Surprise! More Questionable SC Ethics …

HENRY McMASTER, ALAN WILSON BENEFIT FROM DUBIOUS DECISIONS 

|| By FITSNEWS ||  “Ethics” in South Carolina state government is … well, let’s just say we couldn’t finish that sentence without laughing.

The Palmetto State is one of America’s most corrupt and least transparent states … and a big reason is its self-policing legislative branch (where the vast majority of the power lies).  Another reason?  Its utterly toothless S.C. State Ethics Commission (SCSEC).

Basically elected officials in South Carolina (in all branches of government) are able to do as they please … free from accountability and free from the consequences of their actions.  It’s a perfect example of what happens when those who make the laws abuse their authority.  It’s also why shamelessly self-serving politicians like S.C. governor Nikki Haley are able to get away with their chronic hypocrisy on “ethics reform” and “transparency in government.”

Hell, Haley was one of the prime beneficiaries of South Carolina’s selective justice when she faced a jury of her fellow “Republican” politicians in 2012.

The only two big-ticket exceptions to this rule?  Former Lt. Gov. Ken Ard and former House Speaker Bobby Harrell – who went down in 2012 and 2014, respectively, after investigations were initiated by the office of state attorney general Alan Wilson.

This “selective justice” is nothing new …

Our reporting on the S.C. General Assembly’s corrupt “ethics committees” spans back for years.   Meanwhile last summer we published this report on the corruption associated with the SCSEC – which was led at the time by James Burns (who is currently serving as Haley’s chief of staff).

This week, two decisions have emerged from the SCSEC which give us serious heartburn … and should serve to further erode the public’s already borderline nonexistent faith in state government.

The first decision involves a compliant filed in April of 2014 against lieutenant governor-elect Henry McMaster.  Despite clear evidence attesting to the receipt of illegal campaign contributions, the SCSEC – whose appointments have allegedly been manipulated for political leverage – chose to sit on the McMaster complaint until after his November election.

In fact the commission waited nearly ten months before it even scheduled a hearing into the allegations.

Yeah …

And guess what … McMaster’s hearing (like most of the state’s ethically challenged “ethics” hearings) is scheduled to be held behind closed doors.

The other decision we find disappointing is the surprise dismissal of nearly thirty campaign finance allegations leveled in 2013 against Wilson – the crusading prosecutor himself.

We addressed the allegations against Wilson on several occasions over the past two years, noting they seemed to be politically motivated – and not especially serious (most of them involving the receipt of excess campaign contributions).  But in one piece we opined that Wilson had a “perception problem” to deal with – adding that he “likely has some well-deserved ethics fines coming his way.”

Apparently not, though …

Late last month (on Christmas Eve, to be precise) the SCESC decided to drop all of the allegations against Wilson – just like that – claiming it was unable to reach the individual who filed the complaint against him (a woman named Krista Thom who lives in Wisconsin).  Commission members also cited Wilson’s acknowledgment of impropriety as a factor in their decision – as well as the fact that he returned the excessive contributions.

Huh?

Of all people, Wilson should recognize that the outright dismissal of these charges does not help him one bit … in fact, it makes the perception problem we initially reference that much worse for him.

Seriously … ethics charges against Wilson get dropped without so much as a hearing?  On Christmas Eve? 

All because the commission couldn’t get in touch with a witness? 

Please …

“Such bullsh*t,” one of Wilson’s critics told FITS.

For once, we agree …

And while we don’t think the attorney general had anything to do with the curiously timed dismissal of these allegations (from everything we’ve seen, Wilson continues to conduct himself like a “Boy Scout”), it’s clear his interests and credibility would have been far better served had he accepted a judgment and paid the appropriate fines related to these charges.

Getting off without that well-deserved “slap on the wrist” makes him look bad … like he’s part of the problem in Columbia, not the crusader exposing the problems.

Every politician in South Carolina agrees ethics reform is at the top of their list as the 2015 legislative session kicks off … but we’re ready for “more walk, less talk” on this critical issue.  It’s time (past time, actually) that elected officials in the Palmetto State start passing and enforcing real ethics laws – not more of the same “reform in name only” championed by hypocrites like Haley.

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