You knew it was coming …

Dead People Refuse to Testify; AG Furious

  ‘I get calls here on an almost daily basis from… deceased voters’, said Chris Whitmire, a spokesman for the State Election Commission (The State) A review of 207 votes cast in the 2010 general election in the name of dead people shows 95 percent of the votes were the results of clerical or other errors, according to the State Election Commission. But the commission, citing expense and manpower issues, did not investigate the other 696 questioned votes from prior [...]

Haley reneges won’t repay security costs for DC trip

  It is very important for Governor Haley to remain consistent and true to her nature, spokesman says (Myrtle Beach Online) Gov. Nikki Haley pledged this week to repay the state for the cost of her security detail when she’s out-of-state, privately raising money for her 2015 re-election bid. But she won’t reimburse taxpayers for a Washington, D.C., trip that she is on now. The first-term Republican governor is in Washington through Monday, taking part in the Republican Governors Association’s [...]

Smearing the Courts, Dismantling Justice

A S.C. Hotline, Grand Strand Daily Exclusive

It came to my attention recently that Stephanie Weissenstein, attorney for John Rakowsky, sent to the Court copies of two articles from Grand Strand Daily along with a letter dated January 9, 2012. While I appreciate Ms. Weissenstein making the court aware of the articles, I do question the logic stated in her letter.

In the letter, Weissenstein refers to the articles as “this slanderous campaign in effort to intimidate and harass my client and me, while also smearing the Courts.”

First of all, surely Weissenstein understands that the articles would fall under laws of libel, not slander, if she could ignore or negate the first amendment and prove malice aforethought. Second, her claims of intimidation, harassment and smearing fall apart when the facts included in the articles are considered.

Nikki Haley Gone Be Prez-O-Dint?

(FITSNews) In news that will cause many South Carolinians to expectorate all over their computer monitors, S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley was named as one of ten “Republican” politicians who could conceivably jump into the 2012 GOP presidential race in the event that Mitt Romney is defeated in Michigan next week. No really … she was. Compiled by The Politico (or at least some chick who works at The Politico), this list of campaign 2.0 prospects listed Haley at No. 9 – behind Jeb Bush, Mitch Daniels, [...]

The Gingrich Mystery Money, Campaign Warned Again

(Washington Times) Newt Gingrich’s presidential campaign has received a second warning from the Federal Election Commission (FEC) for widespread financial irregularities, saying the campaign must disclose why nearly $1 million was paid to the candidate, staff and a small group of fundraising consultants for questionable reimbursements. But hours after the FEC letter on its 2011 finances became public, the campaign filed a report for a newer time period, January, that indicated that the problems have become far worse. The campaign transferred Mr. Gingrich $88,000 last month [...]

Santo, Compromise and Gay Rodeo Clowns

Santorum’s biggest blunder on this front came in how he described his vote for Bush’s expansion of the federal role in education, saying “It was against the principles I believed in. But when you’re part of a team, sometimes you take one for the team, for the leader.” This gets at the heart of the problem with Santorum, which I wrote about the day he announced he was running for president — he was the quintessential Bush era Republican.

As the number three Republican in the Senate, he was a loyal soldier and went along with Bush’s big government policies, from NCLB to the Medicare prescription drug law. The very problem with the Bush era was precisely that too many Republicans decided to be team players rather than push back against the president when he was violating conservative principles. It’s this very “team player” mentality that the Tea Party movement, in part, was created to combat.

May Bike Rallies Up for Discussion

By Paul Gable Discussions on the May Bike Rallies by Horry County officials will begin Thursday February 23rd at a special meeting of the county’s Public Safety Committee. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. at the Horry County Government and Justice Center on 3rd Avenue in Conway. Called by committee chairman Brent Schulz, the only item on the meeting agenda is Biker Rally 2012. When he announced the special meeting during the regular council meeting of February 7th, Schulz said the committee would be prepared [...]

Obama: $6 Gas, Don’t Blame Me!

(AP) President Obama does not “accept responsibility” for high gas prices, his spokesman indicated today, arguing that Obama has done everything he could to bring down the price of oil and blaming the high gas prices on oil price increases caused by global factors. “The president accepts the responsibility that he identified the next president should accept, back in 2008, which is the need to develop a comprehensive energy policy,” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said today when asked [...]

Final Face Off Tonight! Will Satan Choke Santorum?

  FINAL FACE OFF: TONIGHT! Santorum: ‘I’ll defend everything I say’… Calls DRUDGE report ‘absurd’… ‘A JOKE’… Compares Self To Reagan… Palin: Media Getting ‘Wee-Weed’ Up Over Satan Remark… Christie: ‘Relevant’… Michael Savage: Santorum is right about Satan… Tweet

Jim DeMint: The GOP’s new gold standard

(News OK) Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., may be the elected leader of Senate Republicans but their is little doubt where the press believes the real heart of the conservative movement beats: in Sen. Jim DeMint‘s, R-S.C., office. Just look at the tweet from NBC News‘ Chuck Todd earlier today: Is this a budget that Jim DeMint could support? nyti.ms/yMsqUH // Christie proposes a spending increase but a tax decrease. And here is Politico‘s Jonathan Martin reporting on Rick Santorum‘s legislative record yesterday: Santorum is plenty conservative on social issues for [...]

Treasurer Loftis: Thanks to you!

Thanks to you, we are bringing more transparency and accountability to the state’s $25 billion pension fund. Your visits, calls and emails to the Senate made the difference and I am truly appreciative. Because of your efforts, state Senators overwhelmingly voted by a 34-10 margin to keep the only elected official on the Investment Commission!

That was just the beginning of our transparency efforts. At Thursday’s Investment Commission meeting, the Commission wisely voted to take three weeks to carefully examine the pension fund’s investment allocations. Previously, the fate of $25 billion was decided in one meeting. Taking the time to closely look at where this fund is putting money is at the heart of transparency and accountability.

I would also like to thank my fellow commissioners for voting to examine all strategic partnerships and alternative investments. This review is key to making long term investment decisions that create value for our retirement system.

Debate tonight big for Romney

(Post & Courier) Mitt Romney will face his three Republican rivals tonight in a debate that marks the start of a crucial week for his presidential bid. Romney badly needs to win the Feb. 28 primary in Michigan, the state where he grew up and his father once governed. A victory there, coupled with a win in the Arizona primary the same day, could give him a strong boost. A Michigan loss for the self-described “son of Detroit” could be [...]