by WILL FOLKS

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Earlier this year, U.S. Marine veteran and small business owner Jesse Turner – who is running for a seat in the South Carolina House of Representatives this month – was indicted on drug trafficking charges by the statewide grand jury.

Turner claimed his business was a victim of the selective enforcement of South Carolina’s hemp laws – and that he was politically targeted ahead of this month’s partisan primary elections in the Palmetto State.

Turner paid a visit to our studio this week ahead of his upcoming race for S.C. House District 11 (.pdf) to discuss the charges filed against him.

“I absolutely think this is political, not from my opponent, but from the system itself,” he told us. “Essentially, they don’t want me in office, they don’t want somebody that’s going to make a difference, they want somebody in there that’s just going to rubber stamp everything, and that’s going to go along with the flow. I’m for change. I see the way things are going. We’re not (moving) in the right direction at all, on like on any statistic whatsoever.”

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“They’re targeting me because I’m refusing to back down,” Turner continued, adding “we live in a de facto police state.”

According to Turner, he believes the Palmetto State needs to revisit its position on marijuana legalization.

“I think at the bare minimum it needs to be medically legal in the state,” he said. “Should it be recreationally legal? Also, yes – but I think that needs to go to the people and not decided by legislation.”

The status quo? Unacceptable…

“We’re mandating that a doctor prescribe addictive opioids that kill 80,000 people a year, but we won’t let them have a natural alternative?” he said. “That’s insane to me.”

The underlying drug case against Turner being investigated by the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED), while his prosecution – and the prosecution of his two co-defendants – is being led by Creighton Waters, chief of the statewide grand jury and the lead prosecutor on the famed ‘Murdaugh Murders’ case.

Keep it tuned to FITSNews as we track this case through the Palmetto State’s court system….

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.

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The South Carolina Education Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – South Carolina voters will soon head to the polls in what’s already been a historic primary election.

Here’s key information to know via the South Carolina Election Commission:

WHEN IS ELECTION DAY?

June 9

WHEN ARE POLLS OPEN?

Polls open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. If you are in line by 7 p.m., you will still be allowed to vote.

WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING?

Voters will be asked to present one of the following forms of photo identification to the polls:

• SC Driver’s License
• SC Department of Motor Vehicles ID Card
  • Includes SC Concealed Weapons Permit
• SC Voter Registration Card with Photo
• US Passport
• Federal Military ID
  • Includes all Department of Defense Photo IDs and the Department of Veterans Affairs Benefits Card

WHERE DO I VOTE?

You can find your polling place on the South Carolina Election Commission website.

HOW DO I CHECK MY VOTER REGISTRATION?

You can check your voter registration on the South Carolina Election Commission website.

CAN I SEE MY SAMPLE BALLOT?

You can check your sample ballot on the South Carolina Election Commission website.

CAN I BRING MY CHILD?

Yes, children under 18 are allowed to accompany their parents in the voting booth.

WHAT ABOUT ABSENTEE BALLOTS?

Absentee ballots must be returned to your county voter registration office no later than 7 p.m. on the day of the election.

ARE EXIT POLLS LEGAL?

Yes, exit polls are legal and participation is voluntary. They are not conducted by the South Carolina Election Commission or county boards of voter registration/elections. If you feel threatened or intimidated by a pollster, report it to your precinct’s poll clerk.

HOW CAN I FILE A COMPLAINT?

Report any concerns to a poll manager or your county voter registration and elections office as soon as possible. You can also contact the South Carolina Election Commission.

CAN CANDIDATES TAKE PEOPLE TO THE POLLS?

Yes, candidates and their representatives are allowed to give a voter a ride as long as it’s only being done to help them vote. No one can offer a voter anything of value in exchange for voting.

WHEN WILL RESULTS BE REPORTED AND VERIFIED?

WIS will report election results in real time when polls close. County election boards will determine if any provisional ballots will be counted on the Friday following the election. The South Carolina Election Commission will then certify the results, making them official.

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