‘Days Of Our Congressman’: The Secret Life Of William Timmons’ Mistress

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People say a lot of things about this news outlet … especially if you scroll through the super shrill and caustically cacophonous echo chambers on social media. I hear my site is a “tabloid.” I hear I post “clickbait.” I hear I’m “sensationalistic.” The so called “bad boy of South Carolina journalism.” And those are just the polite criticisms.

Fair enough. I get it. And some days (today?) I am probably deserving of at least some of that derision. But remember, my media outlet also digs deep on important national issues. And leads the push on vital state-level reforms. And exposes local scandals involving misconduct and misappropriation of your money.

It also tells deeply personal stories impacting – and impacted by – all of the above.

So call FITSNews what you want … but pigeonhole us at your own peril. Because more often than not, we are driving the debate … whether you like the direction in which we are headed (or the way in which we arrive there).

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Sometimes, though … we don’t drive the narrative. Sometimes the narrative drives us.

When it comes to the still-unfolding ‘Days of our Congressman’ saga involving U.S. representative William Timmons – which is careening toward an important September 18, 2023 court date – the aforementioned context is vitally important. It matters – both in light of the larger story we are telling and the specific information this news outlet is publishing today.

It is especially important to note given the ongoing, multi-faceted investigation we are conducting into Timmons and his mistress, Paula Dhier – and the subsequent civil and criminal pursuits of “justice” accompanying it.

This story has taken twists and turns we never imagined – including a mysterious death that took place in mid-January of this year in Mexico. That’s right. A mysterious death. And that’s just one of the hanging threads we are currently pulling. Seriously, I thought this story jumped the shark during last summer’s memorable performance theater at the pink church in Greenville’s West End – when the husband of Timmons’ lover kind of went nuts in an interview with me.

Turns out the crazy was just getting started … and the guy everyone (including me) thought was nuts is emerging as the most rational actor in this drama.

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At the heart of all of this – indeed, the primum mobile of all of this – is Timmons, a third-term congressman from a fifth-generation, über-wealthy, über-influential family in Greenville, South Carolina. His great-grandfather – William R. Timmons Sr. – built an empire in the Upstate beginning in the mid-1920s, focusing on the real estate, trucking and insurance industries. The family – which helped establish the city’s civic and philanthropic communities – is reportedly worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

“All that money has failed to purchase class for many members of the current generation, however,” I noted recently.

Timmons is a delicate, shrill, pusillanimous amalgamation of generational entitlement/ dynastic erosion – a guy born half-way to home plate thinking he hit a World Series-winning home run. Petulant, manipulative, evasive, hypocritical and sanctimonious … Timmons is probably the biggest political drama queen to saunter across South Carolina’s soap opera stage in decades.

And yes … I say that fully aware this is the same state which generated Mark Sanford‘s tearful confessions from the Appalachian Trial. And Nikki Haley‘s backseat misadventures in indiscreetly parked Cadillac sport utility vehicles. And, um … Southern Charm.

To quote Taylor Swift’s ‘Anti-Hero,’ Timmons is the epitome of “covert narcissism” disguised as altruism – “like some kind of congressman.” Except he is an actual congressman. And his narcissism is not all that covert. Just to be clear, that’s not my description of the man – that’s his own mistress dragging him out on TikTok. You know, while she was busy boutique shopping in Georgetown … where he put her up so she could be with him in Washington, D.C.

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How’d we get here?

To recap: As part of what has been described to us as a “calculated bid to blow up his marriage,” Timmons initiated his own sex scandal with Dhier last spring via an unsolicited “prayers and privacy” statement issued to this news outlet. Timmons’ now-infamous 18-word statement was provided to FITSNews in response to rumors of an extramarital affair with Dhier.

Emphasis, though, on “unsolicited.”

“This news outlet never asked Timmons for a statement about his affair – nor did we indicate we had any plans to publish a story related to the allegations against him,” I reminded readers last month. “In fact, we had no plans to report on the affair … at least not until Timmons publicly acknowledged a ‘difficult private matter’ involving his wife.”

Actually, Timmons’ statement went beyond “unsolicited.” My news outlet actively eschews digging into politicians’ personal lives unless there is some nexus to wasted taxpayer funds, abuse of power, associated criminality or some totally over-the-top hypocrisy. And while this could very well wind up as an “all of the above” situation, Timmons’ advisors knew about our ground rules for affair reporting. They knew my media outlet doesn’t write on these stories … at least not unless members of congress go on the record talking about them.

Like the proverbial toothpaste coming out of a tube (err … perhaps there’s a more apropos analogy for Dhier?), Timmons came almost immediately … to regret his preemptive revelation.

Timmons has probably also come to regret his initial indignant response to the story breaking in wide circulation – which (surprise) caused said circulation to widen even further.

But the primary cause of Timmons’ ongoing regret? Ron Rallis.

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Rallis is … where to start. First of all, he’s the estranged husband of Dhier. And father to the couple’s young daughter – a little girl for whom he has such devotion that he is clearly willing to endure the wrath of the Palmetto political gods. He’s also a multimillionaire Upstate real estate developer. Handsome, fit and swarthy, Rallis is the dictionary definition of what the Millennials call “ZFG,” or “zero f*cks given.” No really … he is the physical embodiment of all those .gif files people send to each other about their “field of f*cks” being barren. Well, that and an eight-minute abs model.

Just how “ZFG” is Rallis?

Last summer, he walked into a West End Greenville church he previously purchased – and painted pink – and gave this news outlet an exclusive interview regarding his starring role in the Timmons’ sex scandal. As television crews gathered outside, Rallis spoke passionately with me about his battle for custody of his daughter with Dhier.

When the interview was over, he left the church, boarded his private jet and flew to his house in the Hamptons.

He didn’t stop trolling Timmons, though. In fact, Rallis has been so good at ginning up attention on this case that producers of the aforementioned Southern Charm offered him a spot on their program – which he declined.

As Rallis railed against him, Timmons and his family grew increasingly enraged … and pushed back hard.

Told to sit down and shut up by Upstate family court judge Timothy Madden, Rallis refused. In response, Madden sentenced him to three months in jail on a contempt charge. The 44-year-old California native served every single day … even after he was placed in a cell with an accused murderer. And even after attorneys for Dhier tried to essentially bribe him with offers to reduce his sentence.

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Dhier’s affair with Timmons reportedly began in 2021 when she was living off-and-on with various members of the Timmons family – including the congressman and his wife, Sarah Timmons. Dhier and Sarah Timmons were longtime friends – “best friends” of more than seven years, in fact – according to multiple sources familiar with the status of their relationship.

Yeah … who cheats with their best friend’s husband?

Timmons isn’t the only married man with whom Dhier has had a dalliance, though (and note I didn’t say “allegedly” there).

As this news outlet previously reported, Dhier was recently accused of using the name and email address of a former employee to send “salacious” messages to multiple recipients – messages which purportedly included “nude photos of herself.”

In fact, the former employee in question – Ann Stewart Hickerson – was reportedly on the brink of bringing a lawsuit against Dhier until Timmons allegedly intervened. According to our sources, attorneys for Dhier and Hickerson have been in negotiations ever since our story on these photos was first published.

Several of the photos in question have been circulating in influential circles in and around Greenville for months …

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In addition to hundreds of images and videos, this news outlet has also obtained thousands of text messages, emails and other communications documenting Dhier’s various romantic entanglements – with Timmons and other influential married men.

Why does this matter?

Several reasons. If you’ve followed this saga for more than a hot minute, you know it isn’t just about affairs. Nor is it just about pretty people getting naked and texting each other their naughty bits (and their even naughtier imaginings).

As mentioned earlier, in one of the affairs we have uncovered involving Dhier, somebody died.

That’s right … died.

(Just wait until you hear that story).

Also, Timmons’ alleged extracurriculars with other women have attracted congressional attention – although it appears the recent “Republican” takeover of the U.S. House of Representatives has squelched these inquiries for the time being. Still, scrutiny remains as to whether taxpayer funds have ever been used in connection with the furtherance of Timmons’ myriad extramarital adventures.

Those with receipts say “yes.” And while Timmons’ team was able to deep six a story in The Washington Post last year which sought to delve into some of these claims – under the threat of legal action – the sharks in the national media smell blood in the water. And are still circling.

Also, let’s not forget the many surreptitious moves being made in the shadows of the towering, tawdry headlines this scandal is cranking out. Just before this story “broke,” Timmons gave his estranged wife a valuable piece of property – apparently in exchange for her silence regarding his sexploits. Then there is the most concerning aspect of the story. As I noted last month, Timmons reportedly sent threatening messages to Rallis in attempt to browbeat him into settling the family court case on terms favorable to Dhier.

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Aside from all this, there are legitimate issues at stake regarding the integrity of the family court system in the S.C. thirteenth judicial circuit. Dhier’s attorney is influential S.C. House ways and means chairman Bruce Bannister – one of the powerful lawyer-legislators who picks and chooses judges in South Carolina. This notoriously corrupt judicial selection process has consistently perverted the course of justice in the Palmetto State – routinely giving influential lawyer-legislators like Bannister an unfair advantage in the courtrooms where they appear.

Can Rallis get a fair trial when the system is rigged against him? And when a sitting congressman is reportedly footing the legal bill for his estranged wife?

Timmons has also made it clear he is seeking to stamp out this scandal sooner rather than later because he is “running for reelection” next spring.

Donald Trump was indicted for less, people. But hey … let’s ignore all of that and get indignant about a female congresswoman having (or not having) sex with her fiancee. Because Timmons was indignant about that very situation just last month when his delegation-mate Nancy Mace had the audacity to say that’s what she was doing.

A former assistant solicitor, Timmons was elected to the South Carolina Senate in November 2016 – ousting longtime incumbent Mike Fair. He served half a term in the chamber prior to announcing his bid to replace Trey Gowdy as congressman for the fourth district – which includes the Greenville and Spartanburg metropolitan areas.

After winning a runoff election in 2018, Timmons was reelected in 2020 and 2022 – although his most recent primary victory over a trio of virtually unknown candidates was underwhelming. Timmons – who was unopposed in the general election last fall – also surrendered a surprisingly robust 9.19 percent of the vote to write-in candidate Lee Turner.

Adam Morgan – a state representative from Greenville and chairman of the S.C. Freedom Caucus – is reportedly planning to campaign against Timmons in next spring’s GOP primary election for the fourth congressional district. However, as of this writing it does not appear as though he has made any moves in that direction.

Dhier’s attorney did not immediately respond to our request for comment on any of these new developments. Similarly, Rallis’ lawyer/ lover – Erika Baldwin – declined to comment for this story.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR ...

Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children.

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