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by WILL FOLKS
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Over the weekend, FITSNews filed an exclusive report on a bombshell civil lawsuit filed against second-term South Carolina senator Josh Kimbrell of Boiling Springs, S.C.. According to the lawsuit, Kimbrell and his wife – Liliya Kimbrell – conspired with an Upstate banker to defraud a company he co-owns of more than $2 million.
Filed by Kimbrell’s business partner, Frank George Rogers of Greenville, S.C., the lawsuit (.pdf) accused Kimbrell of creating a fake business – Exodus Airways LLC – to divert proceeds from Exodus Aircraft LLC, the company he owns with Rogers.
“Kimbrell has diverted in excess of $2 million from Exodus in approximately two-and-a-half years,” the lawsuit claimed.
According to our sources, the civil complaint is tied to an ongoing criminal investigation into Kimbrell.
While Kimbrell responded directly to our request for comment regarding the allegations against him – and issued a statement addressing them – this week he published a video on his Facebook page providing additional comment.
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“You may have seen some headlines recently and I want to speak directly to you about them,” Kimbrell said in the video. “Let me be perfectly clear – what we’re dealing with here is nothing short of a politically motivated attack, an orchestrated attempt by entrenched forces in Columbia to distract us from the real work that needs to be done.”
Kimbrell made it clear he intends to stay in the race for governor – which he formally entered last month.
“I won’t be intimidated,” he said. “I won’t back down. And I won’t stop fighting for the families of South Carolina no matter how many bogus accusations they throw at me.”
Here, in its entirety, is Kimbrell’s response…
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According to Kimbrell, he is the focus of “targeted lawfare” originating from former S.C. thirteenth circuit solicitor Walt Wilkins, who recently stepped down from his elected post and entered private practice.
“He brought a phony case against me involving my child where I was ultimately completely vindicated,” Kimbrell stated, noting that Wilkins’ new law firm is representing the plaintiffs in the civil suit against him.
“This isn’t a coincidence,” Kimbrell alleged. “It’s a coordinated campaign. It’s lawfare plain and simple – and it’s being driven by the same Columbia swamp that’s afraid of real conservative leadership.”
The only problem with Kimbrell’s argument? The last time we checked, he was part of the Columbia swamp…
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RELATED | SENATOR IMPLICATED IN BOMBSHELL CIVIL LAWSUIT
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Kimbrell, 40, of Spartanburg, S.C. is a former radio host. He was elected to represent the people of S.C. Senate District 11 (.pdf) in November 2020 – defeating a longtime Democrat incumbent, Glenn Reese. He was reelected to another four-year term last fall.
While Kimbrell positions himself as a conservative, his recent left-of-center votes – and more recently his subservience to the Palmetto State’s toxic trial lawyer lobby – have exposed a mile-wide status quo streak. In other words, it’s far more likely the Columbia swamp is bankrolling his candidacy than trying to undermine it via “lawfare.”
Early gubernatorial polling has Kimbrell positioned well behind a quartet of frontrunners including attorney general Alan Wilson, U.S. congresswoman Nancy Mace, lieutenant governor Pamela Evette and U.S. congressman Ralph Norman.
Count on FITSNews to keep close tabs on this civil case as it advances – and to alert our audience to any movement on the criminal side of the ledger.
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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 eight children.
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6 comments
Kimbrell’s full of it, blaming Wilkins for his 2014 arrest. Greenville Police made the charge and arrested him. Wilkins dismissed the charge in four months, which is pretty quick in solicitor timing. Even after that, GPD still said they thought they had probable cause to make the arrest.
Now, Wilkins is tight with Wilson and could have gotten involved in this as a way to help the AG, but Kimbrell is not a real threat. I don’t see Wilkins retiring as Solicitor just to be Wilson’s hatchet man.
If the former Solicitor is such pals with Wilson why is he supporting Evette?
“The only problem with Kimbrell’s argument? The last time we checked, he was part of the Columbia swamp…”. Correct observation
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Kimbrell is NO THREAT. Let him pander and feel important for a few months. No one is taking his candidacy serious. He’s just another Ralph Norman. All talk. Never passed anything!
Kimbrell has no chance of being elected.
He is part of the swamp.
He treated Treasurer Loftis like dirt based of far less evidence than this lawsuit has offered.
This ain’t law fare, this is a businessman wanting his money back from a thief.
Those that preach the loudest about their high moral standing are the ones you have to watch the closet.
DRAIN THE SWAMP.
Senator Josh Kimbrell stole 1.25 million bucks? Man, he is smarter than I thought.
I suspected he was a small time crook, but it seems I had him all wrong.
If Kimbrell survives this debacle he will be rewarded with a Senate committee ship. He has proven he is qualified to be an official crook in the upper chamber.