SC

SC Attorney General: Speaker Cannot Suspend Himself

ALAN WILSON’S OFFICE SAYS “PRESIDING OFFICER” MUST ISSUE SUSPENSION Nothing in South Carolina politics is ever simple or easy is it?  And maybe that’s the point … Anyway, moments after embattled S.C. Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell submitted a letter to the clerk of the chamber he controls –…

ALAN WILSON’S OFFICE SAYS “PRESIDING OFFICER” MUST ISSUE SUSPENSION

Nothing in South Carolina politics is ever simple or easy is it?  And maybe that’s the point …

Anyway, moments after embattled S.C. Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell submitted a letter to the clerk of the chamber he controls – a letter suspending himself from office (pending the resolution of criminal charges filed against him yesterday) – his action was invalidated by the state’s Attorney General, Alan Wilson.

Wait … what?  Hold on.  Hopefully we can clear this up for everybody.

On Wilson’s behalf, S.C. Solicitor General Robert D. Cook submitted a seven-page advisory opinion responding to inquiries about Harrell’s fate from a pair of Democratic lawmakers.

The conclusion of the letter?

“Harrell cannot suspend himself,” a source close to the Attorney General told FITS.  “If he can suspend himself, that means he can reinstate himself.  He has to be suspended by the presiding officer.”

That would be S.C. Speaker Pro Tempore Jay Lucas.

According to several legislative leaders, Lucas was traveling to Columbia, S.C. when the Attorney General’s opinion was issued and plans to review the document before determining if any “additional action” is required.

Harrell – who has been battling Wilson since January – took the opinion from his adversary in stride.

“The speaker has already done his part and acted in the best interests of the body and the state,” a source close to the Speaker told FITS. “He is focused now on clearing his name.”

Harrell was indicted this week on nine counts of public corruption – one count of malfeasance, two counts of misconduct in office and six counts of campaign finance violations.

To read our story on the indictment, CLICK HERE.  To read Harrell’s response, CLICK HERE.  To read the Attorney General’s advisory opinion, click on the link below …

S.C. ATTORNEY GENERAL ADVISORY OPINION (.pdf)

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38 comments

Jackie Chiles September 11, 2014 at 11:59 am

Lol. What a mess Harrell has created. He seems to think he can just make it up as he goes.

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Uh huh September 11, 2014 at 12:08 pm

“He seems to think he can just make it up as he goes.”

Well, he pretty much could do that up until this point.

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Nice Work September 11, 2014 at 12:04 pm

Wow, Sic …. Not even the Post and Courier has this report yet. Sheeshus, you’re fast!!!

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Grover September 11, 2014 at 12:06 pm

We need to clean house in the next elections starting this fall with biggest failure Haley.

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Jenny Folks September 11, 2014 at 12:53 pm

Replace her with what? Sheheen is Obama/Reid/Pelosi and “0%” Ervin is a liar, quiter, pro-partial birth abortion and state sanctioned gay marriage while teaching radical lifestyles in the public schools.

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WW September 11, 2014 at 1:56 pm

Sandi/jenny,
You are truly as pathetic and sickening as the looser Haley!
I guess you are alright with the deaths of these children and all of Haley’s lies!
I heard of her affair with Will Folks in 2007! She was a nothing second term below average House member! No one ever expected her to go anywhere back then. So, it was NOT a lie! That also makes her a lying ADULTERER/CHEATER!!!!!!!!
You are either Haley, her sicko sister, another family member, or some braain dead hired gun. You lie constantly about Ervin and when you were caught as Sandi Morales in your lies, you began posting as Jenny Folks!
There is a limit to your lies and you may find yourself in a very precarious position!

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ww fudd September 11, 2014 at 2:26 pm

LMAO!

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Thomas September 11, 2014 at 3:23 pm

Who are you to judge with your holier than thou moralizing.

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ww-d 40 September 11, 2014 at 10:23 pm

You threatening me? Fuck you.
Tell ya what….go tell that lying, faux Christian to go fuck himself with his skank ass wife’s dildo-and have her narrate it while Sheheen films it for the next ad!

Is that precarious enough loser?

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Smirks September 12, 2014 at 8:07 am
Ben September 11, 2014 at 12:10 pm

It’s SC. The whole place is retarded.

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Dave Chappelle September 11, 2014 at 4:07 pm

Thanks for the in-depth generalization, Ben. While I may certainly agree with all the chatter, I prefer to view myself as someone from/in SC that does apply common sense and logic.

Not to mention, there are quite a few people on these threads that do the same. You may have distinguished yourself with this regard.

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Nice Work September 11, 2014 at 12:17 pm

Misdemeanors that carry TEN YEARS in prison. Many felonies are much less time. Harry and his cronies have been writing some pretty bizarre statutes. Some felonies carry only 3 years on the 1st offense … others 5 years. More serious felonies much more …. but this MISDEMEANOR carries TEN YEARS. Should it not be classified as a FELONY???? … who in the hell is writing these SC Laws? Oh, that’s rights ….. Harrell and his cronies.

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ScrewedNSC September 11, 2014 at 2:57 pm

Any offense that could subject you to more than one year in prison is a felony as far as the feds are concerned.

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The Colonel September 11, 2014 at 12:21 pm

This just gets dumber by the minute.

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a face in the crowd September 11, 2014 at 12:24 pm

Trying to keep tabs on Harrell is like trying to hug a greased pig. He never stops attempting to manipulate the situation.

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===W=== September 11, 2014 at 1:10 pm

He came out the gate like that when all of this first started. And his conduct and reactions – and that of his cronies – became more and more bizarre as – causing everyone to suspect his guilt.

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Vote Haley out September 11, 2014 at 12:24 pm

OK LAWMAKERS TIME TO IMPEACH HALEY SHE IS INCAPABLE OF PERFORMING THE JOB OF GOVERNOR.

Dad Accused of Killing Kids was Ex-Con

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Prison documents and a family member say a
South Carolina man accused of killing his five children and dumping
their bodies in Alabama was an ex-convict who went on a crime spree in
2001 in Illinois.

According to Michael Combs, chief of the
criminal division of the McHenry County, Illinois, State’s Attorney’s
Office, Timothy Jones was arrested on a cocaine possession charge March
30, 2001, in Carpentersville, Illinois. He was arrested in September for
a crime spree that included stealing a car, burglary and passing forged
checks.

Reply
Pee Wee Ervin September 11, 2014 at 12:48 pm

You are a fucking idiot. Everybody knows 99% of the employees at DSS are Democrats and voted for Obama.

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anonymous September 11, 2014 at 1:19 pm

I agree. I have worked with (against) DSS for 26 years in the Midlands. They are 99% Democrats – and this is not a racist comment because it crosses racial lines here.

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Thomas September 11, 2014 at 3:25 pm

You mean the 99% democrats in DSS is black?

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Sharon September 11, 2014 at 4:00 pm

So why didnt DSS have this in there report and its only coming out now…huh????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

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Retired Soldier September 11, 2014 at 3:58 pm

Idiot huh? Who is charge of DSS right now? Haley…..seems you are the idiot.

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Not Defending Him September 11, 2014 at 1:06 pm

13 years ago at the age of 19.

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shut up idiot September 11, 2014 at 1:53 pm

What does any of that have to do with Haley, or the tragedy that happened here? I might want her out of office too, and I may not, but I’m not a dumbass like you to blame a 2001 arrest in another state on her Get a clue dumbass, you make everyone else look bad.

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===W=== September 11, 2014 at 1:14 pm

So Harrell helped write the laws he is charged with — and he helped to make them misdemeanors when they all should be felonies. That is like saying if I get caught robbing a bank, I have already written into law what my own punishment shall be.

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Bible Thumper September 11, 2014 at 9:08 pm

The felonies may come. We haven’t heard FEDS yet.

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the people need recall September 11, 2014 at 1:28 pm

All the more reason to give the people a voice in this sickening process!
Enhance governmental accountability by allowing registered voters to recall
elected officials who violate the trust placed in them by the electorate. Many
states allow such recall efforts if enough voters are upset with the actions of
an elected official. We in South Carolina need this ability as well. This is a
strong weapon in maintaining government OF the people, BY the people and FOR the
people instead of government by special interests.

Reply
Philip Branton September 11, 2014 at 1:35 pm

***…..meanwhile over at 2601 Devine ….****

https://plus.google.com/106421174050239190985/about?gl=us&hl=en

James B. Holderman: ” My what big beautiful eyes you have…”

Liz Gunn: ” Oh James……you bad boy…”

Jenny: “Liz, honey…..don’t fall for it……”

Mande: ” Yeah, Liz……you gotta hubby….don’t let free Ice Cream and the Sugar rush get caught up in man’s cologne…”

Liz: “…so James, why did you not suspend yourself when you got caught with some Unversity cookies…”

James: ” I called Speaker Harrell personally several times and I’m glad he finally took my advice and suspended himself….its great smoke for the political season until the November elections….its perfect timing….”

Liz: “So you planned to get caught too…….James..? ”

Jenny: ” Do we have to go down this “Appalachian Trail …again..?”

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Voice of Reason September 11, 2014 at 2:50 pm

Someone hid Philip’s meds again.

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Philip Branton September 11, 2014 at 3:56 pm

My conscience is right on CUE……

Bravo…….(clap, clap, clap) Mr. Haney didn’t tell me about the meds in this scene….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY3ncbgbUYk

+5 points and a spoon of reason every 6 hours…..

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Bryan Wqsc Crabtree September 11, 2014 at 2:03 pm

Ashley Landess on our show this morning explains the law mid-way through the interview.

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junior justice September 11, 2014 at 3:39 pm

Well, this shows me that Harrell is truly a pig’s asshole, in addition to being stupid and arrogant. Good riddance to him with all bad things to fall on his head. He deserves more than a few kicks in the ass!

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TravisM38 September 11, 2014 at 3:40 pm

The AG’s opinion is not binding on anyone.

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RHood2 September 11, 2014 at 6:22 pm

The AG’s opinion is just that. Sorry. Executive has no particular authority in this area over the Legislative branch.
The opinion is correct. but it does not invalidate Harrell’s action or force Lucas to act. Lucas should act. but this is just an opinion.

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Bible Thumper September 11, 2014 at 9:00 pm

In case suspenders fail, I recommend a belt also.

Reply
tomstickler September 11, 2014 at 7:23 pm

Unlike the plastic surgeon who hung himself.

Reply

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