Author: Paul Gable

The Internet Sweepstakes Clean-Up

Raids on internet sweepstakes cafes continued in Horry County yesterday and, for the first time we can confirm, several locations within the city limits of Myrtle Beach were targeted by SLED officers.

For the first time since internet sweepstakes cafes began operating in Horry County over two years ago, there is a consistent policy being carried out that the games are illegal throughout the county.

Prior to yesterday’s raids, internet sweepstakes cafes were declared illegal by a county magistrate and subject to closure and confiscation in the unincorporated areas of the county, but were allowed to operate unimpeded by law enforcement within the Myrtle Beach city limits.

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Working on the Carolina Southern Railroad

A committee formed to discuss ways in which the Carolina Southern Railroad may be helped back into operation may be causing more problems than it can solve.

Formed as an informal, joint discussion committee between officials in the three counties served by Carolina Southern Railroad, it seems to have evolved into something entirely different.

According to committee meeting minutes, at least nine different city or county councils, from two states (North and South Carolina), have appointed members to what amounts to an informal committee.

By its November 7 meeting, the committee, now calling itself the Interstate Railroad Committee of North and South Carolina, was discussing a “budget” of $100,000 to be allocated among the three county governments represented – Horry and Marion in South Carolina and Columbus in North Carolina.

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Internet Sweepstakes Ban Inches Forward

A bill to ban internet sweepstakes games took a key step forward yesterday when it passed second reading in the Senate by a 40-2 margin.

The bill seeks to close any loophole business owners cite, in the state’s gambling laws, to operate so-called sweepstakes cafes. Senate Judiciary Chairman Larry Martin said the bill clears up any ambiguity in the law.

The state banned video gambling in 2000. Operators of internet sweepstakes cafes say the games compare to the sweepstakes that McDonald’s uses as a promotion every year. Law enforcement officials in the state contend that they are merely another form of gambling.

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Proposal for S.C. Transportation Reform

A bill introduced into the S.C. Senate last week provides hope for transportation reform in the state by dissolving the State Infrastructure Bank and folding its duties into the S.C. Department of Transportation.

The bi-partisan transportation reform bill, S-209, is co-sponsored by Sen. Harvey Peeler (R-Cherokee) and Sen. Vincent Sheheen (D-Kershaw). It proposes to restructure the state’s transportation agencies, better coordinate the highway construction process and eliminate irresponsible over-borrowing.

Peeler said the bill was needed to make sure road funding was a merit based and need based process.

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Judge John Rakowsky Sued in Nevada

Attorney and Lexington Chief Magistrate Judge John Rakowsky will have to answer charges in a Nevada lawsuit that he misappropriated funds from his trust account intended for legal expenses in the Southern Holdings case.

The action, Case No. 2:12-cv-02161-GMN-CWH, was brought by Center for Legal Reform (CLR), a Nevada Non-profit Corporation as successor in trust to Resolution Settlement Corporation (RSC), a former Nevada corporation.

The suit brings four causes of action, Breach of Contract, Breach of Implied Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing, Intentional Misrepresentation and Conversion of Property.

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Judge John Rakowsky Sued in Nevada

Attorney and Lexington Chief Magistrate Judge John Rakowsky will have to answer charges in a Nevada lawsuit that he misappropriated funds from his trust account intended for legal expenses in the Southern Holdings case.

The action, Case No. 2:12-cv-02161-GMN-CWH, was brought by Center for Legal Reform (CLR), a Nevada Non-profit Corporation as successor in trust to Resolution Settlement Corporation (RSC), a former Nevada corporation.

The suit brings four causes of action, Breach of Contract, Breach of Implied Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing, Intentional Misrepresentation and Conversion of Property.

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Addresses, Donations and SC House District 17

What is it about a certain candidate in the SC House District 17 special election that runs for office with varying addresses?

Can you run for office out of a PO BOX? Apparently in Greenville County you can.

In the race for House District 17 in North Greenville County, five people are running for office. All of them have street addresses except one, Christopher Sullivan. This is the same Christopher Sullivan that ran for Senate District 6 against incumbent Mike Fair in the 2012 GOP primary and lost.

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State Bills Would Outlaw Flow Control

Bills introduced in the South Carolina House and Senate at the beginning of this new legislative session would end the government enforced monopoly on solid waste disposal currently in force in Horry County.

For four years, the Horry County Solid Waste Authority, at its Hwy 90 landfill, has been the recipient of all solid waste generated within the county thanks to a flow control ordinance passed by Horry County Council in early 2009.

The ordinance was enacted because the SWA was losing money to private haulers that were able to dispose of construction and demolition waste more cheaply at private landfills in other counties.

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Ethics Reform Discussion on Wrong Track

The current discussion on ethics reform for public officials in South Carolina appears to be veering off the main track that will establish public confidence in the governing process.

The discussion this week appears to be about additional funding for the S.C. Ethics Commission. Extra funding is necessary for this agency, which has been way underfunded for way too long.

According to ethics commission director Herb Hayden, approximately 70 percent of the funding for the agency’s budget comes from fees and fines.

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Bill Fixes Election Filing Requirements

The South Carolina Senate moved quickly in this new session to clear up candidate election filing requirements so that, hopefully, another filing disaster, like the one that occurred for the 2012 general elections, will be avoided.

Under the new rules, incumbents and challengers both must file a Statement of Economic Interests electronically with the S.C. Ethics Commission prior to filing a Statement of Intention of Candidacy or Nomination for Petition.

A party executive committee may not accept a SIC unless the committee has verified that the candidate has electronically filed a SEI.

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