Politics

Brian Frank – Chad Connelly’s Chosen Villain

As a result of a controversy created by Chad Connelly as he seeks to be re-elected as state party chairman at next week’s SCGOP convention, I decided to take a closer look at Connelly’s designated antagonist Brian Frank.

As we reported yesterday, Connelly viciously attacked Frank through e-mails last week and during the Cherokee County GOP meeting Monday night (captured on video).

The only apparent reason for these attacks is that Frank has been actively supporting Connelly’s opponent for the post of state party chairman, Sam Harms, primarily through the use of You Tube and Facebook.

During Connelly’s diatribes, he has inferred Frank is similar to the recent ‘Boston bombers’, accused him of “rant(ing) endlessly hateful stuff” and said Frank “has threatened me and my family.”

It is interesting to note that Frank attended the Cherokee County GOP meeting Monday night without speaking to Connelly. When Frank was prevented from taking video of Connelly’s speech, he chose to leave the meeting. It was only after Frank’s departure that Connelly, pointing to Frank’s empty chair, gave his 47 second rant against Frank, which was captured on video by another individual.

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SCGOP In-Fighting — Updated

With a little more than a week to go until the SCGOP state convention, things are beginning to get a little personal.

S.C. Republican Party chairman Chad Connelly sent out an e-mail rant against upstate member Brian Frank late last week, at a time when you would think Connelly would be concentrating on the upcoming convention and his hopes for re-election as state party chairman.

Actually, maybe he is.

Connelly’s e-mail inferred that Frank may fit into the same category as the two Boston bombers, “As we close in on the end of our conventions and in light of the world in which we live where terrorists try their best to blend in with our culture, we cannot take anything for granted and cannot allow ourselves to associate with people who rant endlessly hateful stuff.

“I want to warn those of you in upstate meetings where I have seen this person that you do not need to let him near your meetings.”

Maybe the most telling part of the e-mail is where Connelly named Frank as a primary supporter of Sam Harms who reportedly is challenging Connelly for the state party chairmanship.

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Surfside Beach Dog Park – No Barking Allowed!

Just when you think you’ve heard it all, some elected official does a little thinking and comes up with the brilliant idea of outlawing barking at the Surfside Beach Dog Park.

We know ‘elected official thinking’ is an oxymoron, but the proposal by Surfside Beach town council member Randle Stephens is, frankly, nuts.

He has submitted a resolution, which would outlaw the name “Barc Park”, at the town’s dog park, because it encourages barking by the dogs visiting it. Stephens also submitted an accompanying sign that reads “Please be courteous and respectful to your dog park neighbors. No dog barking and loud noise.”

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Curtis Loftis, SCRSIC Supreme Showdown Fizzles

The anticipated showdown Tuesday between S.C. Treasurer Curtis Loftis and the S.C. Retirement System Investment Commission over transparency of investment details by the commission fizzled out Tuesday.

Loftis, a voting member of the commission, was holding out on signing a check for a $50 million investment, approved by the commission, until he received certain assurances in writing from commission attorneys.

As a result of Loftis’ initial refusal to issue the check and an impending default deadline for the investment, the remaining SCRSIC commissioners sued Loftis to force him to act.

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Accommodations Tax Fuels MB Chamber Greed

When Horry County Council begins in-depth considerations of next year’s budget later this week, the question of how much accommodations tax revenue goes to the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce will be a major point of discussion.

While the accommodations tax concept is to help meet the costs of expanded services required by the introduction of millions of visitors to an area, the state law allowing accommodations tax collections requires 30 percent of the revenue generated to be spent on tourism marketing. This provision was one of the trade-offs put in the law to get the buy-in of the tourism lobby.

For a number of years, that 30 percent, approximately $2.3 million from the unincorporated areas of the county, has gone to the Chamber in a block to spend on its marketing efforts.

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Supreme Showdown Over State Pension Fund (Updated)

S.C. Treasurer Curtis Loftis and the S.C. Retirement System Investment Commission will have a showdown in court Tuesday April 16th over transparency of retirement funds.

The commission, of which Loftis is a voting member, is suing Loftis in his position as custodian of the trust fund. The S.C. Supreme Court has accepted original jurisdiction on the case and has agreed to expedite a decision.

The court is holding in abeyance a decision whether documents and exhibits associated with the case will be allowed under seal or whether they will be part of the public record of the case.

At issue is Loftis’ refusal to sign a $50 million check for an “alternative investment” of state pension funds managed by investment firm Warburg Pincus. Loftis said he would not sign the check until the attorney for the SCRSIC has officially notified him in writing that all fees and other charges associated with the proposed investment are those approved by vote of the commissioners.

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Awendaw’s Missing Money Partie Deux

According to a source with significant knowledge of the town’s finances who spoke on conditions of anonymity, Nichols had done audits of four prior years, all at the same time, after the S.C. Municipal Association had gotten the town’s financial records in order. The town, reportedly, had not had audits performed on an annual basis since the 2002-03 time frame.

Mr. Nichols reported nine significant deficiencies with town records. The lack of documentation and the lack of internal controls led Nichols to issue an adverse opinion on the audit.

According to the source, 41 percent of the town’s transactions were not approved with 30 percent of the funds spent not approved, a sum of over $200,000, according to our source.

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Budgets – Cuts, Spending and You

The expenditure of public tax dollars will be the focus of discussions throughout the state over the next several months as the state and local government budgets are finalized for the upcoming fiscal year.

This is crunch time for the individual taxpayer and a process that every citizen should be aware of but, unfortunately, relatively few will pay any attention.

We would include the federal government here if it ever decided to pass a budget, but continuing funding resolutions combined with the infamous sequestration is the best they can do in the nation’s capital.

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Sanford Easily in SC 1st Congressional District

Mark Sanford is two-thirds of the way back to Congress after disposing of Curtis Bostic rather easily Tuesday night in a primary runoff for the Republican nomination for the SC 1st Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Sanford won by a 57% – 43% margin with just over 10% of the registered voters showing up to cast a ballot.

The only remaining obstacle to Sanford’s successful return to Washington is Democratic nominee Elizabeth Colbert Busch.

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Showdown on SC Pension Fund Fees

SC Treasurer Curtis Loftis is holding up signing a $50 million investment check for the SC public pension fund until he receives confirmation in writing that the fees associated with the investment are the same as the SC Retirement System Investment Commission approved by recorded vote.

Loftis said, for years, commission attorneys have given verbal confirmation that the fees are the same as voted on. Reportedly, an email with this confirmation was sent to Loftis in this case.

However, the treasurer specifically requested a signed letter with that confirmation and, to date, he has been unable to get one. If the confirmation is accurate, why is it so difficult for Loftis to get written notice of that fact?

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