lowering taxes and removing shady land deals from their portfolio would be a start.
Sherman had the right idea…
But poor implementation.
Yeah, he left some shit standing and unburned… and a whole shitload of people still alive.
There is a lot of Columbia hate on this site — often by people who live “on the other side of the river” or who attended the school of animal husbandry in the upstate. Columbia is generally a nice place (some very notable exceptions, of course), but unfortunately it’s being led by corrupt people.
Lived several years in Columbia. I am neither Lexington trailer trash nor a tater. I hated Columbia while I was living there and couldn’t wait to get out.
We all have different preferences, I suppose.
The reason we “live on the other side of the river” is because many of us wised up while we lived on “that side of the river”. The only thing left over on “that side” are the corrupt and the fools.
That school of animal husbandry is much harder to get into than your precious uSC.
Tony Fisher is a prince. He is much loved by all corners of the political spectrum. For him to reject Columbia is not just a statement, but a clear indictment. Ouch.
I thought the same thing reading the State article. Since he retired, violence in Spartanburg appears to have skyrocketed.
Their crime index is 1%, pretty abysmal.
You can never have too much of a good thing.
LMAO…FITS used to slobber all over Benjamin, talkin’ bout how he “Likes” him…
FITS: I’ll be waiting for you to admit I was right all along..
The problem with the FITS aisle-crossers, and “I Vote for The Man” herds is that you are too naïve…A camel is always gone have humps, or he ain’t a camel. Democrats gonna vote on race, hate and hand-outs..But liberals and honesty…never the twain shall meet…
Learn that and you are 75% ahead of the rest…but write it, and 90% of your @$$-kissers will bail…
Hey shit for brains, what does Trey Gowdy have to do with the cesspool that is Columbia? Do you even read the articles before you comment?
Looks like you’re a mind-empty little robot, who does exactly what they tell you to do…and you think you can tell er’body else to be a Dumb@$$, like you…
You’re a textbook liberal, and Obama voter…
I admit I’m a liberal loving, Obama Voting, Blame the Tea Baggers for all our problems. And I’m Happy!
They have no idea how hard it is to be a generous, loving, patriotic Christian American today.. what with the Republicans changing the definitions of all of those words in the media.
It’s his name “Trey Gowdy”. Woosie.
Trey Gowdy?? Isn’t he one of those guys who attempted to use their power to inflict suffering on their fellow Americans by cutting off aid for Hurricane Sandy victims. What a piece of S$#^.
is it only perception, or are we in a dangerous confluence of circumstances, where we have 3 levels of government – city, county and state – that are a little more corrupt and a little less competent than is usual? it seems like we have nobody on our side. the leadership of the city police, the county police and SLED, all at the same time are white collar gangsters. and the self-dealing miscreants hold majorities on city and county council and in the statehouse. what the fuck?
You are a TOTAL F*#king Dumb@$$…IDIOTS like you are the BIG F*#king problem..
Liberals are Corrupt..on top of that, they are @$$-Backward and perpetuate ignorance and stupidity…And it’s magnified, because the media runs cover for them, so they NEVER have to properly answer…
So Quit trying to pull everybody else down to your level of incompetence and failure…
Statewide, and counties w/ more Conservative leaders, (at least before Obama wrecked the national economy) were doing better than this state has ever done. Even in a HORRIBLE Obam-economy, the more to the right, the better the chances to weather this Obama Depression that began in late 2008…
But as long as lying Ass-hats like you can fool a certain number of equally-stupid people…the corrupt will get a fair shot at F*#king up their communities…
We need to jettison dolts like you, as much as wee need to run every F*$king democrat away from our public offices and government…
Please explain the Lexington Crime Ring then? Lexington is one of the most conservative counties in the state.
I have not seen ONE charge made in Lexington regarding that.
Looks like you’d have to have a warrant, an arrest or an indictment, or SOMETHING to have a CRIME RING..or are you that F*#king STUPID…???
And even if someone in Lexington committed a crime…that has nothing to do w/ it being Conservative or not…
Knock Knock
Who’s there
Randy Halfwit
What the fuck do you want
I want back in
GT, just in case you missed the event the voters turned Halfwit into a Fullwit and he was not re-elected as Mayor – bottom line there has been change in Lexington
And that has WHAT to do with what I said???
De-boggle-deeeee-bap-bam-boo!
Looks like I whipped e.w.’s @$$ so bad he’s done changed user names. Are you going to claim Obama as God, too…like e.w. did???…LMAO…Hahahaha…
If Obama is “god” does that make you Satan?
Of Course…It certainly does make me the devil to immoral and soulless pieces of $#!*…like you…
That is my Whole point. You people see good, hard-working, Giving and Building Americans as Satan…
Your fervor is of a Crusade Religious nature…the Heretics to you are Christians and Patriots…You follow your filthy god w/ blind allegiance…lying, or ignoring his failure…
Your reward comes from placing your deity on his throne, so he can impose your “theocracy” on the people you hate for not being baptized by the fire of liberalism…
Glad you asked…
Just curious, Will. When you go off into your GrandTango persona are you simultaneously masturbating? Can you type with one hand?
Maybe it’s not what we think – maybe Will has a tumor or something.. an absorbed twin, maybe… that takes over without his knowledge.
Sounds like a political exorcism might be just what the witch doctor ordered…
In a libertarian world, we could simply apply for the civilian equivalent of eminent domain, pay the fee, and do whatever medical experiments on him we want.
Good theory …but “T”‘s liberal use of the “Shift” key probably rules it out…
Unless Will is using that mechanical chair thingie…..
*Church Lady Voice*
“If Obama is ‘god’ does that make you….oh, I don’t know…who could it beeeee?…….could it be… SATAN?”
The devil is in the details, Smirks.
There hasn’t been an indictment against the Richland/Cola politicians either. So by your logic, they are clean too.
The REAL problem in BOTH situations is there is NO COMPETITION for votes. A lack of competition (staright party voting) leads to power concentration which leads to corruption.
We know EXACTLY what the Richland Co. politicos did in the 2012 election…But they are black and democrat…which means almost UNTOUCHABLE in modern-day politics…Not to mention they did FIRE one of the idiots…And then hired another like the last one…
it’s still a mess, likely even worse…
In addition to that, Columbia and Rich-Co is a Cluster-F*#k…that is not the case in Lexington…
You people have NO excuse, except to try to soil someone else, as if it exonerates you…but democrats are FILTHY and Failed..over and over…w/ no doubt about it…you have no success…
You just NEVER admit what you are…and what you do…no matter how obvious….
The Republicans are protecting their fellow Republicans in Lexington.
Ditto Horry County.
BTW, nothing happened in Rich. Co. in 2012 that didn’t happen in Ohio in 2004 (only Rove and the GOP did the dirty deed). BOTH situations were inexcusable.
Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Where there is no competition, there is no alternative to keep government accountable and in check.
Get this straight, idiot…Liberals are Absolutely Corrupt…You’re Full of $#!* You have No proof that anyone is being protected. You’re a tin-foil Dumb@$$, who so badly wants to indict those you cannot defeat that you invent a crime and a criminal..
Liberals have these imaginary Boogey men, you construct, in order to make excuses for the Pure Unmitigated Corrupt piece of $#!* you are…
There was no corruption in OH in 04…unless it was the democrats. Nor was anything done wrong in Fla. in 00 except the repeated counts that kept gaining votes for the idiot-Gore…
It’s real simple…you are Filthy as a liberal…and you get away w/ it because the media defends you and/or covers for you…
Republicans are held accountable…and if caught, they are punished. And many times they are punished for accusations…it’s why you create so much Bull-S#!* against them…and the media runs w/ it…
Republicans are held accountable…and if caught, they are punished.
Yea, like Sanford, no I mean Larry Craig, no I mean Mark Foley, no I mean David Vitter, no I mean….. Well at least Republicans have Jerry Sandusky. He was a Republican and look what happened to him.
well, they never actually caught Sandusky.
What does this have to do with the City of Columbia and it’s on going corruption issues? The corruption and revolving door at CPD has been going on for over eight years, more like 22 or 23 years at that department. It started with Charles Austin. When all of this started none of us had even heard of Obama. Even though T-bone was Obama’s campaign manager in South Carolina, I seriously doubt that had anything to do with any of the corruption which again predates T-Bone.
Hear! Hear!
It would appear the only business being brought in is out of state real estate deals. One has to wonder how many more USC students need housing. City council is a cluster fuck with constant back stabbing. The Runyon character has brought a new level of being a butt boy, this clown is funny beyond believe. Can’t wait to hear new material when his boss gets back.
Ahh..Columbia..a Capital place to be!
(better you folks than me)
Hell I’ve been in the Midlands for just over 20 years and Columbia has been a cluster-fuck the entire time I’ve lived here. Only under T-Bone has it gotten worse, Mayor Bob was nothing more than a rubber stamp who approved everything that crossed his desk.
I have been here for over 40 years and the place only gets worse. The only thing that most Columbians are concerned with is SC sports while theyhave neglected what really matters. They have let the city go to the dogs and it is only going to get worse. Get your heads out of your asses and take this place back before it is too late.
C-O-L-U-M-B-I-A = D-E-T-R-O-I-T
T-E-R-E-S-A W-I-L-S-O-N = C-O-N-T-R-O-L B-I-T-C-H
Everything King Benjamin touches turns to shit.
Obama’s a democrat that who was elected mostly because of his race..and he’s been a TOTAL disaster…
What is Benjamin?
Oh, holy shit, GT! He’s a-aaa–ba-black!
Community organization. Ain’t it grand?
I don’t understand the problem here
If Neon Leon was a viable option to manage both RCSO and CPD, then why not let Princess Teresa manage both the City Manager’s Office and the CPD. Surely a modern day liberated woman is as equal to any man wearing tightee- whitees
Princess already has a blacked out Cadillac Escalade equipped with police/fire radios and lights. Surely in her current role as default Police Chief and Supreme Hinneyness of all CockerRoaches in Columbia she is packing heat other than the one God gave her which I am to understand requires anyone bold enough to go there better wrap that rascal in asbestos or forever be charred.
Yep – put Princess in charge of both – Columbia deserves no less
If that doesn’t work, we could look at explosives.
Wilson couldn’t pass the bar exam so after several years playing law clerk she became an English teacher then was hired by the city to write and administer grants, this became an assistant city manager position somehow and then when Gantt retired she was conveniently move in to his position. Her qualifications don’t seem to warrant her being the assistant-night manager at the Qwiki Mart much less managing a city of 130,000 citizens and over 1200 employees.
Sometimes what you know or what you can do isn’t as important as who you fuck.
Well most of that was pre T-Bone. It’s possible she could have been one Charles Austin’s “girl friends” rumors were he had several in city government and CPD.
Charlie was the MacDaddy of CPD.
Do you Stupid F*#ks EVER get tired of trying to sully a man because he KICKED the F*#k out of you???
Didn’t you run Tom Tunipseed one time. If that is your A Team…accept your @$$ kicking to a better man, and STFU…You deserve to lose out of Ignorance and incompetence…
Quit putting the absolute bottom of the barrel up, like you did w/ Alvin Greene, Sheheen, Alex Sanders or Tom Moore…
Your line-up Sucks as bad as you do…You’re a F*#kin Joke…
Obama is your god…that should tell you something…
What the hell are you talking about? I was speaking of Teresa Wilson, City Manager and reformed English Teacher of the City of Columbia.
You seriously need to get back on your meds, or go back under your rock. How on gods green earth to you muster up a enough intelligence to operate a computer. Reading comprehension is key to healthy debate.
I assure you Obama is not my god, he is the worst president in modern times. However he is not the root of every problem in the USA, or in South Carolina. Common sense, is obviously not very common at the Tango house.
Ooops sorry…I withdraw my statement…
at the Tango house
——-
My mind reels.
Imposter? is someone imping you, Damned Tango? Which one is the real Damned Tango – Will’s puppet or the anonymous puppet?
Russians massing on THEE Ukraine’s border? Boeing 777s impersonating Keyser Soze? Multiple incarnations of BigT/GrandTango posting on FITSNEWS?
TBG IS OUTA HERE!!!
*Starts surfing “prepper” and Hal Lindsey websites ..*
Hal Lindsey was probably only off by a century or two…
You and Obama are FAR more interventionist than I’d ever be.
Your kook-job war on the fictitious Global Warming is far more alarmist than me…
I just protest Obama’s incompetence, and your penchant to suck him off, no matter the issue.
In blatant disregard of his own Rule # 3, TBG points out :
TBG is “interventionist” like Ron Paul.
TBG believes “Manmade Global Warming/Climate Change is a leftist scam.
TBG notes that some of the time you indicate that Obama is a diabolical Marxist intent on destroying America and other times you accuse him of being a bumbling incompetent. Choose one. TBG has no “penchant to suck Obama [or anyone off
To disparage me, and seek cheers from the left, is to side w/ Obama…and democrats…
Liberals have a strategy of using others to attack Obama’s opponents. They also will use issues, that don’t matter, to seemingly agree w/ the weaker-minded, to incorporate support.
Their end, as you see w/ FITS is against Republicans, to elect democrats.
TBG believes “Manmade Global Warming/Climate Change” is a leftist scam.
——
Most of reality is a leftist scam if you want to know the real truth about the subject.
SUCK him off!! SUCK, SUCK, SUCK, SUCK him OFFF!!!! WHOOOOOOOO! I LOVE the cock!!! Dumb@$$, MOVE back, I CAN’T SEE the HOT gay sex!! Where’s the goddamn jelly???
Fixed it for you…
BigT/GrandTango taking a Rorshach Test :
What do you see here?
Some guy sucking dick.
What do you see here?
Some guy sucking dick.
What do you see here?
Some guy sucking dick.
What do you see here?
Some guy sucking dick.
What do you see here?
Some guy sucking dick.
What do you see here?
Some guy sucking dick.
etc.
We should get one of the mashup guys to do a Grand Tango Suck Off Rap Tape.
Go check with the zoo, all the monkeys are gone, must be down at city hall.
Glad Rusty Depass could join the convo…
Glad the racists got their two cents in. Why hasn’t Jay Ellington voted this up yet.
Go check with the zoo, all the monkeys are gone, must be down at city hall.
“Go check with the circus, all the clowns are gone, must be down at city hall.”
Are we all better, now?
That’s racist. In today’s world, EVERYTHING is racist.
I wonder how many benjamins it would take for Benij to put his big Benjamins in my “coin slot?”
You’re really itching today, aren’t you?
Sounds like Will is ready to come out of the closet.
I wish TiG was here to see this.
I’m going to ask a question that will probably get bumped. Are there any white guys left in Columbia? Reading all this I am thankful I am in Lexington.
What’s a white guy?
In Columbia political circles, it’s pansy losers like Bob Coble, James Smith and Joel Lourie that are whoring themselves to the Darryl Jacksons and his posse of thugs who are getting away with anything they want. Jean Toal is the imperial leader of them all, oddly enough.
Any time you want to tell me something specific, you know where I am.
That’s funny. I was telling James Smith something very specific about Jean Toal’s corruption with hard documentation and he was almost like a child in getting me to stop talking. I fully expected him to slam his hands over his eyes and he would start chanting, “Lalalalalalala,” so he wouldn’t have to know it. Since you arrived with the discussions about Jean Toal and her stealing the election from Costa Pleicones, I am absorbing the feeling you, euwe max, are much like that.
That’s funny
——
I was thinking the same thing.
Tell me the latest something very specific – I’m all ears. Let me be your one stop shop for hard documentation for all things Toal. I’ll host it in any thread you desire. If that’s not enough you can post it in my own political forum as well.
Yup, me and most of my neighbors. Any black people where you live in your isolated enclave?
If Sherman came by Columbia today, he’d look, shake his head and keep truckin’
I see Teresa has her selected candidate for Chief of Police in town today, of the three candidates one is black and is as corrupt as those here before him. Gotta keep Columbia chocolate. Columbia is as corrupt and as big of a joke as New Orleans.
I actually think Bryan Norwood is the ONLY person in the running that’s truly qualified. He ran a large police department, in a larger city and managed to come in with a better crime index (8%) than Columbia (4%). That tabloid nonsense about Chris Brown, where on Gods green American earth does the Chief of Police of a large city sign off on community service? I’ll take him over WV guy or MP dude.
Didn’t that “tabloid nonsense” get him fired?
I did some research into the entire turn of events. Norwood was in the top 3 running for Raleigh NC chief positron, the mayor of Richmond was pissed that he might leaving. The Chris Brown thing was stirred into a scandal so Norwood could be ousted and replaced by the assistant. A large number of residents came out in support of Norwood, pleading with city administrators to keep him as chief. Apparently he was effective in the positron and well respected by the community.
So what you’re saying is the whole Chris Brown thing was made up? You’d think he’d file suit for wrongful termination if he had a case.
Not to mention the skating rink ran a $100k deficit this year, attendance down 50%. Still a success in the city admin’s eye though, due to ALL the economic impact it has, which of course is a crock.
How interesting that Charlie Austin may still have his finger in the city’s (hair?) pie! He was quite a character while a city official. HIs hubris and narcissism were off the chart, as was his ability at bilking the city out of incredible benefits and funds for himself. That he is not behind bars is one more indictment of the legal and law enforcement communities of this state. If Charlie is still involved in this, it would explain a lot.
FWIW, the city would do well to find Tandy Carter and approach him on bended knee and beg his forgiveness and return to his old job, with apologies for their past mistakes in dealing with him. He was the only good “permanent” Chief they have had in many, many, decades.
Getting rid of Thug Santiago could only be a plus. Rumors have it that he is going to enter the world of private security. I am curious as to whether this might be true and if so, what company has standards so low that they would hire him.
Another good consideration for Chief is right under their noses, but they seem blind to the in-house talent they have in Melron Kelly. I have heard nothing but good about that guy and have had the pleasure of meeting him once or twice. He comes across as exceptionally bright, intelligent, and competent. Instead of making him a brief “interim” Chief, they would do well to consider making him their permanent front man. Unlike the trash that Leon imported into the department which has done nothing but destroy, loot, pillage, and burn, Kelly would probably be a huge morale boost to the long-suffering employees at CPD as he is truly, “one of them”, and a nice guy, to boot.
I have known “Kelly” for probably 18-20 years. When he was working the McDuffie Street area, he did a GREAT job of getting to know the kids, getting to know their mothers and being a role model. Kelly got to know the landlords and the tenants. He was honest and fair. They need to find a place for him in the highest echelons at the CPD.
My girl friend’s sister’s boyfriend has been working private security work ever since his expungement order got found at the Richland County Courthouse. It was signed three years ago, but the Clerk’s office said there were some glitches in the computer. Whatever, He makes $8.50 an hour and is happy with that. He gets to carry a great piece, too, by the way. Oh, yeah. He and his posse are looking forward to Santiago coming to work with them.
Just a hunch, but he did a stint a Blackwater over in the sandbox between RCSD and CPD, so if I had to guess I’d assume that’s where he’ll be going back to. I’m sure he can get those toy soldiers to believe his Airborne Ranger stories.
Too tall to fall.
That hot babe right there is part of the corruption? But-but-but-but-but …. She’s a hot babe. MMMMMMMMMM ….
Um.
Sic, am I in a shitload of trouble now if her main squeeze is chosen for police chief and I’m visiting up there in that hotbed of corruption?
Coz I can delete that shit, no problem.
The ballpark for the city will be a loser. Everyone knows it but the city council spending “others” money. Mayor Steve is wrong person for this city
The voting majority in Columbia doesn’t care if he or anyone else is wrong. They just do what they do and vote in the worst choice, one right after another one.