STEVE FRENCH BLASTS “BUSINESS AS USUAL” IN COLUMBIA
South Carolina’s Libertarian gubernatorial nominee weighed in on the scandal enveloping powerful S.C. Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell this week – saying a controversial court ruling in the case “allows business as usual to continue in South Carolina.”
Steve French – a Charleston, S.C. businessman who has embraced an aggressive government reform agenda – said Harrell’s case highlights the need for real ethics reform in the Palmetto State.
Specifically, French wants to eliminate legislative exemptions to the state’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) laws – the kind S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley famously availed herself of back in 2010. He is also pushing for lawmakers to disclose all sources of income – another issue Haley has struggled with in the past.
French also wants to end the legislature’s corrupt “self-policing” mechanism for current and former members – which enabled Haley to evade accountability on her public corruption scandal in 2012 (and which is currently being used in Harrell’s case).
“S.C. lawmakers cannot be allowed to continue serving as the exclusive judge and jury anytime serious allegations brought against other lawmakers,” we wrote in the wake of Haley’s 2012 scandal. “Instead, they should be subjected to the same laws – and the same prosecution – as any other elected official.”
According to French the pursuit of such reforms is a critical component of his campaign – which he says is built around “challenging the establishment of both parties that have held the state of South Carolina back for decades.”
Good for him …
Haley and Harrell are both guilty as sin of violating state law – abusing their positions of public trust for personal gain. Were there any justice in this state, both would be wearing orange jumpsuits right now.
“It seems that the elected officials from both parties have very little interest in creating a more open and transparent government for the people of South Carolina,” French said.
Actually transparency isn’t the real problem … it’s the fact transparently corrupt politicians are allowed to break existing anti-corruption laws with impunity.
31 comments
Who gives a F*#k what this idiot thinks???..
He wants to make Heroin, Prostitution and all gambling legal..We have a society of liberals who are killing children….and this Dumb@$$ thinks he can impose laws on the people he hates, yet there is no right to legislate the truly wicked, criminal and immoral…
This @$$hole is the problem….He’s the last one we need preaching to us…
“Who gives a F*#k what this idiot thinks???..”
“This @$$hole is the problem….He’s the last one we need preaching to us…”
I guess if they tell you to STFU and march in lockstep, you are so F*#king Stupid, you Salute to your comrades, and do what they tell you…
Again: Weak-minded and Stupid F*#k$ like you ARE the F*#king problem. You want to be “In The Crowd” instead of thinking one single thought for yourself….Dumb@$$…
I guess if they tell you to STFU and march in lockstep, you are so
F*#king Stupid, you Salute to your comrades, and do what they tell
you…
Again: Weak-minded and Stupid F*#k$ like you ARE the F*#king problem.
You want to be “In The Crowd” instead of thinking one single thought for
yourself….Dumb@$$…
“Weak-minded and Stupid F*#k$ like you ARE the F*#king problem.”
“Weak-minded and Stupid F*#k$ like you ARE the F*#king problem.”
+5 Lol!
Tom Ervin, you thought that was funny?
@Mirror Mirror
Awesome!!!
Hope you don’t mind if TBG plays, too.
“He wants to make Heroin, Prostitution and all gambling legal.”
Holy shit! That’s awesome.
Plus, it gives you a reason to get out of the trailer now and then.
Yum, male prostitutes, Heroin and betting of those hotties playing USC football. I just creamed my jeans, sign me up Mr. French, GrandTango is ready to make the Gay Tango with you any day.
now that is the real GT.. get down baby go ahead and get down.. back up on that thang.
SUMBEACHH!!
He’s done pissed off the PTB.
He’ll never win now.
Judge Manning’s order, which said that neither the grand jury “nor any other investigative agency shall take any further action” on the ethics-related allegations until the House Ethics Committee either decides on the case or refers the matter to the Attorney General.
“There is no investigation, there is no grand jury,” Harrell said. “The judge asked him repeatedly, ‘Tell me something that you’ve got.’ He (Alan Wilson) failed to come up with anything.
Judge Manning wrote in his decision that AG Wilson had not made the case that the allegations were worse than ethics violations. “Despite multiple requests, the Attorney General has failed to offer or present to the court any evidence or allegations which are criminal in nature,” Manning wrote.
“The attorney general has not yet filed an appeal. He may wait as long as he can so he can continue to defy Manning’s order to halt his investigation and not run the risk that the Supreme Court also would order him to stop.” …”Once Wilson files an appeal, he is under the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction.”
Go, Scooter, GO! Is Bobby treating you well?
Bobby who?
The AG is charged with investigating “public corruption”. I don’t know about others but for me, it is like pornography-maybe I can’t define it, but I know it when I see it. Harrell’s actions certainly rise to that level
The Judge doesn’t think so, and that’s all that matters.
The judge is a criminal like your daddy.
“There is no investigation, there is no grand jury,” Harrell said. “The judge asked him repeatedly, ‘Tell me something that you’ve got.’ He (AG Wilson) failed to come up with anything.
Read and weep Scooter, your Attorney General FAILED.
and judges make the right calls all the time… ok .. i will buy that.. go dance with gt..
Judge Manning wrote: “Despite multiple requests, the Attorney General has failed to offer or present to the court any evidence or allegations which are criminal in nature,”
PLEASE go away, anonymous. Your posts are the urine in filthy bathrooms at old gas stations.
Scooter, you seem to know a lot about that.
Do you have your funeral plans in order?
Quote from AP …”The attorney general has not yet filed an appeal. He may wait as long as he can so he can continue to defy Manning’s order to halt his investigation and not run the risk that the Supreme Court also would order him to stop.”
Wow Scooter, this is your Attorney General talking ….the Brain Trust of South Carolina has spoken …this is contempt anyway you look at it, AG Wilson is out of control.
Hey Scooter, I have an idea, why doesn’t the AG go pound on Harrell’s desk…..hahahahahahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
The funny part is …..drumroll please…. d.d.d.d.d.d.d.d.d.d.d.d.d.d.d.d.d..d.d.d.d.d.d.d.d.d…… it actually happened
Can we get a picture of French frenching his hot wife?
French is wrongheaded since like the last gubernatorial independent contender in 2010 he’ll simply draw a small fraction of voters, facilitating a narrow Haley victory.
Poorly-designed “French” signs are popping up, and when I’m driving with someone, they don’t notice, don’t care, or say, “Who’s French? Running for sheriff, school board?”
Takeaway: Uphill and futile battle; bad and predictable outcome for citizens seeking reform; pleasing to Haley; hold your nose and support Haley’s serious opponent, Sheheen.
According to the “3% social network gradient”, the small force of an informed and structural 3% can leverage the 97% to move in a certain voter direction…!!
You have been “busted” by the Wil Folk’s labs of reader intuitiveness….!
I don’t understand your comment. Perhaps you could enlighten me?
FEDERAL INVESTIGATION / PROSECUTION OF NON-FEDERAL OFFICIALS FOR PERSONAL USE OF CAMPAIGN FUNDS
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MARCH 3, 2014
“Indiana State Police and the FBI are investigating the spending of campaign funds by the mayor of the small Madison County city of Elwood….His campaign finance records show that he spent about $7,000 for wireless phone service and nearly $4,000 for cable TV. Money also was allegedly used to pay for hotel rooms….”
http://www.ibj.com/police-fbi-investigate-elwood-mayors-campaign-spending/PARAMS/article/46447
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APRIL 28, 2014
“Former Jersey City Council candidate Lavern Webb-Washington today admitted illegally using contributions to her political campaign for her personal use, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced….U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford, with the investigation leading up to today’s guilty plea.”
http://www.justice.gov/usao/nj/Press/files/Webb-Washington,%20Lavern%20Plea%20News%20Release.html