“ABUSE OF OFFICE” ALLEGED
Supporters of embattled S.C. Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell (RINO-Charleston) are accusing Attorney General Alan Wilson of prosecutorial misconduct … except this time their beef has nothing to do with Wilson’s ongoing grand jury investigation of Harrell.
According to multiple Harrell supporters who spoke with FITS on condition of anonymity, the Speaker is blasting Wilson for “abuse of office” in connection with his recent lawsuit against the federal government over the Savannah River Site.
Wilson is suing the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) in an effort to force it to continue funding the mixed-oxide fuel (MOX) facility in Aiken County, S.C.
This boondoggle – which was supposed to have been completed seven years ago at a cost of $1.6 billion – now has a price tag of more than $10 billion (and no guarantee it will ever be completed).
Anyway, according to Harrell’s people Wilson’s lawsuit is “frivolous” and has no standing because “there is no actionable agreement” between the state and the federal government over the facility.
“He can throw constitutional references up against the wall all day long but he’s got no case,” one prominent lawyer-legislator told FITS.
Another lawyer-legislator – and Harrell supporter – took it a step further.
“Forty-nine other Attorney Generals in America and not one of them would bring this action,” the lawmaker told us. “That’s because there is no action to bring. This is a son who is abusing his office because some jobs in daddy’s district are on the chopping block.”
Um … its Attorneys General … but that’s an interesting point. Wilson’s father – U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson – represents Aiken County, where the Savannah River Site is located.
Wilson – along with S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham and numerous other politicians of both parties – is trying to pull every possible rabbit out of every possible hat in an effort to keep funding flowing to the facility, which employs 1,800 South Carolina workers.
(You know, those workers Haley loves to, um, brag about …)
What do we think of their efforts?
Click HERE …
19 comments
That’s an interesting angle. It probably has some basis in reality, but that doesn’t mean that other more interesting questions abound.
I think the thing I find even more fascinating, is this notion that the state of SC would enter into such a relationships with the Federal government with no contract spelling out what happens if either party doesn’t live up to the terms of the agreement.
For instance, if SC agreed to take a bunch of nuclear waste with the understanding that the Feds were footing the bill for the stuff to be processed and there is no contract that specifies damages or the removal of said waste….WELL THAT IS DOWNRIGHT INCOMPETENCE ON THE SC GOV’T’S PART.
It’d be interesting to chase that whole thing down the rabbit hole.
Didn’t Governor Hodges have a “penalty” clause written into the original agreement?
I think so.
Who had the clause removed?
That would be an eye opener.
“Didn’t Governor Hodges have a “penalty” clause written into the original agreement?
I think so.
Who had the clause removed?”
Kudos to Hodges if he did that…I take that back…he did it when the bar for office was competence.
If someone actually somehow removed that clause(assuming it existed as you note), they should be crowned-and I don’t mean regally…I mean with a club.
Do you have a link to the agreement by any chance?
No, I just remember the original negotiations between DOE and South Carolina.
Along this time he threatened to use the South Carolina State Troopers to block the federal couriers.
Ballsy on his part, but only an act. If you have ever seen these shipments, you know that there is enough fire power to overthrow any third world nation on board the semi and its escorts.
I would imagine a Google of his administration would be productive.
FOUND IT!
$!million per day!
http://www.michealhopping.com/features/Pu_shipments.html
Great link!
I had some trouble with yours but found it after you mentioned it:
http://www.michaelhopping.com/features/Pu_shipments.html
Anyway, this is the money shot:
“And, in case a sleepy bureaucrat forgets to change the law to reflect future delays, a 2005 revision
of the law alters the source for the $1 million/day penalty money. It
will no longer come from “funds available to the Secretary.” Instead it
will be “subject to the availability of appropriations.’’ South
Carolina won’t see a penny.”
Wow, this guy had it nailed way back in 08′.
Here’s another disturbing line:
“Given the often lackadaisical record of federal bureaucratic and
budgetary performance, it appears unlikely that the plutonium will be
moved out of South Carolina anytime soon either. DOE’s announcement of
the new plutonium shipments says storage may be necessary for up to 50 years. That’s four or five times the expected lifespan of a 9975 package.”
So it looks like the vessels will be leaking on SC’s dime too.
The unmentioned fact of MOX that no one wants to mention.
It has a high level waste stream comparable to the chemical separations areas.
The genie was let out of the bottle at Las Alamos and don’t see any way of ever putting it back.
these two facilities filled to tank farms with waste, necessitating the construction of the vitrification building in the late 80’s and early 90’s.
Sorry. See new post above.
Why do keep saying that MOX was scheduled for completion in 2007?
You have been more than ONCE, that project STARTED in 2007.
If you would take the time to check your facts…….
FYI, I have said all along there are better ways to deal with the plutonium.
“Encapulation”, “Glassification”.
Look “em up.
You can not use “facts” and “FITSNEWS” in the same article. They are mutually exclusive.
HEY! BACKOFF!
He got the year right, didn’t he???
Hasn’t NIMRATA made two statements in recent weeks about keeping and/or running the unions out of South Carolina?
This lawsuit goes against her anti-union rhetoric.
Presently there are in excess of 1200 UNION construction personnel on this project.
Typical TEA Party, cut everybody else off, but you better not touch mine.
Didn’t Haley state without reservation that the SRS only hired illiterate and drug dealers. The SRS had to make a statement that Haley was bat-shit crazy. Way to go Stupidest “Governor” who ever drew a breath. What great P.R. from Haley.
the late Great Jim Davenport called her on her claims and she basically through up her hands.
Yeah, but your man condoned and accepted corruption as an acceptable method of running the South Carolina Supreme Court when he – Vinny – voted for Jean Toal. Stupidity vs. Corruption – I don’t know which is worse.
Does this mean that Bobby Harrell want the MOX plant shut down?
There is no agreement with SC but Wilson’s case is based on Fed failure to comply with National Defense Authorization Act.
“The act includes a section titled SRS Plutonium Disposition Provisions, which states that if DOE decides not to proceed with MOX, then it must prepare a plan that identifies a disposition path out of South Carolina for all defense plutonium and defense plutonium materials.”
http://www.aikenstandard.com/article/20140319/AIK0101/140319357
My comment above must have been so astute and definitive that there was no need of any further comments.
Not necessarily, but actual facts do sometimes confuse people in these discussions…