Prosecutors are continuing negotiations with suspended South Carolina state representative Rick Quinn in the hopes of announcing a plea agreement in connection with the ongoing #ProbeGate investigation.
News of Quinn’s negotiations with prosecutors was reported exclusively yesterday by this news site.
According to our sources, a hearing is in the process of being scheduled for Wednesday afternoon at the Richland County court house in downtown Columbia, S.C. – ostensibly for Quinn to enter some sort of plea in connection with the investigation.
As of this writing, however, no notification has been provided to the media by S.C. first circuit solicitor David Pascoe – who is leading the state’s investigation.
It’s not clear what sort of agreement Quinn was offered – or what sort of deal (if any) he ultimately chose to accept. Previous plea deals reached in connection with this investigation have resulted in targets being placed on probation, surrendering their elected offices and agreeing to cooperate with prosecutors as the investigation progresses.
Last week, we exclusively reported on an emergency meeting involving Pascoe, investigators from the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and one of the targets of #ProbeGate – an ongoing, multi-jurisdictional investigation into corruption in state government.
Shortly thereafter, we exclusively reported that Pascoe and the investigators had met with attorneys Johnny Gasser and Greg Harris – both of whom are representing Rick Quinn.
Quinn, 51, is the crown prince of “The Quinndom,” an influential political consulting empire run by his father, Richard Quinn. The firm represents – or has represented – some of the Palmetto State’s most powerful political leaders, including U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, S.C. Senate president Hugh Leatherman, attorney general Alan Wilson and governor Henry McMaster.
“The Quinndom” also represents – or has represented – a host of the Palmetto State’s most well-established corporate and government interests, a network of entities which have allegedly benefited from illegal pay-to-play activities.
The Quinns and their network of influence have become a clear focus of the ongoing, multi-jurisdictional investigation into governmental corruption in the Palmetto State. This included a March 2017 raid on one of their corporate headquarters (and the stepped up involvement of federal authorities in its aftermath).
News of the Quinns’ proximity to this investigation was exclusively reported by this news site last April.
It is generally believed that the Quinns were the target of #ProbeGate, however these latest developments would seem to indicate prosecutors believe they have information of value regarding other potentially higher-value targets.
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