We have this development today:
Haley cleared of illegal lobbying by House panel
In a five to one vote, a House panel cleared Gov. Nikki Haley on Wednesday of charges that she illegally lobbied while a House member.
The six members of the House Ethics Committee have been meeting behind closed doors for more than a month, looking into a complaint that Haley lobbied on behalf of two employers, Wilbur Smith, a Midlands engineering firm that has done state work, and the Lexington Medical Center Foundation.
“We found no evidence that she lobbied,” said Rep. Roland Smith, R-Aiken and chairman of the committee…
Which leaves us wondering: OK, so… what DID she do for the money? With the hospital, we are given to believe not much, at least not enough for the hospital to continue the relationship. And we’ve never been offered a clue on the Wilbur Smith thing, beyond “really nothing.”
The hospital was paying her six figures, and Wilbur Smith paid her $42,500.
For what?
And… does the governor have a former employer anywhere that will say it was happy it hired her, and got its money’s worth? Probably. Just not, apparently, either of these.
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Just goes to show you that the legislature is as corrupt as she is. I don’t know how anyone can have any faith in the SC government these days.
I liked Corey Hutchins’ take in The Free Times
Gov. Nikki Haley’s Defense to Ethics Panel: Shut up or I’ll Throw You All Under the Bus
Free Times: This Just In
http://www.free-times.com
Free Times – Columbia’s Free Alternative Weekly
Here’s what John Rainey had to say about today’s ruling:
“After having an opportunity to review the House Ethics Committee file, my reaction is as follows:
Today’s dismissal by the House Ethics Committee demonstrates that our public institutions are truly broken. After meeting in secret, the Committee only held a “public” session long enough to dismiss this complaint on a party-line vote. It defies all reason or sense of justice that just moments before the Committee dismissed the case it voted unanimously that probable cause existed to investigate. In light of such tortured logic, this can only be explained as a political decision to paper over the culture of corruption infecting our public institutions.
This process was devoid of any due process. The public was not notified that the Committee would be meeting to consider this matter today—a violation of our state’s open meetings laws. I was not told that Governor Haley had submitted a response to my complaint or given an opportunity to respond. In her defense, Haley argues:
Indeed, Governor Haley’s business activities and conduct are commonplace in the Legislature and were always consistent with the law. To find otherwise would not only impugn the integrity of many other members of the General Assembly, but also that of many of South Carolina’s best corporate partners: BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, Michelin, AT&T, Time Warner Cable, and several others.
This shocking admission seems to indicate Haley’s belief that the only thing she has done wrong is having been caught. Fortunately for her, the Committee failed to make any effort to investigate this matter—a fact that the Chairman has already conceded to members of the press.”
Since it was completely obvious that the House (or the Senate, for that matter) would never call what she did as a member illegal, we should likewise feel free to call it corrupt and unethical.
The Fourth Estate would have, in a situation such as this, report the names of the committee members – although, of course, the result would never be much different whoever was on the committee. Still, it’s those small steps that are the only way to begin to bring any pressure to those who have totally insulated themselves at the trough.
“Does the govenor have a former employer anywhere that will say it was happy about hiring her…?”
Is her current employer happy about hiring her? I think not.
Like Kathryn, I’m with Hutchins on this. It was the threat of identifying others with similar deals that protected her. Hutchins is doing some very solid reporting on state government.
Brad, perhaps a better point than the latest of Dick Harpootlian’s red herrings, is what generated your abiding animus for Nikki (what loathsome acts has she ever committed against Mother nature, the laws of SC, or humankind in general that generated such biased hatred for her? Or, truth be told, might the real source of yours and KF’s hitherto undisclosed distrust (as long as I have been reading this blog) simply be the innocent fact that Nikki is not a lawyer like Vinny Sheheen?
I recall when the “major” ethics rules were passed after Lost Trust. Lots of rules for state employees; lots of exemptions for lawmakers. Bob Sheheen couldn’t get the No Cup of Coffee rule through.
Fits News had a pretty good take it also. I just don’t know what to say. It is simply not plausible to say she didn’t lobby. Oh well, it’s another great day in South Carolina.
Oh happy day. South Carolina is featured in Wonkette again! Their concluding sentence is “You are wonderful, South Carolina.” Yes, Wonkette, yes we are.
“lobby””transparent” –you all are obviously using some Mainstream Liberal Dictionary…
SC Governot Nikki Haley is Dukes of Hazzard County “Boss Hogg”! She has a propensity of always wearing white like Boss Hogg. Now, all she needs to do is to find law enforcement that is as corrupt as Roscoe P Coltrane. I think she’s found her boy.
I always figured Jake Knotts for “Boss Hogg.” Where are those Duke Boys when we need ’em, and more imporantly, where is Daisy?
Here she is: https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRV8aTLe2fsE6kAjoI3QBeWiZ1vKD87PqF34isl9sEi3wvvF0-Z
stunning, as always.