IS STATE SENATE CANDIDATE DODGING UNCOMFORTABLE QUESTIONS?
Democratic S.C. Senate candidate Mike Fanning failed to appear at a Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce candidate forum this week – the second such forum he’s missed in as many weeks.
The wide-eyed, suspender-wearing politician also informed leaders of a prominent local homeowners’ association that he won’t be attending their event, either.
“Doesn’t that seem a little suspicious?” Fairfield GOP officials asked in a statement. “If he won’t answer the public’s questions while he is a candidate, he sure won’t answer them when he is a sitting State Senator.”
So … what gives?
We wonder: Is Fanning missing these events because he’s worried about having to respond publicly to our recent bombshell report?
Fanning is the Democratic nominee for S.C. Senate District 17 (map here). He defeated incumbent S.C. Senator Creighton Coleman in a primary election in June – and faces “Republican” candidate Mark Palmer in next month’s general election.
The rural district – which includes parts of Chester, Fairfield and York counties – leans Democratic, but Fanning’s race is reportedly closer than expected.
One reason? Fanning, a former school teacher, has been accused by one of his ex-students of “seducing” her in the early 1990s – a claim which dredged up records of a 1998 investigation into similar allegations.
Fanning was not charged in the 1998 case due to “insufficient evidence,” but the documents raised serious questions about his judgment. The 49-year-old politician told us last month he is “immensely proud” of his teaching record and that he “categorically” denied any wrongdoing related to the allegations leveled against him.
(Banner image via Facebook)