S.C. Senator Accused Of Violent Threats Had Previous ‘Temper’ Issues

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by WILL FOLKS

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A South Carolina senator accused of lobbing inebriated threats at a conservative radio host – and drunkenly berating the fiancée of a local GOP party chairman – publicly referenced his “ill temper” and his need to seek “mental health” treatment months earlier, according to a Facebook post obtained by FITSNews.

Jeffrey Zell, 45, originally of Bellafontaine, Ohio, posted an apology on his personal Facebook page on May 13, 2025 referencing unspecified incidents which reportedly occurred during the 2025 session of the S.C. General Assembly.

“I just wanted to drop (a) line and apologize for my ill-temper over the last month or so,” Zell wrote. “The senate session was a level of stress that I don’t believe I’ve ever experienced and my reaction to stress is fight or flight. Now that a few days has passed and I’ve been able to take a moment, I want to thank you all for your support and your patience and for extending me grace when I didn’t deserve it.”

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FITSNews has been informed of several alleged incidents involving Zell during the recent legislative session, which adjourned on Thursday, May 8, 2025. We are continuing to investigate those reports.

“Just to make sure all the screws are tightened up, I’ve scheduled some mental health appointments with the VA,” Zell continued, a reference to the Veterans Affairs‘ health care system. “I’m not ashamed of that. Anyone needing help, you should get it.”

Here’s a look at the post…

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Zell’s official biography lists two decades of service in the U.S. Air Force (USAF) from 2002-2022.

“All is good, just making sure that I’m able to give my best to those that support and sacrifice with me,” Zell added.

All was not good, however – allegedly – at a party held two months later at the home of S.C. senator Matt Leber. As our Dylan Nolan reported, Zell was accused of threatening to physically assault conservative talk radio host Corey Allen at Leber’s home last Friday (July 18, 2025). He is also alleged to have verbally berated the fiancée of Dorchester County GOP chairman C.J. Westfall – and, according to Westfall – bad-mouthed “other major conservatives in the state.”

Zell dismissed the allegations as “nasty rumors being spread about me by some really bad people.”

In a statement provided to FITSNews, Zell insisted “at no point did I threaten (Allen) or engage in any form of violence, not once.”

“That is a complete fabrication,” he claimed.

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RELATED | SENATOR ACCUSED OF LOBBING DRUNKEN THREATS

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Westfall – whom Zell ironically listed as a witness on his behalf – directly contradicted the freshman senator’s take on what transpired at Leber’s party.

“I was reluctant to go on record because we wanted to give him a chance to apologize for his drunken behavior,” Westfall told FITSNews. “(But) Zell doubling down on lies – it’s a shame, and it’s revealing about him and why he was so ineffective in his first session, because he can’t be trusted.”

Westfall went on to accuse Zell of behaving like “a drunk idiot” and a “drunken frat boy.”

FITSNews made repeated attempts this week to reach Zell for comment regarding his prior “ill temper” apology – and his public statements regarding his need for mental health treatment. Specifically, we wanted to know prompted the post (from his perspective) – and whether he followed through on the appointments. As of this writing, we have received no response from the senator, but in the event that changes we will certainly provide our audience with that information.

Certainly, it is right to question why someone’s mental health issues are anyone’s business but their own. But the recent allegations leveled against Zell, a sitting senator – and his own statements attesting to previous issues – point to a potential pattern of unhinged behavior that could easily undermine his ability to serve.

Simply put, voters of S.C. Senate District 36 (.pdf) – which includes all of Clarendon County and parts of Calhoun, Orangeburg and Sumter counties – deserve to know whether their elected leaders have, to paraphrase Crash Davis, “been known on occasion to howl at the moon.”

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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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