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by WILL FOLKS
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One of South Carolina’s most left-leaning, pro-status quo lawmakers announced his candidacy for attorney general of the Palmetto State this week.
Stephen Goldfinch, 42, of Murrells Inlet, S.C. launched his bid for South Carolina’s top prosecutorial position on Monday (July 7, 2025) – calling himself a “conservative” who has built his career “standing up to government overreach and protecting your freedom to live and work without interference.”
The reality? Goldfinch consistently ranks among the most fiscally liberal “Republicans” at the S.C. State House – drawing atrociously low marks from groups which actually stand for individual freedom and free markets. He has also been a key floor leader for the über-liberal trial lawyer lobby – which has choked off business growth in the Palmetto State for decades.
Goldfinch also led the charge to keep failed, debt-addled government-run utility Santee Cooper on the books – which has led to nine-figure bailouts from both ratepayers and taxpayers.
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In March of this year, the national Club for Growth Foundation – which promotes “free markets, pro-growth policies and creating economic prosperity” – gave Goldfinch a 26% on its 2024 legislative scorecard. His 25% lifetime score from the group was equivalent to the average S.C. Senate score… for Democrats. Last month, the American Action Fund – which aims to advance “critical issues of liberty, limited government, and constitutional principles” – gave Goldfinch a 28.57% score on its 2025 legislative scorecard.
In addition to his liberal voting record – and his unswerving allegiance to the trial lawyers – Goldfinch led an ill-fated effort earlier this year to oust independently elected state treasurer Curtis Loftis over an accounting error committed by the office of former S.C. comptroller general Richard Eckstrom.
Loftis is one of the Palmetto State’s few genuine fiscal conservatives – which is the real reason left-of-center politicians like Goldfinch want him gone.
Aside from his far left ideological mooring, Goldfinch’s bid to oust Loftis employed a dubious end-around of the constitutionally prescribed impeachment method. Rather than follow proper protocol – in which the House of Representatives would have first had to impeach Loftis ahead of a formal trial in the Senate – the GOP supermajority in the “upper” chamber held what amounted to a kangaroo court in late April.
Thankfully, House leaders declined to play along with the Senate’s game.
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RELATED | FAKE DOGE
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Despite his liberal voting record – and history of siding with anti-competitive interests – Goldfinch continues to masquerade as a “conservative.” For example, he is the lead sponsor of the so-called “Delivery of Government Efficiency Commission Act” – the state’s “pick me” answer to the DOGE SC movement founded by Isle of Palms businessman Rom Reddy.
Since taking control of state government in 2003, “Republicans” have offered up no shortage of unprincipled, corrupt candidates for higher office – and the outcomes these self-proclaimed “conservatives” have produced pretty much speak for themselves. Nonetheless, I’d be hard pressed to think of a candidate more dangerous to freedom and free markets than Goldfinch – or an office where he could do more damage than attorney general.
Make no mistake: Goldfinch is brilliant – and hard-working. It’s the ends to which he applies these gifts – and the means he exerts in their application – which are so troubling.
Goldfinch has no shortage of skeletons in his closet – meaning a credible, well-funded candidate should have no trouble defining him both personally and politically as someone unfit to hold this office. Unfortunately, his trial lawyer connections will ensure he has the resources to push back – enabling him to defend himself and define his potential opponents.
Sadly, that makes him an early frontrunner for this incredibly important prosecutorial position…
Goldfinch is the first announced candidate hoping to follow four-term prosecutor Alan Wilson, who is running for governor. Count on FITSNews to keep close tabs on this race as it develops…
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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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5 comments
More redundant red meat litigation so this half wit can fly around the country wasting our money. This guy just does what the big firms tell him to do. The alan wilson stephen goldfinch private firm fundraising circle jerk needs a story written about it. Its so corrupt it cant even beat nancy mace, ha ha ha
If Stolen Valor Stephen gets ahold of the powers of the AG, we will see the office contorted into a petty, bullying political persecution and retribution operation that jumps whenever the SC tort lawyers’ lobby snaps its fingers.
His lies about his injury in the National Guard was reported to the Citadel. They know for a fact that he lied about his injury to the public, in speeches and on a pod cast, while laughing about what actually happened with his Senate colleagues.
Who is lower- the Citadel for doing nothing, or the liar who stole valor?
Wasn’t this the guy indicted for selling stem cells from aborted fetuses?
Wasn’t this the guy sued by an internationally known treasurer hunter for acting in bad faith and trying to receive a larger portion of the recovered funds?
Wasn’t this the guy that told everyone he was hurt by enemy fire in North Africa while on National Guard service but was actually hurt lifting weights in the gym? (To the Citadel’s shame, they are aware of this Stolen Valor and done nothing – so much for military honor and integrity)
Wasn’t this the guy that accused Treasurer Loftis of everything but could prove nothing?
Why would anyone other than a rich trial lawyer vote for this criminal clown with a law degree?
You know your conservative pro life leaders are a joke when they don’t condemn a guy who made money selling aborted baby parts across state lines.
No one of them has said a word. They must think Goldfinch will be good for fundraising (and to hell will the aborted babies)