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I want to begin with words that have always inspired me to push myself as far and as hard as physically possible every day of my life: “Only those who are willing to risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” By the end of this statement, I hope you’ll understand why this resonates so deeply. As an elected official, I’ve always called balls and strikes, and this is no different.
Mullins McLeod is a stellar lawyer, a lifelong advocate for justice, and a true friend. We have all seen the video of his arrest, and it is clear that, in that moment, he was not himself. As we say in the country, he lost it. This happens to people every day, across South Carolina and across the nation. In Mullins’s case, it was an obvious side effect of a prescription and, I believe, a reflection of the passion and care he has for addressing the injustices we continue to see in South Carolina politics.
Consider the realities of our state: the leader of an entire division of the Republican Party, preaching God and family values, indicted for child sexual abuse materials; Congresspeople settling personal vendettas from the floor of the United States House; elected officials exploiting the suffering of real people to justify further abuse. Meanwhile, taxes remain unreasonably high, government overreach infringes on the most personal of decisions, public funds are diverted from schools to private institutions most of us can never access, and rural South Carolina continues to decline as party ambitions overshadow community needs. These are not abstract issues, they are everyday tragedies that can push even the most decent, caring person to the brink. Passion, when combined with care, can be a powerful catalyst for behavior.
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Yet in South Carolina, far too many people—and far too many leaders—do not care enough, or do not show they care at all. Too many cannot set aside red or blue. If you have never been driven to frustration and exhaustion by systems exploiting people, by leaders treating the public like disposable objects, or by investing countless hours trying to right daily injustices, it may be hard to understand the toll that passion takes on the mind, body, and soul.
Today, we see MAGA America celebrate “crazy,” “ridiculous,” and “extreme” behavior, pandering to a small base they scarcely care about, simply to gain power. I would much rather see someone who dedicates themselves to fixing broken systems, and who may have one bad moment outside their character, than those in office who display bad character every day to manipulate the darker side of human nature.
This is not an endorsement of any candidate over another. But I strongly disagree with those urging Mullins McLeod to step aside out of “concern” for his well-being. The video does not represent how people should behave, nor does it illustrate behavior expected of a candidate running for office. However, it also doesn’t and shouldn’t define the total of a person’s character. It certainly does not define Mullins, his work, or his lifelong commitment to everyday people. Every human being can have a terrible moment. Mullins alone knows whether he can handle the pressures of a Governor’s race.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Justin Bamberg, a.k.a. “the People’s Rep,” is an attorney from Bamberg, S.C. He represents the citizens of House District 90 in the S.C. General Assembly.
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13 comments
Back your boy if you must Justin, but McLeod needs some help – that isn’t normal behavior and the story is it isn’t the first example of erratic behavior.
As we also say in the country, He’s crazy as a shithouse rat!
He threatened Alan Wilson, the appropriate law would be Threatening a public official, a felony.
Alan Wilson on saving him with the benefit of a doubt, get Wilson in that governors chair ASAP.
Wow! What a beautiful, profound, and well written article. I agree 100%. Thank you, Justin Bamberg. Thank you to FITS NEWS too for allowing publication of this viewpoint and thank you to Justin for bravery in publicly expressing a viewpoint that I suspect will be unpopular, ridiculed and dismissed.
Yes, on the other side of the coin it is nice to see support for someone who clearly messed up. Life is life, and there’s growing from mistakes.
Though my vote wouldn’t have been for him before seeing the video, if his episode truly was caused by side effects of prescribed medication, I agree that it shouldn’t be held against his character as he wouldn’t have been in control. That could happen to any of us. For his reputation’s sake, he needs to provide medical documentation to such along with proof that he’s being monitored by a medical professional with new medications.
Alan Wilson is no better candidate for governor after he clearly closed his eyes to evidence in Scott Spivey’s death. I didn’t know Scott nor do I know his family. I’m an advocate for victims. Someone being chased on a highway for 9 miles then murdered after stopping does not constitute Stand Your Ground. Boyd called 911 and his part should’ve ended there instead of pursuing him, which ended in him taking Spivey’s life. Evidence has been proven of officer corruption in coverups. as well as the deputy coroner allowing Spivey’s body to remain in his truck for several hours before being processed. That’s defamation of a human body. Alan Wilson’s lack of reprimanding in that case and lack of compassion to Spivey’s family, as well as citizens in this state, shows he’s corrupt himself. How many other victims and their families have fell victim to this type of corruption? Mica Francis (Miller), Chris Skinner, Tyler Doyle to name a few. Thank You FitsNews for covering those cases for us!
Alan Wilson lost my vote (and gained my active protestation of him ever holding any office) due to the Scott Spivey case. It is a case study in Alan Wilson’s character (or lack thereof).
I don’t live in Spartanburg nor do I know this person. I must say that if we wonder what happened to the morals and ethics in our country, just watch this entire video. Why would anyone even consider this man for an elected official in this state or country? I would love to see the prescription, if there is one that has not been obtained after this video was made. The fact remains that this man was driving, very much, under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If there is a prescription it would have said on the bottle not to drive while taking this medication. His filthy language is enough to disgust me. All the information from those defending him is ridiculous. It is just an attempt at deflection from the moral compass of this candidate.
This is where his journey starts, if he wants to run as the Democratic candidate theres going to have to be some personal changes, from the article above he seems to have prestige, but he got knocked down to the human level. Turns out he isnt God. So instead of running as some big wig lawyer backed by (I’m learning a bunch of democratic trial lawyers in Colombia?) He has to run with conviction. The other candidates and law enforcement could have pushed for harsher consequences axing his ability to run for politics, let alone what the south carolina bar can do to his career and ability to practice. Those actions seem to not be happening, hes has to take that as a huge opportunity for a second chance.
Its understandable what the publics initial response to him right now is but we’ve got Newsom coming here spewing whatever hes spewing and pushing pressure on the democrats to be more aggressive. Low key trying to bring California politics here. I dont think that’s the appropriate response. This Bamberd guy flipped out under the influence, then heighten that with being in the back of a cop car knowing hes screwed he said highly inappropriate things and naming people he obviously knows are strong candidates for Governor who he probably knows personally.
What we need is cohesiveness, we got to stop pitting wars against each other. We can disagree, and push for the right thing this state needs. They (both parties) have to stop treating the office as some VIP club, and get back to basics and have politicians feel good again by representing the people and in turn the people feel good in whose representing them. Thats the character we need in office in my opinion.
I’m republican, but the truth is South Carolina as a whole are a great group of people who are caring and understanding, also we’re a police state so walk the line. If he humbles himself he’ll be surprised how far he can go with what happened. Bush was an alcoholic, Beto was a “Rock star” who got a dui and shamed his dad who was a judge,
then he turned it around and became a really cool guy. I’ve met beto a couple of times and he was just a cool dude, El paso TX loved him (both reps and dems), but I have no idea who Beto is acting like now, key word acting, is he some ruthless power PAC democrat hero? Its weird, and that’s the thinking we dont need.
I agree with the moral compass concern and when its gone that far off the tracks getting nailed in your underwear shouting your god and kicking teeth in and threatening mace! Wrong woman to defy by the way, and all that was public. This is exactly what can correct his compass if he humbles himself, gets help, not “look I went to rehab” help, but praying, gathering with friends and family and readjusting his priorities, apologizing and move forward. If he’s just going to act like some untouchable Charleston goof ball unpack newsom tactics and go scorched earth causing mayhem in the govenors race, then the lesson wasn’t learned.
The real vile disgusting cloud that is lingering in this state is that other story, that micah miller story someone brought up, with that alleged con artist abuser who married the girl whose paralyzed husband killed himself, then marrying that guys wife…what a mess that’s who we need to unleash Mace on. Sadly though those kids will need a lot of support, and healing in this whole ordeal which im sure is the shield that guy is hiding behind, but whats the best intrest to those children and I hope those newly weds are thinking about that and only that right now. What a mess.
Mcleod..sorry Mr Bamberg didn’t mean to confuse the author with the other guy in that response.
He wasn’t driving, he was on foot. Get your facts straight.
Bamberg’s article is primarily his attempt to trash Republicans. More partisan politics!
Running cover for a dem nutcase and calling the majority of the voters in the USA a “small base”.
Pretty much the Democrat Party in a nutshell.