CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE’S “TRANSPARENCY” BID FALLS SHORT …
Embattled S.C. Circuit Court judge Casey Manning released a flood of court documents related to the ongoing Bobby Harrell corruption case this week, attempting to mitigate criticism that his office had been less-than-transparent in the process.
Manning authorized the clerk of the statewide grand jury to release seventeen documents – most of them court filings related to the investigation of the powerful S.C. Speaker of the House, who has been embroiled in controversy for nearly two years.
Harrell’s drama began in September 2012, when reporter Renee Dudley (formerly of The Charleston Post and Courier) exposed more than $325,000 worth of dubious reimbursements claimed by Harrell from his campaign account. Since then, the allegations against the influential legislative leader have snowballed … as has the political drama surrounding the case (in large part due to Harrell’s amateur hour political and public relations “management” of the crisis).
In January, S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson referred the case – and an initial complaint filed by the S.C. Policy Council – to a statewide grand jury.
Since then Wilson – who has been the subject of a vicious smear campaign by the Speaker’s political operation – says his office has uncovered additional “potential criminal matters” related to the Harrell case. Even so Manning – possibly under duress – has attempted to shut down Wilson’s investigation and route the proceedings back to a jury of Harrell’s peers in the S.C. House of Representatives (even though he’s the judge who signed off on the grand jury probe in the first place).
Crazy, huh?
The Speaker’s scandal currently resides before the S.C. Supreme Court (a body Harrell is widely believed to have in his back pocket). Justices are expected to hold their first hearings on the matter within the next five weeks.
Anyway … now that we’re all caught up on the background of the case, let’s look at the documents released this week by the judge ….
Here they are:
1. Letter from Ashley Landess
2. Complaint from South Carolina Policy Council
3. Attorney General Letter to SLED
4. Motion to Disqualify Attorney General and Supporting Affidavit
5. Attorney General’s Response to Motion to Disqualify and Supporting Affidavits
6. Reply of Robert W. Harrell, Jr. to Motion to Response to Disqualify Attorney General
7. Attorney General’s Proposed Order Denying Motion to Disqualify
8. Robert W. Harrell, Jr.’s Proposed Order Submitted March 28, 2014
9. Brief of Attorney General on the Inapplicability of Rainey v. Haley to the Current State Grand Jury Matter
10. Memorandum of Robert W. Harrell, Jr. Submitted April 2, 2014
11. Attorney General Supplemental Brief Refuting the Application of Rainey v. Haley to this Case
12. Email and Attachment Submitted April 16, 2014
13. Robert W. Harrell, Jr.’s Proposed Order Submitted May 7, 2014
14. Attorney General’s Proposed Order Finding Rainey v. Haley Inapplicable to the Current State Grand Jury Matter
15. Court’s Final Order
16. Attorney General Notice of Appeal and Motion to Expedite
17. Attorney General Petition for Supersedeas
Whew …
If you clicked on each one of those links and read each one of those pleadings, congratulations. You are a better citizen than us …
Of course Manning’s “docu-dump” is notable for what it didn’t include. For example, Manning did not release a copy of the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) report into Harrell’s political operations. Harrell has been calling on Wilson to release this report for weeks – although the Attorney General is prohibited from doing so by law while the grand jury investigation.
Could Manning have released it?
It’s not immediately clear … in fact it’s not immediately clear whether Manning has even seen the report.
There is one critical file Manning has seen, though – and deliberately omitted from his recent “docu-dump.” We’re referring to the so-called “CIM” – which is prosecutor shorthand for “case initiation memo.” This is the document prepared by prosecutors as a summary of the allegations – or in Harrell’s case, a summary of the findings of the SLED report.
According to a pair of sources familiar with this document, the CIM in Harrell’s case is “beyond damning” for the Speaker.
“Which is among the reasons it wasn’t released,” one of the sources said.
Naturally, FITS is endeavoring to obtain a copy of this “summary of allegations” in Harrell’s case, although we are told Manning has placed the document under seal – possibly at the request of Wilson’s office.
Developing …
33 comments
There isn’t a rug in America big enough to sweep this shit under – I just hope You Lie Jr. has the balls to bring criminal charges or SLED decides to do so, because as we all know, his constituents are too dumb to vote him out, even after him being exposed as a crooked POS.
POS’s local paper – the one that fired Dudley – is going to endorse him again and the sheep in Charleston are going to reelect him. Even if he’s indicted and removed from office they’ll reelect him. It’s the air in Charleston – the pluff mud.
That’s why that story about breaking the black monolith was so silly. There is only one monolith in S.C. and it’s the Republican monolith.
you got that right, brother
This is a video of whats gonna happen to both of them in the future, when the State of SC turns them both the blackest dark, brother: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqFSi-cOQtk
Of course you’re right,but just watch the astronomical number of comments that will appear on these pages when any story concerning a Black politico is published or,better yet, one of Fits biweekly blasts against the NAACP.Further,note the “usual suspects” who seem to come out of the woodwork to offer their “analysis.”
Jay Ellington’s got your “black monolith”, buddy.
You said “balls”, hehehehehehe
Dudley wasn’t fired, wasn’t even “run out of town.” Just the opposite…Dudley turned in her resignation to the paper the very same day she submitted her hit piece story on Harrell.
It’s called a “Hit & Run” piece.
This right here shows readers just how far FITS will twist the truth to slam Harrell and cast doubt on every single allegation he mentions (made up) here. Guess that Will did learn a few tricks from Dudley.
She didn’t care about the facts (or that the paper had to run a dozen corrections & retractions on her article), she was already in NYC at her new job by the time that happened.
Yes, she was run out of town but she was the one running…to a bigger job and more money. That is what this reporter does. Every reporting job she’s had has been a short-term stop for her where she’d write “hard hitting” prices only as resume boosters. It was only after she was off to the next job up her self-serving latter that her former employer would realize the wake of sh*t she had left behind…making up quotes, disregarding inconvenient facts, and a bias that oozed through, damn what the truth actually was.
It’s a shame how crappy, self-serving, resume boosting reporters like this (hey Jody Barr) give the rest of us real reporters a bad name.
All you have to do is look at how media in the Midlands protects certain agencies. Hey, just look at how media NEVER provides more than one side of an issue anymore. WIS? WLTX? State? Only concerned with shock value and political angling.
You are clueless as to the behind the scenes events.
“You Lie, Jr.,” thats cute. Of course as you know South, it would be innocuous if SLED decides to bring criminal charges against ‘You Lie, Jr.’ for all his corruption with the political contributions because SLED does have a rug big enough to sweep that under and anyway its like the AG told Freetimes, “We just file new amendments and its fixed, not a problem.” How cool is that?, way cool; 6,000 Amendments later… I would not be surprised however, if Mr. Speaker (who as you and I know, has the goods on everyone) does not start going after some of the AGs fiends now, after all, people who are scared do dangerous things,,,but you know that, you also know the Holy City loves Bobby, such a Dirty Old Town. Does Bobby have the goods on U2? Do tell.
“Show me your flowcharts and conceal your tables, and I shall continue to be mystified. Show me your tables, and I won’t usually need your flowcharts; they’ll be obvious.” Fred Brooks
Una imagen vale más que mil palabras.
http://thenerve.org/media/cache/5b/ac/5bac51e34ae42d7272aec6e81e8933c6.jpg
This is what I expected. Publicize Harrell’s wrongdoings and his political cronies will run for the hills.
I know I am not the smoothest rock in the creek bed
With that said I don’t understand why Cockroach Manning is releasing anything
If his court order is under appeal to the Supreme Court it seems to me that the only person/group who would have authority to issue anything in regards to this matter would be the Supreme Court
It would appear that Cockroach Manning has been caught bopping his baloney in the boys room and now he is trying to clean up his mess
Hell, Cockroach Manning should be held in contempt of his own court
What he released is actually public record under the FOIA. He is attempting to bamboozle the weakest links of our society. But it wont work as word spreads again that he is corrupt to the core and entwined in collusion with felony conduct.
I’m a fairly new lawyer, but not a young one, live in Charleston and from what I hear Toal will take care of Bobby to the bitter end. She “likes his wife” that much.
But without crooked SC judges, our state government would be maybe as clean and transparent as Washington, Oregon, Iowa, Vermont… But then the crooked legislators would be out of work, increasing our unemployment rate…
Read items 11, 14 and 15.
The Judge’s ruling depends on turning a blind eye toward the criminal nature of the allegations. That is why he had to also recind his own order authorizing a criminal investigation.
If it isnt a crime, the AG has to wait. If it is a crime, he doesnt.
But – these are all alleged crimes – spending campaign money on personal stuff — just ask Ex Senator Ford and Ex Lt. Gov Ard — but not if the judge and the SCSC pretends they aren’t.
Who is going to call them on it? The legislature? No way. The SC Bar? haw haw. The voters? Yeah, right. Maybe the Press, but even that will be botched or misunderstood – or worse, the Press will help with the cover so it can keep getting access and goodies from the Legislature.
The sad thing is that if the SCSC rubber stamps this, in the face of SCSC precedent stating the exact opposite (see the Thrift case), there is nothing anyone can do. “Nil Ultra.” – none higher.
The entire charade is so intellectually dishonest that I don’t see how Manning can look anyone in the eye. Can’t wait to read Pleicones’ dissent.
I still think Harrell is a POS for going after reporter Rene Dodd. Haley gets the POS award for calling her a “little girl”. To me Bush I and II were lying P’sOS as well.
Anyway.
Harrell is guilty, no doubt. So “they” had to cook up a scheme to get Bobby off the hook. So we have a SLED report no one has seen. AG Wilson, Manning et.al. set up the Grand Jury before Ethics should have ruled on the allegations…a delay tactic until Toal was reelected. Judge Hood was what did not make sense. I say he was going to pull a “Manning” regardless, just chickened out. So Manning ruled as everyone expected. Wilson got his Grand Jury to get reelected for willing to go after politicians, Manning is retiring, Toal was reelected, and Bobby will hold his seat.
Now for the Finale.
Toal sends it back to Ethics while ordering the lawful Grand Jury to cease the investigation. Ethics gives Bobby a slap on the wrist and declines to give it back to Wilson for criminal prosecution. The Feds will stand down.
Winners: Every Republican in 2014 will be reelected…Joe, Alan, Nikki, Bobby, Lindsey, etc etc. The General Assembly will probably tweak the Finley Proposal next year. This whole thing is an elaborate ruse trampling on corpses of Landis, Fots, Dodd, and Mr and Mrs John Q. Taxpayer.
Next week this author will break the shell game the state is playing to cover the Obamacare healthcare increases for every state, county, municipal worker on the state Blue Cross Blue Shield policy including their children up to age 26 which is not on par with state law by raising taxes and telling counties to raise their sales taxes with the penny option referendums.
Please remember our fallen soldiers this weekend…especially those whose lives were deliberately sacrificed in the government run US Veterans Hospital System due to the criminal illegalities the WH and Congress ignored to keep the current bull shit office holders in a job with all their fringe benefits.
don’t you need to go film a reality show or change a diaper?
ba bam ba ba bam ba ba ba bam…watch it unfold exactly as predicted.
The reporter is Renee Dudley, not Renee Dodd. She’s happy with Bloomberg News in New York, thrilled to be with a “real” and “professional” news organization.
I just learned of yet another good Post and Courier reporter (one of the last) who quit last month for a more reputable paper.
If you’re really desperate, will sell your soul, compromise your professional ethics you learned in journalism school, and work for minimum wage, the P&C is interested in you.
Yeah, forget the public safety officers out there who are crippled on the job, then lose healthcare when forced onto disability status. Oh, and even THAT benefit was cut by 17% by Haley and Co. As of Jan 1, 2014. Tell me again WHY I should risk life, limb, and family to do more than is required? Risk myself? Ok, probably…. it’s my nature. Risk the ability to provide for wife and kids? Write a report and clear. My family is more important than yours.
I would prefer everyone received something…generous and decent and sustainable. This I know is unrealistic. The problems are federal mandates, entitlement programs, unsustainable pension investment returns on equity, economic pressures in a global marketplace resulting in drastic cuts in core government functions and massive taxation that is destroying the hand that feeds you. Our state can not create new revenue streams to pay for it all by raising taxes and gutting services. The current approach from the General Assembly is bringing the “END” closer each year while preserving nothing. We all will lose in the end. The cycle of voting incumbents back into office because they refuse to deal with the problems at hand preferring to perpetuate the illusion thus getting the votes to be reelected will crash down on all of our families. We all must be open to the harsh realities that we can not continue on the road we are on and must decide at the ballot box to cut off our leg to save our life.
Well alright then. I posited my original thoughts and not. one. taker? Here is the end of the mystery, the closing argument which validates my supposition.
Recall the investigation began with the Landess’ request based on FOI requests after Dudley’s reporting. The “request” resulted in the SLED report. The SC AG then requested a State Grand Jury based on the SLED report. Manning signed the order. Just one problem. the 1991 Ethics Act clearly states Ethics must request a formal investigation for Wilson to impanel a grand jury with subpoena power. Not Wilson, not Manning if all they had was what was in the SLED report.
Manning asked in open court, subsequently, about other criminal activities found by the grand jurt. Wilson refused to release any findings. Why? Because if they were in the SLED report to begin with which Manning read, there would not be a request and refusal for the information after the fact. Wilson uncovered NEW evidence not in the SLED report. This can be considered exculpatory since it will not allowed to be used by Ethics when Toal rules the matter of a Grand Jury investigation “premature”. Ethics will only be allowed to use the SLED report to render an opinion regarding Harrell’s misdeeds. Using only the SLED report, by order of Toal with the evidence from the State Grand Jury quashed, Ethics can legally reprimand Harrell and legally not request further investigation from Wilson’s office. The evidence uncovered by the Grand Jury remains null and void since the Grand Jury was “improperly impaneled”. The 1991 Ethics Act is very clear on this.
They have been destroying evidence at DSS..as well..there are more scandals brewing there as well. Let the FOIA…fly now.
11 is just freaking AWESOME. It says you’re wrong in EVERY
way to think this applies. It is dead on balls accurate, too. But if they use
that as the basis for their arguments to the Supremes, they need to take some
of the anger out of it. I think Cook wrote the draft, and Wilson, pissed off, polished it off.
AWESOME.
And look at the crimes referenced in it. That is where the investigation is
headed. Obtaining property by false pretenses and common law misconduct. And
also conspiracy was mentioned.
AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME.
Oh year, one other thing. A signatory on this pleading is Big John Macintosh.
He’s been with the AG’s office for years. But before Macintosh joined the AG’s
office, he was an assistant US Attorney who prosecuted several of the Lost
Trust cases.
As I recall, they got almost everybody, but Bud Long’s case went to trial,
there was a setback, and Bart Daniel “stepped in” with his
hyperactive self and tried to set the case back on track.
Bart Daniel is helping out ol’ Bobby Harrell, and I think it is interesting to
note that Bud Long got off, I think in part because Daniel came in and took
over the case. He was just not that good. But Big John I think was.
“Speaker Bobby Harrell fired back at AG Wilson Tuesday, saying that Attorney General Alan Wilson should appoint a special prosecutor to look into what he calls the attorney general’s own potential Ethics Act violations. …AG Alan Wilson had accepted thousands in over-the-limit campaign contributions and that amendments to his campaign finance reports showed dozens of previously undisclosed donors. AG Wilson’s campaign has been amending reports and returning contributions that were over the limit, including a lobbyist’s contribution.” ….”If he (Wilson) actually believes what he wrote in this filing, then he himself (Wilson) is guilty of over 30 criminal violations, including accepting money from lobbyists, accepting money above the legal limit and failing to report a number of items,” Harrell said. “He (Wilson) ought to have a special prosecutor take a look at this.”
Let’s see… AG Wilson received 32 over-the-limit campaign contributions and had 105 unreported campaign contributions. AG Wilson has demonstrated campaign finance abuse at its finest. BTW, where did all the money go, no one knows?
AG Wilson is the pot calling the kettle black.
I think my favorite thing about all this is that not even Booby, nor his most ardent supporters – exp. above – ever really argue or assert that Bobby Boy is innocent. It’s always the “yeah, I killed one person dude, but auto mobiles killed like 40,000 last year, lock Hank Ford up man!” defense. he’s essentially admitted he did it – that’s why there’s no “no merit to these charges” “I’ll comply with the investigation any way possible” stuff going on here folks.
The Post and Courier
Palmetto Politics
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Mark June 24 on your political calendar.
Tuesday, June 24 could be a collision of political events in South Carolina.
For starters, that’s the date the state Supreme Court has set to hear a challenge of a judge’s dismissal of Attorney General Alan Wilson’s efforts to get a State Grand Jury to investigate corruption allegations against House Speaker Bobby Harrell, R-Charleston.
It’s also the date set for when tens of thousands of voters would go to the polls for a second time in June to settle any runoffs that come out of the June 10 Republican and Democratic primaries.
Runoffs are likely in a variety of statewide races, including party battles for U.S. Senate, the GOP race for education superintendent, and the Republican race for lieutenant governor.
Runoffs are called if candidates don’t collect better than 50 percent of the vote in multi-candidate fields during the first go-round.
http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20140525/PC1610/140529522/1177/palmetto-politics
Bobby will never win this battle. He is sunk like the skunk he is. All he is doing is bobbing up and down for air while clawing at Manning and Toal to remain afloat. The public has not seen the real good stuff yet that will break …. hahahaahahahaha!!! Kiss Bobby Boy “good bye”.
SC Supreme Court Corruption Set To Be Exposed. Toal, Manning, Harrell and his cronies are going to fall hard. All spies are watching their every move and monitoring their every conversation 24/7? ……………… “S.C. Top Court Asked to Review Secret Grand Jury Records in Harrell Case” ///// Toal expected to be involved either directly or indirectly with these documents being LEAKED to Harrell and his corrupt band of cockroaches.