Tag: grand jury

Bobby Harrell “Blindsided”

SC House Speaker Bobby Harrell held a press conference yesterday in Columbia in what appeared to be an attempt to regain control of the message on the ongoing ethics investigation into his use of campaign funds.

Speaking approximately one hour before the House was gaveled into its opening 2014 session, Harrell appeared to believe he could, somehow, stop the ethics investigation against him from going to the Grand Jury.

Harrell said he was “shocked and blindsided” by the news the investigation was being referred to the Grand Jury. He said both the attorney general’s office and SLED continuously told Harrell and his attorneys that they found, in the course of the investigation, “nothing that concerned them”.

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Bobby Harrell Ethics Case Going to Grand Jury

SC Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that he is referring the ethics case against SC Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell to the State Grand Jury.

The case includes investigation of the approximately $325,000 Harrell reimbursed to himself from campaign funds with only general records of the expenses, according to a series by Renee Dudley, then of the Charleston Post and Courier.

According to Dudley’s stories, Harrell failed to meet the requirements of state law section 8-13-1302, which enumerates requirements for maintenance of expenditure records from campaign contributions.

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Coastal Kickback Scandal to Grand Jury

Numerous sources reported in the last 24 hours that presentation of the Coastal Kickback scandal case to a federal grand jury began Thursday.

Beth Drake, the Public Information Officer for the U.S. Attorney’s office in Columbia, S.C. said yesterday it is the policy of the government to comment on investigations only after an arrest warrant or indictment has been issued.

Drake went on to say, in public corruption cases the government normally will issue a press release and usually hold a press conference to make the information public if and when indictments are handed down.

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