… STOP US IF YOU’VE HEARD THIS JOKE BEFORE
|| By FITSNEWS || One of the problems with political leaders meeting in private is there’s no record of what was said regarding the people’s business. A bigger problem? Most of the political leaders doing the “people’s business” don’t give a damn about the people – focusing instead on expanding their own power, patronage and personal bank accounts.
S.C. attorney general Alan Wilson was supposed to clean all that up … although as we’ve reported previously his record on the anti-corruption front is mixed (at best).
Anyway, Wilson was invited (or depending on who you ask, invited himself) to give a speech at last weekend’s meeting of the “Republican” House Caucus in Greenville, S.C.
What did he say?
Good question. Accounts of Wilson’s remarks are all over the map – with initial reports from lawmakers indicating the state’s top prosecutor offered a “Mea Culpa” of sorts regarding last year’s high-profile spat with former S.C. Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell (who is back in the news this week).
Words like “apologetic,” “subservient” and “reserved” were used … which is curious considering Wilson recused himself from Harrell’s prosecution, handing the case off to S.C. first circuit solicitor David Pascoe.
Other lawmakers found Wilson’s remarks “confusing” – especially a reference to a recent movie date with S.C. Speaker of the House Jay Lucas (the two politicians reportedly saw “Jurassic World” together).
Countering those narratives? Background comments from multiple other attendees at the Greenville Hyatt last weekend – who informed us our legislative sources were off-base in their criticism of Wilson’s remarks.
Then there’s the response we received from Wilson’s office – issued on-the-record (and accompanied by a challenge to lawmakers who dissed his performance to say so publicly).
“He was invited to talk to the caucus and he accepted the invitation,” Wilson’s spokesman Mark Powell told us.
According to Powell, “there had been a lot of rumors and misunderstanding” within the legislature regarding Wilson’s role in the prosecution of Harrell (and possibly other members of the S.C. General Assembly).
“For two years he had been unable to tell his side of the story – meaning the steps he took and why he took them,” Powell told us. “This was an opportunity to explain the criminal justice system to them and his role in that system as it related to this case.”
According to Powell, Wilson identified three groups of GOP lawmakers during his remarks. The first group? Those who came up to him after the Harrell probe to apologize and say “I now understand why you did what you did.”
To those lawmakers, Wilson reportedly said “I accept your apology.”
The second group of lawmakers was described by Wilson as “confused,” according to Powell. To them, Wilson reportedly said he understood why they “stayed silent.”
The third group of lawmakers Wilson reportedly described as being “still mad at me.”
His message to them?
“I don’t care.”
Powell also emphatically disputed accounts that Wilson apologized for his role in taking down Harrell.
“In no way was his tone subservient and at no point did he apologize,” he said.
Not only that, he passed along a direct challenge from Wilson …
“Dare your sources to go on the record,” he said. “That’s straight from the A.G.”
Damn …
One point on which there was universal agreement, though, was that Wilson specifically referenced the neo-Confederate consulting empire of Richard Quinn and Associates in his remarks. “The Quinndom” controls Wilson’s political destiny – along with the political destinies of dozens of South Carolina lawmakers. In fact Wilson’s connection to this network is rumored to be behind his recent decision to recuse himself from additional aspects of the ongoing federal-state investigation of legislative corruption.
Specifically, Wilson told lawmakers that the Quinndom – specifically S.C. Rep. Rick Quinn – did not “put him up to” the prosecution of Harrell as part of an insider power play.
Interesting …
Our thoughts on all this? Eh …
Frankly the sniping back and forth between Wilson and lawmakers over insider conspiracy theories doesn’t interest us all that much. It’s ego. Penile measurement.
The proof of Wilson’s commitment to eradicating public corruption in the Palmetto State will be in the pudding, as they say, and so far the only public corruption he’s eradicated has accrued directly to the benefit of his political overlords.
The real corruption? He’s taken a pass on that …
Wilson is viewed in many circles as a frontrunner for the “Republican” gubernatorial nomination in 2018. If he is to win that nomination, though (to say nothing of the public trust), then he’s going to have to shed the “selective enforcement” stigma that’s enveloped his office and start cracking skulls indiscriminately.
In other words as we said months ago, his job is not finished. Not even close.
38 comments
Wilson should continue his ethics crusade with Loftis… Loftis added his frat buddy (Mike Montgomery) to the BNYM lawsuit and he walked away with 2 million dollars!! Loftis vowed they were not friends… But we later found out that they were in the same frat and Montgomery was on the Loftis transition team.
Loftis never conferred with PEBA or the Retirement System Investment Commission before making commitments to the Bank of New York that only those offices could make. This is an abrogation of his fiduciary responsibility and should be investigated by Wilson. Dealing with Loftis’s shenanigans would certainly prove Wilson is after corruption, obfuscation and malfeasance.
It seems like he needs to be investigating DPS first.
How’s the people’s money invested by the RSIC doing, btw?
I only wish you had made all these sage recommendations to the Commission for consideration. I challenge you to find one reference in meeting records where you, Loftis, recommended a different approach than the one taken. By the way, why don’t you make public the return on investments earned by the Treasurer’s Office over the past several years. They don’t look so good, so I’ve been told. And the unfunded liability (or “debt” in your parlance) of the tuition assistance fund under the Treasurer has dramatically increased. Why?
Buzzman,bugman,Loftis, does not have a single solution , a single idea to improve the state of SC. He sits on the RSIC and voted for the investment plan. He has violated the tax payers, the retirees and their trust funds.. Paid his intimate friend $2 million for nothing outside of the recording of the STO. No records, no proof, no receipt…. Loftis has violated the funds in the STO and Alan Wilson must investigate mismanagement. Loftis is responsible for the lost of over $220 millions , 9 millions paid to the attorneys and a faulty settlement with the Bank of New York/Mellon…. How’s the people’s money invested by Curtis Loftis in the funds of the STO doing, btw? Heard that they are at less than 1%… So Loftis look at your own diaper and it needs changing…
Hitchock has to go. This behavior is unacceptable. The Commission is bankrupting this state and they are paying bloggers to trash Loftis.
SC insiders at their best. Hitchcock is protecting his $275,000 salary.
Loftis lied under oath to the legislative oversight committee… Not good to lie… not good to lie under oath… Not good …
So now one of you idiots (specifically you) is trying to make people think that I’m Curt Loftis?
If you are being paid for this, whoever is paying you is guilty of wasting money.
Everyone is Loftis in these guys minds. These bloggers are paid by the cronies of the investment commission to trash Loftis.
They do that because their investment performance can not be defended. When your performance is the worst in the nation you have to attack the elected official trying to affect change.
Mike Hitchcock was supposed to bring change and he has not. Hitchcock needs to go. and return his $275,000 salary.
Simply more lies. Mr Mike Hitchcock, you make $275,000 per year. Please stop this gutter behavior.
They are in last place for the last 10 year.
Bottom 10% for each year of the last ten years.
They paid $2,230,000,000 ($2.3 billion in fees for the privilege of being in last place)
Just a lie, Approved by Mike Hitchcock and financed be the investment commission cronies.
Bottom performance in the whole country and their response is to trash Loftis.
Curtis, why wait two weeks to publish the names of the good, the bad and the ugly? You have the names, so publish them… Make the names public… I cannot wait to see your name on the bad side… My name will have to be on the good side… What a sorry public servant you are… You promised that the list of names will be public Sept 26, 2015… Better come up with that list along with your plan of attack.. LOL.
He had a frat buddy, but never went to college, you say?
You guys are not much for internal logic in your attacks, are you?
Those investment commission bloggers are a tiresome bunch. I wonder how much they get paid? They are not very good. I think they make most people look sympathetically at Loftis.
They have about ruined the comment section.
Where is his diploma? He does not have one… Brookland Cayce high school degree.. I would love to see his grades… Buzzman = Bugman of West Columbia = Loftis is not qualified to sit on the investment committee and should be removed from the commission and forced to appoint someone to represent him on the panel..- as the governor, comptroller general and chairmen of the House and Senate budget committees do.. Loftis is not qualified to be on the investment commission and should appoint someone with the degree and the knowledge and the intellect . Heard him today on fox radio.. I cannot wait to see the names of the good, the bad and the ugly that he promises in 2 weeks, Sept 26. 2015. Hope that his name is on the bad side… What a joke… Coming from an elected official with limited intelligence.
I thought he got a 2yr degree back when there was a General Studies program at USC. He took over the family biz and made millions. I am not his biggest fan, but I don’t always buy into the argument that one must have a degree to be qualified for a job or to be successful in life.
$ 220 million: The amount that Treasurer Loftis said the Bank of New York/ Mellon owed South Carolina.
$25 million : The amount the bank agreed to put back into S.C. accounts.
$9 million : the amount the state’s two attorneys were paid.
Loftis signed this DEAL all by himself… Sweet for his intimate personal friend with whom he is associated… And he signed a ten year contract with the same bank which lost all that money.. How stupid is that? Proof that a 2 year degree does not qualify you to work in the world of finance.. Proof that a 2 year degree does not qualify you to be State treasurer…
I don’t disagree with you one bit. The treasurer (and CG) both need advanced expertise in financial areas.
Blah blah blah. Same old shit being posted by Investment Commission cronies.
Hitchcock must go. He makes $275,000 per year and this is Hitchcock’s defense?
Don’t hold your breath. Wilson & Loftis are buds. The AGs ofc is run by the three stooges: Bernstein, Cook and McIntosh. Add in Wilson and the clown car is full. If the Harrell case and this so-called Lost Trust Part II matter is any indication, Loftis has nothing to fear from the AGs office.
“A man walks into a joke” ….., uh, wait — that’s “a joke walks into a bar” …..
Ha!
Well done.
I wonder who has Wilson’s nuts in a jar and if they hide them or display them prominently.
A skeleton walks into a bar. “I’ll have a beer — and a mop!”
———————–
A seal walks into a bar. “Just give me anything — except a Canadian Club!”
That “Canadian Club” line could get you whacked over the head by an angry lesbian PETA girl, or maybe even a braless European film critic with unshaved pits. Careful, killer…
Thanks for the warning, Mike. Now I’ll see if I can find something to really piss them off!
Ha! Please do…
A champion jockey is about to enter an important race on a new horse. The horse’s trainer meets him before the race and says, ‘All you have to remember with this horse is that every time you approach a jump, you have to shout, “ALLLLEEE OOOP!” really loudly in the horse’s ear. Providing you do that, you’ll be fine.’ The jockey thinks the trainer is mad but promises to
shout the command. The race begins and they approach the first hurdle. The jockey ignores the trainer’s ridiculous advice and the horse crashes straight
through the center of the jump. They carry on and approach the second hurdle. The jockey, somewhat embarrassed, whispers ‘Aleeee ooop’ in the horse’s ear. The same thing happens: the horse crashes straight through the center of the jump. At the third hurdle, the jockey thinks, It’s no good, I’ll have to do it, and yells, ‘ALLLEEE OOOP!’ really loudly. Sure enough, the horse sails over the jump with no problems. This continues for the rest of the race, but due to the earlier problems the horse only finishes third. The trainer is fuming and asks the jockey what went wrong. The jockey replies, ‘Nothing is wrong with me, it’s this stupid horse. What is he, deaf or something?’ The trainer replies, ‘Deaf? DEAF? He’s not deaf, he’s BLIND!’
pardon me while I puke. Damn, Mike!
Sorry!
I heard Curtis Loftis on Fox yesterday… LoL He is going to publish the list of names… The good and the bad on the investment Commission… Sept 26.. is the date. I cannot wait… Loftis will not post the names because he is a nut case.. He lies… lies under oath. not good… His name should be the first one on the bad guy list. LOL… What a joke… coming from an elected official an elected official with no degree, no intellect and a violent temper. He must be removed from the commission and be as far away from the trust fund of retirees.
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Wilson is a dope. If he is the leading candidate for Governor in 2018, it truly is a sad reflection of our state’s politics.
I see Nikki and Allen were there. What other constitutional or Federal officers were there?
Wilson is confusing. Period.
Then Quinn will finally have another Governor in his pocket. Wilson should take note what happened to the last Governor Quinn “backed”. Quinn has designs further reaching than a Governor, check out his “clients”, where his ex employees now work see “Friends of the Hunley”, and sadly his support through his son of the SC Policy Council (thought to be unbiased about politicians). I could go on but it’s too early in the day to drink and this is depressing.