Allegations of threats and ethical improprieties sparked two high-profile legal disputes in South Carolina on Wednesday, with last-second leaks bursting by the time state legislators met in a joint session of the SC General Assembly to vote.
The most prominent allegations involved threats made against a former Republican Party official for Steve Benjamin – Democratic Mayor of Columbia, SC and husband of SC Circuit Court Judge DeAndrea Benjamin.
Judge Benjamin is a candidate for a seat on the SC appeals court – a dispute that has become extremely political and bitter in recent weeks (and has resulted in our founding editor Will Folks being dragged into the fray).
This media outlet was not able to immediately identify the officer who was the target of the alleged threat, but several lawmakers told us that they saw a text message from Benjamin that appeared to confirm the allegation.
“People’s family members were threatened,” a lawmaker told us, adding “and there is evidence”.
Wow …
Meanwhile, a candidate from the SC’s 13th judicial circuit was accused of unduly attending a political event earlier this week – the same behavior that prompted a candidate to be expelled from a dispute by the SC’s supreme court four years ago.
According to our sources, US Deputy Attorney Lance Crick attended a Republican First Monday Club meeting in Poinsett Club in Greenville, SC at the invitation of his wife. SC House Speaker Jay Lucas he was giving the opening speech, and several lawmakers were present.
Judicial candidates are prohibited from attending party events.
A complaint against Crick was filed and passed on to members of the SC Judicial Merit Selection Committee (JMSC) by the influential SC Senate Judiciary President Luke Rankin.
Crick’s supporters told us that he did no talk to Lucas or any of the legislators attending the meeting about his candidacy, and that he immediately notified the legislature when he learned that the event was of a party nature.
In addition, Crick’s supporters told us that he already had the support of five of the seven senators (and eleven of the fifteen members of the House) in Greenville County – making his participation in such a meeting largely irrelevant.
Still, others argue that Crick should follow the same pattern as Ralph King Anderson from Florence, SC, who withdrew from a dispute over the SC supreme court in 2016 after appearing uninvited to a Democratic committee meeting in the SC Senate.
Duel dramas were the subject of the SC State Chamber at around 12.00 EST, when members of the State Senate crossed the lobby of the State Chamber to participate in a joint session in the SC House of Representatives.
“We have to get out of the business of electing judges,” a Republican state legislator told us.
A Republican from the interior agreed and indicated that legislation to this effect would be introduced soon.
Unfortunately, state lawmakers – many of whom are lawyers who rely on their close relationship with judges – are unlikely to relinquish that authority anytime soon.
Which means we’re likely to report scandals like these forever …
-FITSNews
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Flag: Travis Bell, Columbia SC photographers
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