There is corruption in the government at all levels. More of that every day, actually. In many corners of our great nation, elected offices have become a license to steal – especially when it comes to local seats. And in many cases, there is little or no responsibility for those who receive public aid at the expense of public trust.
“The government that governs closer, governs better,” says an old saying.
Maybe … but also steals best.
Unfortunately, we are insensitive to the act of shearing. Graft immune. Used to excuses. We have become so used to being cheated, cheated and stolen that we hardly notice when those in power appropriate our money for themselves (and their well-connected donors and benefactors) with increasing shamelessness and decreasing degrees of shame.
It is no longer outrageous, shocking or even irritating … is expected.
Accepted.
Scandals that once provoked revulsion now deserve little more than an eye roll. And politicians who deserved to be covered in tar and feathers find themselves building up a growing influence – which, of course, only encourages further plunder.
Like any addiction …
Occasionally, however, a scandal is so blatant that it cuts off our callous synapses and unleashes the kind of visceral condemnation that most of our elected officials deserve based on their conduct.
In our decade and a half of corruption coverage in our home state of South Carolina, no scandal cut the fog more sharply than the infamous Richland County tax scheme in 2012.
Remember that scandal?
The “Richland County theft” remains at the center of a corruption network in this Democratic stronghold – and it is also at the center of a special election scheduled for early next week.
To recap: the proceeds of a fraudulent tax hike in 2012 (the so-called “penny tax”) were subject to serious misappropriation and mismanagement – forcing local politicians to borrow tens of millions of dollars to cover cost overruns related to politically motivated projects the tax was to finance.
Former director of the SC Revenue Department (SCDOR) Rick Reames in fact, it halted the disbursement of tax revenues from the penny to the county at one point – saying that its leaders were spending the money wrongly and repeatedly refused to bring the program “in compliance with state tax laws”.
Reames’s agency discovered glaring illegalities in the way the county was appropriating the proceeds from this $ 1.2 billion heist – including all types of doubtful payments to politically connected companies. His investigation also led to the arrest of the former Columbia City Council member, SC Brian DeQuincey Newman and former member of the Richland County Council Kelvin Washington tax charges.
The misappropriation and mismanagement related to the penny tax initiated a statewide grand jury investigation in 2017, the news of which was released exclusively by this medium.
This investigation is ongoing and, as we noted earlier this year, it apparently expanded to … other areas.
(Click to view)
(Via: Getty Images)
According to our sources, a new round of subpoenas was issued recently in connection with the investigation – which has those under the microscope quite concerned.
In this context, the local “strategic communication professional” Jesica Mackey is preparing an application for the Richland County Council – specifically a vacant seat for the sudden death of the Calvin “Chip” Jackson on August 7, 2020.
According to an article in The (Columbia, SC) Free Times, Mackey is running because he wants to be part of a “changing energy” in Richland County.
“There is a new breath of fresh air coming through the door,” she told the newspaper.
Seriously?
According to his corporate biography, Mackey worked as a “strategic communications consultant at a global engineering company, advising public and private clients in North and South Carolina on communication strategies for large and complex infrastructure projects.”
This news outlet confirmed that the engineering company for which Mackey worked is none other than HDR, Inc. – a company based in Omaha, Nebraska, which (see this) was intimately involved in the penny tax disaster from the start.
“Before the referendum, (HDR) helped local companies educate the public about transportation needs and defended the tax,” noted the company’s project page. “We are now one of three members of the joint venture that manages the program.”
Funny how that works, isn’t it? Steal an election … reap the rewards.
This is the worst construction of this situation, in fact. The best?
Lie to voters … and ruin your road projects.
Now that the investigation into this scam is approaching a point of critical mass, we find it highly suspect that a former employee of this company is seeking to be installed on the county council – where she would likely have access to a treasure trove of still-secret documents related to this investigation. still in development.
“Are they trying to put Jesica on the board to stop the investigation?” a source after the next special election meditated.
(Click to view)
(Via: Twitter)
Closed sources for Mackey (above) defended it from any implication – insisting that it “had nothing to do with (the dime tax bill)”.
“She was never part of the penny program team,” a pro-Mackey source told us.
Maybe not … but the proximity problems are worrying. Particularly in light of the recently issued subpoenas and the clear escalation of the investigation. And while Mackey might as well be the “fresh breath” or the “changed energy” that she claims to be … do voters in Northeast Richland County really want to have that chance?
We do not …
In addition, when we questioned Mackey’s allies about her declared support for income tax programs, we were told that she “was definitely not promoting it.”
Still in the same Free time story referenced above, Mackey was directly quoted as saying that she was “continuing to focus on infrastructure, with the penny program and what’s going on there.”
It sure looks like she’s promoting it for us …
Voters in Richland County go to the polls on September 8, 2020 in the special primary elections for this seat. If no candidate obtains the majority of votes, a second round between the top two candidates will be held on September 22, 2020. In addition to Mackey, Angela Gary Addison, Jonnieka Farr and Cody Pressley also seek to fill the vacancy left by Jackson.
-FITSNews
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