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Treasurer denies South Carolina Senate accusation he risked cyberattack in missing $1.8B case

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Treasurer denies South Carolina Senate accusation he risked cyberattack in missing .8B case


COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Days after a contentious public hearing with state senators, Treasurer Curtis Loftis nearly put South Carolina’s entire financial system at risk of a cyberattack by saying he was going to post reams of account data online, according to a report released Tuesday.

The Senate report attempts to explain how $1.8 billion in unspent money ended up in a Treasurer’s Office account with no idea where it came from or where it was supposed to go. But either the inability or unwillingness of Loftis to help untangle the mess has left many unanswered questions, Republican Sen. Larry Grooms said.

Loftis’ plan, put in writing earlier this month after senators questioned if he was following transparency laws, was stopped after an emergency meeting with the governor that included a phone call from the state’s top law enforcement official, Grooms said.

Loftis’ office said the treasurer warned senators about the dangers of posting the report and was talking to officials in the Department of Administration who agreed it was dangerous to do so without heavy redactions.

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The report included the general fund names, account numbers and software type that would allow hackers to map their way into state accounts.

Grooms said that in his mind, the damage is done and Loftis, a four-term Republican, needs to resign. But the report doesn’t reach that conclusion because Republican Gov. Henry McMaster asked that Loftis be given time to work with a task force that’s also investigating the missing money.

“Why on earth would he threaten the state’s finances?” Grooms said “Either he was off his rocker or he was sending a message that if you try to remove me, I’m going to destroy the state’s financial system.”

Loftis’ office said in a statement that the Senate report is “very misleading.”

He said he would not read the report or watch the Senate on Tuesday but instead rely on staff to fill him in on any useful information.

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Senators “can say and do anything they like and there are no consequences,” Loftis said.

“It should be obvious to everyone that the subcommittee would like to overturn the election of an executive branch official and install a puppet to control the funds of the state,” he added.

The Senate report also said more investigation is needed into whether Loftis pressured the state auditor to take out an item in his draft report saying the state’s accounts were out of balance for a short time, as well as whether the his office sold investments at a loss to make up the deficit.

The governor created the task force, led by the Department of Administration, that includes Loftis’ office, the state auditor and the Comptroller General’s Office. The Comptroller General’s Office has been under the guidance of an interim director since May 2023 after the elected director resigned over an accounting error that double-counted nearly $4 billion for higher education.

Gov. McMaster asked the task force to report by July 1 where the $1.8 billion came from and where it is supposed to go.

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South Carolina can’t spend the money until officials figure that out. It may belong to the federal government or a trust account, and thus can’t be used for things like roads or teacher raises. And the state may even have to pay interest on the funds.

The Senate also wants to spend $4 million on a forensic investigation of the Treasurer’s Office account.

McMaster wants to give Loftis a chance to solve the mess, spokesman Brandon Charochak said in a statement.

“The governor believes the public’s confidence is best maintained when elected officials and agencies work together to solve problems through collaboration, cooperation and communication. In that spirit, the governor suggested to Senator Grooms that this group be given some time to work,” Charochak said.

Grooms said he learned of the account shortly after interim Comptroller General Brian Gaines discovered it last October. He asked for help from Grooms’ subcommittee, and it requested information about all accounts under a certain fund number. Pages and pages came back with zeros, except for one account with $1.8 billion.

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Grooms thinks Loftis was trying to cover for elected Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom, who resigned last year, or vice versa. State law requires the two offices keep books as a safeguard.

“Instead of checking on each other, they were cloaking each other’s deficiencies,” Grooms said.

The subcommittee’s thoughts on Loftis were unanimous. Democratic Sen. Margie Bright Matthews said people should be insulted not just by the incompetence of Loftis, but his insolence, including a six-hour public meeting with senators where he threw a pen on a lectern, told senators many things weren’t his problem and threatened to walk out.

“If this was the treasurer in your local church and it was $18 — as opposed to $1.8 billion — they would have been gone a long time ago,” Matthews said.

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Nancy Mace’s foul-mouthed airport tirades roil race for South Carolina governorship as rival slams ‘spoiled brat’

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Nancy Mace’s foul-mouthed airport tirades roil race for South Carolina governorship as rival slams ‘spoiled brat’


New disclosures of a foul-mouthed tirade by Rep. Nancy Mace in the Charleston airport have roiled the South Carolina governor’s race and ignited angry accusations between the lawmaker and one of her competitors in the Republican primary.

Her rival, state AG Alan Wilson, called Mace a “spoiled brat” who treats cops like “servants,” at a time when the two of them are furiously competing for support from voters – and President Trump.

Mace back in August called herself “Trump in high heels” and acknowledged “I would really like his support for governor.” So far, Trump hasn’t given it – to anybody.

An investigative report by the Charleston Airport Authority quotes police officers and TSA agents who say Rep. Nancy Mace used foul language while trying to get expedited security processing FOIA via Charleston Regional Aviation Authority

Mace this week slammed an internal Charleston Airport Authority investigation that probed her profanity-laced “spectacle” Oct. 30, when Mace chewed out police officers and TSA agents over expedited security for her outbound flight, after a planned VIP escort fell through.

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New details are still coming to light – including an earlier incident in April where Mace allegedly blew up at agents who wouldn’t let her bring a family member through expedited security, according to the investigation report. 

“This is the only airport that gives me s–t,” she complained, according to one of the numerous law enforcement officers interviewed as part of the probe.

The investigative report was obtained by The Post through a public documents request.

One interviewed TSA agent quotes Mace as telling a cop following the botched Oct. 30 escort for her arrival at an airport gate, “I’m sick of your s–t, I’m tired of having to wait.”

Another officer, an explosives tech, described Mace as being “very nasty, very rude.” She said she could hear Mace calling police officers “f–king idiots” and “f–king incompetent” and stating that she was a “f–king representative.”

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“This is the only airport that gives me s–t”, Mace said, according to testimony in the report AP

Yet the airport was “not busy at all” at the time of the incident, the officer said.

A TSA agent said during the interaction Mace “literally was on that phone talking and texting her life away” as well as “saying rude things,” according to the investigative report.

One TSA officer who had been at the airport 23 years told investigators “every VIP or whomever, dignitary, that we’ve been across and had to deal with, we never, never had this problem.”

Mace hired an attorney and threatened weeks ago to sue the airport over the October incident, but has yet to do so.

One officer noted that the airport was not crowded the morning of Oct. 30 when Mace had her meltdown FOIA via Charleston Regional Aviation Authority

The report revealed the April confrontation when agents wouldn’t let Mace bring a family member through expedited security. TSA later let her take family members with her when she got screened.

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“I thought that the way she acted showed a sense of entitlement – [that] she is entitled to special protection, she is entitled to special treatment. When she doesn’t get special treatment, she throws a tantrum. To me that harkens back to a child not getting their way,” Wilson told The Post in an interview.

“These are public servants, not personal servants,” he said of law enforcement at the airport.

State AG Alan Wilson said Mace was behaving like a “spoiled brat,” and is challenging Mace in a fierce race for governor of South Carolina. AP

Mace told CNN in an interview this week the report had been “falsified,” without providing evidence. In response to Wilson’s “brat” comment, she wrote: “Imagine being ‘Attorney General’ and flying 500 miles for the sole purpose of dismissing death threats against a single mom.”

She told The Post she has received numerous credible death threats, and said on Friday a judge denied bond to a man accused of making online threats against her. She said during the April incident TSA had violated its own policy allowing federal officials to bring a guest and separated her from her child.

Mace has been taking her case to the airwaves in a week where she trashed the House Republican leadership in a Washington Post op-ed.

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A consultant to Mace’s campaign, Austin McCubbin, resigned Dec. 1, accusing her of turning her back on MAGA and trying to “hug the political cactus that is the [Sen.] Rand Paul [and Rep.] Thomas Massie wing of the Party.”



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A Stronger Rail Network Is a Win for South Carolina’s Economy – FITSNews

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A Stronger Rail Network Is a Win for South Carolina’s Economy – FITSNews


“The combined rail system would offer the reliability our business community has been asking for…”


by NATHAN BALLENTINE

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For as long as I’ve served in the South Carolina House, I’ve believed that strong infrastructure is the backbone of a strong economy. Whether talking about roads, bridges, broadband, or freight mobility, our ability to efficiently move people and goods determines how competitive our state will be in the decades ahead. South Carolina continues to grow at one of the fastest rates in the country, and with that growth comes a responsibility to ensure our logistics network can meet the demands of modern commerce.

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That is why the proposed merger between Union Pacific (UP) and Norfolk Southern (NS) deserves thoughtful consideration, not just at the national level, but here at home. South Carolina’s economic success is directly tied to reliable freight transportation. From advanced manufacturing in the Upstate, to the distribution and warehousing centers in the Midlands, to the countless businesses that depend on steady supply chains, every region of our state relies on a freight system that works smoothly and predictably.

When freight rail is fragmented across multiple networks, bottlenecks and delays become far more common. Businesses, especially those operating with tight production schedules and narrow delivery windows, feel the impacts immediately. A delayed railcar can throw off inventory planning, disrupt operations, and create ripple effects that stretch across an entire supply chain. These unpredictable slowdowns can be enormously costly for the companies that keep South Carolina’s economy moving.

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The Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger aims to address many of these longstanding challenges. By creating a unified network connecting more than 50,000 miles of track and linking 43 states with over 100 ports nationwide, the combined rail system would offer something our business community has been asking for: reliability. Studies indicate the merger could generate approximately $1 billion in annual cost savings and improve freight-car velocity by around 10 percent. These aren’t abstract figures, they reflect tangible improvements that would strengthen operations for employers, distributors, retailers, and consumers alike.

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“Economic development teams would also have an even stronger pitch when attracting new employers to South Carolina…”

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A more dependable rail network means companies can plan with greater precision, suppliers can manage logistics with fewer surprises, and transportation partners can commit to schedules with increased confidence. Economic development teams would also have an even stronger pitch when attracting new employers to South Carolina: not just a skilled workforce and business-friendly climate, but a transportation network capable of supporting long-term growth.

Improved rail performance also benefits South Carolina’s infrastructure more broadly. Rail is one of the most efficient ways to move goods long distances. Every shipment that travels by rail instead of truck reduces congestion on our highways, lowers fuel costs, and decreases wear and tear on roads that taxpayers ultimately fund. Better rail capacity complements, rather than replaces, our ongoing efforts to invest in roads and bridges across the state. It allows us to stretch transportation dollars further and focus on the improvements most needed in fast-growing communities.

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Another important factor is competitiveness. States across the Southeast are aggressively investing in logistics infrastructure to position themselves as national leaders in manufacturing and distribution. If South Carolina wants to stay ahead, and continue attracting companies that create stable, high-quality jobs, we must support improvements that strengthen the reliability and efficiency of our freight network. The Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger presents an opportunity to do just that.

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RELATED | SOURCES: S.C. LAWMAKERS THREATEN SUPREME COURT

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As someone who has spent nearly two decades advocating for responsible, forward-looking growth in our state, I believe that modernizing our freight system is not just a transportation issue, it is an economic necessity. Ensuring that goods can move quickly, safely, and predictably is fundamental to the success of our businesses and the financial well-being of South Carolina families.

Federal regulators will ultimately determine the path forward, and their review should be thorough and transparent. But from where I sit, the potential benefits to our state are clear. A more integrated, efficient rail system will help South Carolina businesses compete, help consumers by keeping costs lower, and help our state maintain the strong economic momentum we’ve built over the past decade.

A stronger rail network means a stronger South Carolina, and that is a future we should fully support.

***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

Nathan Ballentine (Provided)

Nathan Ballentine represents the citizens of House District 71 in the S.C. General Assembly.

***

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LIVE: SC AG Alan Wilson, state, national leaders hold press conference on statewide drug busts

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LIVE: SC AG Alan Wilson, state, national leaders hold press conference on statewide drug busts


Statehouse Reporter Mary Green will have more on this tonight.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – South Carolina Attorney General and other officials will be holding a press conference Friday at 9:30 a.m. to talk about statewide drug busts.

Wilson is set to be joined by South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel, representatives from the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security, as well as several local sheriffs and other law enforcement partners.

Watch the full press conference in the video above.

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