Over the weekend this news site reported on a radio campaign launched in the Upstate against powerful South Carolina legislative leader Brian White – the opening salvo in a war we presaged several months ago.
Since then, we’ve learned this group – Citizens Opposed to Arrogant Politicians (love the name) – has dropped at least one mail piece in White’s district comparing him to infamous Revolutionary War turncoat Benedict Arnold. It’s all part of an apparent effort to defeat the influential legislative leader in his bid for another term representing S.C. House District 6 (map) – the seat he has held since the 2000 election.
Take a look …
(Click to view)
(Via: Provided)
The reverse side of this mailing – which bears the group’s name and a Greer, S.C. address – slams White for betraying his district “by supporting the 71 percent gas tax increase.”
“Call it ego, arrogance or both, but one thing you cannot call it is loyalty to his constituents,” the mail piece states. “Do you want a traitor the likes of Benedict Arnold representing your conservative values in the SC House?”
Good question …
To be clear: This news site is no friend to White, believing him to be among the most notorious tax-and-spenders in all of state government. As chairman of the influential ways and means committee – which gets first crack at all taxing and spending legislation in the Palmetto State – White has consistently voted against the best interests of those he represents.
And the rest of us …
Additionally, we stridently opposed the gas tax increase – with our founding editor Will Folks going so far as to file a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality.
Furthermore, we were exceedingly pleased to see this group make one of the critical points that we made throughout the gas tax debate regarding the disproportionate impact this new levy is having on dirt poor Palmetto State residents.
“South Carolina motorists … already pay a far greater percentage of their incomes on fuel than residents of almost every other state,” the group noted in its mail piece against White.
Indeed they do … which is something we pleaded with state lawmakers to bear in mind as they contemplated imposing this massive new levy.
Did they listen?
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No .. they did not …
Anyway, as of this writing the anti-White radio and direct mail ads are not accompanied by an announced challenger to the 50-year-old politician – which has raised questions as to who is behind them.
The ads have also raised questions as to whether the GOP leadership in the S.C. House of Representatives will aggressively defend White – who has plenty of money in his campaign war chest (and the ability to raise plenty more in the event a credible challenger emerges).
Theories as to who is behind the anti-White campaign run the gamut, but this news site has been reliably informed that several operatives with ties to the gubernatorial campaign of Henry McMaster are involved in the effort.
Why on earth would McMaster’s network – which has found itself in an unexpectedly ferocious fight for political survival ahead of this June’s GOP gubernatorial primary – open another front against an influential legislative leader? Right at the moment when McMaster desperately needs to demonstrate his ability to govern?
That’s a good question …
Frankly, a move by McMaster against White makes absolutely zero sense – especially when you consider the governor basically winked and nodded at fiscally liberal lawmakers when he “vetoed” their gas tax hike.
So what gives?
We’re digging … although whoever is targeting White we would have a hard time opposing their efforts given his history of selling out citizens and taxpayers.
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