Dems say 6 GOP candidates not legit

Just got this from the state Democratic Party:

Up to Six Republican Candidates Break Financial Disclosure Law, Ineligible for Ballot
Republican Candidates Hiding Financial Information From Public, Party Bosses Fighting to Cover Track

COLUMBIA- As many as six statewide Republican candidates are ineligible to be on the ballot in both Tuesday’s runoff and the November general election, said South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Carol Fowler on Monday. South Carolina law dictates that candidates maintain financial transparency by filing Statements of Economic Interest by March 30, and grants a grace period of five days.  At the end of that grace period, candidates who have failed to comply with the law are barred from appearing on the primary ballot, or, in the event that they do appear, are barred from certification to appear on the November ballot.

Among the affected Republicans are Lt. Governor candidate Bill Connor, Attorney General candidate Alan Wilson, and incumbent Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom. Republican State Superintendent of Education candidates Elizabeth Moffly and Mick Zais and Adjutant General candidate Bob Livingston also failed to comply with the law within the time allowed.  The law reads very clearly, stating:

[SC ST SEC 8-13-1356]
(E) An officer authorized to receive declarations of candidacy and petitions for nominations under the provisions of Chapter 11 of Title 7 may not accept a declaration of candidacy or petition for nomination unless the declaration or petition is accompanied by a statement of economic interests. If the candidate’s name inadvertently appears on the ballot, the officer authorized to receive declarations of candidacy or petitions for nomination must not certify the candidate subsequent to the election.

[SC Code of Regulations 52-607]
B. A Statement of Economic Interests shall be filed as follows:
(2) A person who has not filed a Statement of Economic Interests in the same calendar year as his declaration for candidacy or petition for nomination shall complete the entire Statement of Economic Interests Form for the preceding calendar year and file the entire Statement with the official with whom the candidate files his declaration of candidacy or petition for nomination.

D. The Commission will review the Candidate’s Roster and Statements of Economic Interests, Information Pages and certify to the election official that the candidates have properly filed in which case the candidates’ names may appear on the election ballot. Any candidate who fails to file a Statement of Economic Interests shall not have his name appear on the election ballot. It is the responsibility of the official receiving the declaration of candidacy or petition for nomination to insure that each candidate has filed.

“The South Carolina Republican Party should never have allowed these individuals to be candidates, much less allowed four of them into runoff elections.  The South Carolina Republican Party doesn’t have the authority to decide who is eligible to appear on the ballot:  the law does.  Every Democratic candidate has been open and honest with the voters of South Carolina, while the Republican Party and their candidates have conducted themselves as though they are above the law,” said Fowler.  “This is just the latest insult to the taxpayers perpetrated by the South Carolina Republican Party; not only do they believe that Mrs. Haley is entitled to hide e-mails she sent on a taxpayer-funded computer and conceal thousands of dollars in income from a company with business before the state legislature, but they are actively covering up the failure of their candidates to comply with the law.  After eight years of failed policies from Mark Sanford, it’s time for new leadership and real transparency in South Carolina.”

Background
http://www.scdp.org//public/files/docs/background_chart.pdf

Paid for by the South Carolina Democratic Party – 1.800.841.1817 or www.scdp.org –
and not authorized by any federal candidate or candidate’s committee.

2 thoughts on “Dems say 6 GOP candidates not legit”

  2. Jay W. Ragley

    As a member of the Commission on Higher Education, Mick Zais filed his annual Statement of Economic Interests in February 2010, well before the deadline. He submitted this copy to the SCGOP when he filed for office on March 16. We were told after filing closed that the State Ethics Commission wanted an electronic version, even though they already had a paper copy.

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