Will Palmetto State lawmakers finally give up this corrosive power?
A bill to reform the way South Carolina picks judges has been put on the front burner in the Palmetto State Senate – a move supporters hope will clear they way for a fairer, less conflicted judicial branch of government.
The bill – S. 1046 – was previewed by this media outlet earlier this month.
As we reported, the proposed legislation would enact multiple changes to the composition and operation of the state’s scandal-scarred Judicial Merit Selection Commission (JMSC). For starters, instead of having ten members appointed by legislative leaders, the reconfigured panel would be comprised of nine appointees: Two named by the governor, two named by the speaker of the House, one named by the Senate president, one by the Senate judiciary chairman, one chosen by the state’s sixteen solicitors, one chosen by the state’s public defenders and one chosen by the chief justice of the S.C. supreme court.
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None of the appointees to the reconfigured panel would be allowed to be members of the S.C. General Assembly – or family members of state lawmakers.
According to state senator Wes Climer – one of the lead sponsors of the proposed legislation – the provision removing lawmakers from the JMSC is the part of the bill most likely to encounter opposition.
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“The hill we’re going to have to charge is keeping legislators off of the JMSC completely,” Climer told me this week. “That could be the dividing line between the real reformers and everybody else.”
Can it be done?
“The votes are pretty close for real reform,” Climer said.
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Along with state senators Josh Kimbrell and Rex Rice, Climer blocked judicial elections in the Palmetto State earlier this year – insisting senators pass a judicial reform bill prior to voting on any new judges.
Why was such bold action warranted? Because the current method is rife with opaqueness, corruption and unfairness – yielding all manner of adverse and inherently unjust outcomes for the people who rely on our system.
And the people have had enough of it …
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RELATED | JUDICIAL REFORM WINS IN A LANDSLIDE
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South Carolina is one of only two states in America in which lawmakers picks judges. That process is led by the JMSC, a shady screening committee dominated by a handful of powerful lawyer-legislators. These political attorneys routinely reap the rewards of their influence over this process – receiving preferential treatment on behalf of their clients at the expense of judicial integrity.
This inherently unfair system has enabled institutional corruption, shredded the rights of victims, empowered violent criminals and materially eroded public safety. It has also turned the judiciary into little more than a political annex of the legislature – a problem which is getting worse, not better.
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Also getting worse? The overt politicization of legislative elections for judges – a process invariably driven by corrupt insider dealmaking.
As I noted earlier this week, the bill being advanced in the Senate is a far cry from the sweeping constitutional overhaul I have proposed – but it is a starting point. This week, Senate leaders set the measure for special order – meaning they voted to bring it forward to the top of their calendar for a debate on the floor.
In exchange for the reform bill moving to the top of the calendar, Climer, Kimbrell and Rice released their hold on judicial elections. Rather than hold some of these controversial votes right away, lawmakers have scheduled most of them for April – right after the filing period closes for this spring’s partisan primary elections.
“They want to make sure none of their votes come back to haunt them,” one State House observer told me.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
(Travis Bell Photography)
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 and before that he was a bass guitarist and dive bar bouncer. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven (soon to be eight) children.
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The Clemson Tigers are getting ready for what will be a crucial game in Week 14 against the South Carolina Gamecocks.
This rivalry matchup is not going to disappoint, as both teams are coming into the game as Top-25 schools. For the Tigers, there is a lot on the line in this matchup.
Due to Clemson not holding the tie-breaker against the Miami Hurricanes in the ACC and the SMU Mustangs already clinching a spot, the Tigers are going to have to hope for a Hurricanes’ loss to the Syracuse Orange if they are going to make the title game.
However, due to recent upsets in the SEC, another path might have emerged for Clemson to make the College Football Playoffs. If they can beat a Top-25 team in the Gamecocks on Saturday, it could be the type of statement win that propels them into an at-large bid.
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While making the CFP still might be realistic, they first and foremost have to handle South Carolina, which will be no easy task.
The Gamecocks have also had a great season, and they could present some matchup problems for Clemson.
On offense, South Carolina is a run first team. Stopping the run has been an issue at times for the Tigers, as they just recently got torched on the ground against The Citadel Bulldogs. If Clemson is unable to stop or at least slow down the rushing attack for the Gamecocks, it will allow them to control the pace of the game. That obviously wouldn’t be ideal for the Tigers.
Furthermore, on the defensive side of things, the Tigers’ offense is going to have their work cut out for them against a very strong Gamecocks defense. Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik has had a very strong season and this could end up being a defining game of his college career.
Going back to the win against the Pittsburgh Panthers, the Tigers’ offense really struggled on the ground trying to run the football. If that’s the case once again in Week 14, it will fall on the shoulders of Klubnik to get the job done.
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This matchup could very well go down as one of the games of the week and potentially the year, with both teams being fairly even talent-wise on paper. For Clemson, this is a must-win game to keep their playoff hopes alive, as a win this late in the season against a Top-25 team would be a nice last thing to put on their resume.
Overall, the Tigers are going to need to have a balanced attack and prepare to stop the run if they are going to come away with the win against their rival.
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The entire police department of a small South Carolina town resigned en masse, leaving the area without its own dedicated police force.
Chief Bob Hale of the McColl Police Department announced his resignation on November 21 in a social media post, citing a “hostile work environment perpetuated by a specific Councilman.”
“For months, I have endured unwarranted and malicious behavior aimed at undermining my integrity and leadership,” Hale wrote. “These actions have not only affected me personally but have also created a toxic atmosphere that has hindered the department’s ability to function effectively.”
The chief also said his department’s resources had been severely cut. The four officers under his command quickly resigned as well.
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“At the end of the day, I have a family. And when my job is constantly getting threatened and certain things are getting said I’m not going to stay somewhere and tolerate that,” former McColl investigator Courtney Bulusan told WRAL.
“I’m not going to stay where I’m tolerated,” Bulusan said. “I’m going to go where I’m celebrated.”
As the town seeks new officers, the Marlboro County Sheriff’s Office will fill in for the department police force, according to South Carolina Public Radio.
The town has gone through six chiefs in the past four years. Hale’s tenure in the position lasted little over a year.
“I feel unsafe. Very unsafe,” resident Lisa Bowen told local outlet WPDE. “Because anytime anybody could do anything.”
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“They jump ship back and forth all the time,” Mayor George Garner told the Post and Courier newspaper. “This is nothing new.”
The paper reported that the councilman in question denied he had harassed any of the officers and told the paper the allegations were “hearsay.”
Such mass resignations, while uncommon, are not unprecedented.
The entire police force of Geary, Oklahoma, resigned earlier this month, Fox News reports.
UCLA’s win over No. 1 ranked South Carolina wasn’t a fluke, and Bruins center Lauren Betts says if you haven’t been paying attention, now would be the time to.
Let’s say the thing. It was not close on Sunday. From the opening tip to the final buzzer, UCLA commanded the floor and had an answer for everything the Gamecocks tried to do. The Bruins beat South Carolina on the boards (41-34), held four starters to under five points, and *checks notes* not a single starter went to the free-throw line. UGLY STUFF.
Furthermore, five UCLA players scored in double figures, including Londynn Jones, who was sensational from the line with five 3-pointers, and star center Lauren Betts, who had 11 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and four blocks. WHEW. Postgame, Betts raved about her team and how proud she was, but she also sent a direct warning to college basketball. “If you’ve been sleeping on UCLA,” Betts said. “You need to stop right now.”
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