SENATOR PROPOSES RENAMING GOVERNOR’S SIGNATURE “REFORM” BILL
S.C. Senator Brad Hutto of Orangeburg has zero room to talk when it comes to politicians behaving unethically … in fact we posted an item earlier this week exposing his hypocrisy.
Still … Hutto’s rebuke of S.C. governor Nikki Haley this week was absolutely on the money.
During debate over a watered-down “ethics reform” bill, Hutto suggested his colleagues in the Senate should refer to the legislation as the “Nikki Haley Do-As-I-Say-Not-As-I-Do” bill.
Ha!
Hutto’s dig was a reference to Haley’s narrow escape on serious ethics charges back in 2012 – when a panel of the governor’s former colleagues in the S.C. House of Representatives completely ignored incriminating evidence against her while assassinating the character of her accuser.
“I rarely if ever agree with Hutto but that is funny AND accurate,” one GOP lawmaker told us.
Indeed it is …
Haley is a complete and total hypocrite on ethics reform … has been for years. But that hasn’t stopped her from trying to push a so-called reform bill that utterly fails to address the state’s chronic corruption.
With public faith in the integrity of government at a new low in South Carolina following the current scandal enveloping S.C. attorney general Alan Wilson, it is more important than ever for state lawmakers to enact real ethics reform – not “reform in name only.”
What does that entail? First and foremost, it requires stripping away the S.C. General Assembly’s ability to “self-police” its own members. This arrangement is incestuous – and a key driver of corruption in our state. Second, there must be total disclosure of all income – and strict prohibitions against any self-dealing. Third, and perhaps most importantly, there must be real consequences for violations of the public trust – meaning jail time for offenders.
No more slaps on the wrist, no more probation … if you abuse your office, steal tax money or illegally steer contracts to yourself or your family members, you go to jail.