Below is a statement from S.C. Policy Council President Ashley Landess …
“When Renee Dudley published her story in the Post and Courier about Bobby Harrell’s campaign spending, he was the most powerful politician in the state. As Speaker, he exerted almost unilateral control over transportation spending, selecting state judges, and much more. The reaction to Renee’s story – from lawmakers and the governor – was disturbing: dead silence.
“Two years later, there is resolution to the question of whether Bobby Harrell violated the law. He did, and he pled guilty to it. Although he won’t go to prison for, among other charges, using his campaign funds to pay off his personal airplane, he will go home to Charleston a private citizen instead of an elected official. For us, that’s the most important result.
“It’s also a relief that one of our worst fears – that state officials wouldn’t or couldn’t investigate and prosecute powerful politicians for corruption – didn’t come to pass, thanks to Attorney General Wilson, his professional team of prosecutors, and SLED. They stepped up to do their jobs, and continued to do so despite the shocking, unprecedented contortion of the justice system by Harrell. Solicitor Pascoe deserves thanks for finishing the work when it became clear Wilson and the Grand Jury were being thwarted.
“It’s unbelievable that Harrell was able to engage the criminal justice system all the way to the Supreme Court before he was even charged with a crime. This entire process has taken a real toll on this state.
“The integrity of our justice system has been called into question, and public trust significantly damaged. It’s also clear that the process created by legislators to hold themselves “accountable” for corruption is not simply flawed but unconstitutionally designed to protect politicians and intimidate citizens, as well as to create a separate set of laws for elected officials.
“One thing was blatantly obvious today: the Ethics Act penalties are weak. There is only one felony in the entire Act, and the rest are misdemeanors for crimes that would unquestionably be felonies in the private sector.
“A reporter had to break this story, a small non-profit with few resources had to research and draft a complaint in order to get an official investigation moving, and activist leaders had to bring and sustain pressure to ensure due process was carried out. Harrell did everything he could to stop that effort. He used his power, and the considerable resources it provided him, to intimidate and smear those who challenged him.
“Ultimately the process was good for our state. We know more now than ever how dangerously corrupt our state has become and the scope of power exerted by a handful of legislators. We also know how flawed the process is to hold them accountable, and exactly what has to be done to fix it.
“We have more momentum than at any time in our state’s history to tear down the concentration of power and secrecy that makes us the nation’s most corrupt state. We know powerful leaders don’t give up easily, but we hope that after today they’ll understand that we do not intend to stop until they return to citizens the power to control their own government.”
(Editor’s Note: The above communication is a news release from a think tank and does not necessarily reflect the editorial position of FITSNews.com. To submit your letter, news release, email blast, media advisory or issues statement for publication, click here).
14 comments
If I’m Ashley, I make a 30 second Youtube video of me dancing and clicking my heels together and call that my “statement”.
“Public trust significantly damaged. ” And after today’s punishment (if you want to call it that), public trust is even more significantly damaged. Operation Lost Trust II? More like Operation Public Lost All Trust In Justice System.” Jean Toal protected her boy, yes indeed. Harrell will never turn over the true amount in his campaign account. Harrell will never much be made to show up at the office of his probation officer, either. Those of us who are familiar with this corrupt system of politics and justice in South Carolina, we already know what the real deal is. You young wet behind the ear folks, still oblivious to how it actually works behind the iron curtain. Wilson once thought to be a hero, he is no more. In the months ahead, you will see. There will be no federal charges unless you the people, force it. Use the IRS as a weapon against Harrell. You are sure to inflict heavy damage upon him if you do; much unlike what we all saw here happen today.
Most Republicans think the IRS should be abolished.
Sorry Ms. Landess, your cause is hurt not help by this case. This guy walked into a court house, signed a pieced of paper, got a slap on the wrist, exited the court house and told the public, I did nothing wrong. They forced me to sign a confession, thats all. I will continue to serve the people of South Carolina.
What this says to politicians is: you are unlikely to get caught and if you do get caught it want be that bad. So take the money.
The nicest part of this was they didn’t let him keep his PAC money.
if you’re caught, you can’t keep the money.
That might be the strongest message to come out of this.
“We know more now than ever how dangerously corrupt our state has become and the scope of power exerted by a handful of legislators. We also know how flawed the process is to hold them accountable . . .”
Now comes the very hard part.
Look how fast Judge Hood turned tail. How Judge Manning helped create a sideshow. Look at how it took a complaint from Landess’ citizens advocate policy group to get Wilson to look at it. Look how the Ethics Commission balked. Who investigates the Attorney General? Look how Sen Knotts walked away. Look how Glenn McConnell worked the system for a 300k job, how he thought he deserved a seat on the Supreme Court. Look at all the prosecutorial misconduct…that goes unreported. Look how a Governor cover ups for agency directors who serve at the pleasure of the Governor. Look how fast our code of laws are changed to assuage minute groups of people, target criminal conduct minutia. Look how 33% of our state budget is spent on “Other” untold expenditures. Look how we see a Sen Pro Tem resign, and another elected. Look at how two offices in the General Assembly appoint committee membership. The whole system makes you sick.
There is certainly a huge spot light on everything now. Harrell’s sentence is causing it to grow even more. The voters out here are highly pissed off and in disbelief. They all share a common words across their lips, ‘bunch of criminals protecting criminals …. all need to be in federal prison … the judges in this state are criminals, too.’
Salute to you, Ashley Landess, and Renee Dudley for your exemplary roles in bring down the most powerful and one of the most corrupt and silently ruthless politicians of our time. Harrell’s continued efforts to blame the prosecutors for his situation is a clear indication that the man is a psychopath. I am sure you will see in the following days that what appears now as a small victory to the citizens of this state will snowball into a major house cleaning, with coninued pressure from folks like you.
…and of course a HUGE credit to Alan Wilson’s immense courage for putting his career on the line going after Harrell, despite the servile Judge Manning and cunning Toal thwarting AG Wilson’s every move to choke his advances and ruin Wilson’s image and career. Absolutely fantastic display of the use of the power of AG’s office in a right way to benefit citizens.
On the other hand, utterly shameful and disgusting behavior by the bosses at The Post and Courier for firing Renee Dudley and trying to ruin a young and vulnerable career. They should at least now come out and acknowledge that they were pressured into firing her (and who pressured) to regain some respect and credibility to Post and Courier. Shame on you The Post and Courier. Hope Renee Dudley showed you by her example what it is to live a honorable life and how much people respect someone standing up for the public. Now it is up to Bill Nettles and the feds to show us where their loyalties lie.
Ashley Landess, you’re no Ed McMullen and never will be. You will never be a respected opinion leader and policy shaper that Ed was. You’re just a glorified token shrill female that leads a think tank that doesn’t think anymore. Ed was a thinker, you don’t have the ability or the respect which is why the policy council is a shell of its former respected and influential self.
That’s a cheesin’ pic.
Everyone knows, or should know, if it were a “little” guy/gal that pled guilty to the same 6 charges, we’d be in Federal prison right now. It will surprise me if any more comes of this. They have their fall guy, doubt if anything else will come of this, the corrupt protecting their own. If the feds do anything it will surprise me.
Some people say I repeat myself. I don’t think I repeat myself, but some people say I do.
Note: the Alabama Leader of the House, same position that Bobby Harrell had, was arrested this week by the FEDS for some of the same things Harrell was convicted. Looks like SC isn’t the most corrupt State around the South.