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The leader of South Carolina’s Freedom Caucus is calling for a special session of the S.C. General Assembly to consider the expulsion of the group’s former leader, Robert John “RJ” May III.
In a letter obtained by FITSNews, caucus chairman Jordan Pace asked S.C. House speaker Murrell Smith and S.C. Senate president Thomas Alexander to reconvene the legislature to consider “the immediate expulsion of RJ May from the House of Representatives.”
“Now that the warrant against May has finally been unsealed and the evidence presented is so horrific that a judge has denied him bail, it is apparent that this matter can no longer wait,” Pace wrote in his letter (.pdf).
As exclusively reported by our Andy Fancher, May was arrested on June 11, 2025 on a ten-count federal indictment accusing him of distributing more than 220 child sexual abuse material (CSAM) videos under the alias “Joebidennnn69.” According to a stomach-turning 22-page motion (.pdf) from prosecutors, those videos included graphic footage involving the rape of infants and toddlers.
U.S. magistrate judge Shiva V. Hodges approved the government’s motion to deny May bond on the charges filed against him.
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Upon the indictment’s unsealing, May was statutorily suspended from the S.C. House of Representatives pending the disposition of the charges against him (per the S.C. Code of Laws § 8-13-560). That suspension would last until May “is acquitted, convicted, pleads guilty, or pleads nolo contendere.”
Or until lawmakers voted to remove him from the chamber…
Pace has previously called for May’s resignation, stating the Freedom Caucus “stands firmly for the rule of law and the protection of children.” Opponents of the group have accused Freedom Caucus members – without evidence – of knowingly “harboring” May.
“Within hours of his arrest I publicly demanded that May resign, but he has thus far refused to do so,” Pace continued. “In the meantime, the constituents of House District 88 in Lexington County are left without representation until this body acts. There is an increasing likelihood that these voters will be unrepresented when regular session reconvenes in January if we delay beyond the last week of August because of the time need to complete a special election.”
Pace noted he had spoken with “numerous members across party lines and caucuses,” adding there “appears to be broad unanimity in support of taking this decisive action to protect the integrity of the House and ensure that the people of that district are not left without a voice.”
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RELATED | POLITICAL TIES AND HARD DRIVES
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“Given the gravity of the allegations and the importance of maintaining the public’s trust in our institution, I respectfully urge you to reconvene the legislature on one of the dates proposed above so that we may take up this necessary and urgent matter,” Pace concluded.
As FITSNews first reported last summer, federal and state law enforcement agents descended upon May’s West Columbia, S.C. home on the morning of August 5, 2024. Upon arrival, they executed a search warrant in connection with an ongoing federal investigation into child sex abuse materials (CSAM, a.k.a. “child porn”).
Our media outlet subsequently confirmed the focus of the raid – and shortly thereafter confirmed that multiple devices had been seized in connection with it. We further confirmed that federal investigators with the special investigations unit (HSI) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) were securing additional warrants which would enable them to search these devices.
Count on FITSNews to keep our audience in the loop on all of the latest developments as the RJ May scandal continues to unfold…
BANNER VIA: ANDY FANCHER
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THE LETTER…
(S.C. House of Representatives)
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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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2 comments
The whole council should be terminated for not handling this a year ago
Jordo and Little Lying Cromer are the ones who should be expelled. Those two have lied to the people of SC over and over. Now, because Little Lying Cromer got caught telling you RJ May was an upstanding member in a press conference, you are scared. OWN IT. Cromer has been lying about everything from the start. She ain’t an executive at her dad’s company. If she is, then she hired illegal aliens. Same old story. Pace buckle up. You and Cromer have consistent lied to the people of SC and now you are begging your colleagues for a bail out. Also, another legislator pointed out you and other Freedumb Caucus members paid RJ May money during the investigation. Even the pizza delivery guy, Beech, said it was about guns. May is in jail and maybe others should be too for lying.