Ethics Committee Hearing Testimony In Haley Case
The committee is looking into allegations that Gov. Nikki Haley illegally lobbied for her employers while she was a representative in the House.
The House Ethics Committee heard testimony from one witness Thursday morning in regards to allegations the Gov. Nikki Haley violated ethics laws during her time as a representative in the House.
The committee - made up of five Republicans and one Democrat - heard from Robert Ferrell, a Vice President of CDM Smith, formerly known as Wilbur Smith. Ferrell told the House lawyer that Haley did consulting work for the company but never lobbied for the company.
Haley has been accused of lobbying illegally for Wilbur Smith Associates and Lexington Medical Center while she served in the House. Haley earned $110,000 annually as a fundraiser for the hospital, and earned $42,500 for her work as a consultant for Wilbur Smith.
During the opening statements, Haley's attorney Butch Bowers told the ethics committee that "allegations are not facts."
"Just because someone says it with conviction, doesn't make it true," Bowers said.
The committee took a recess around 11 a.m. for a vote on the state budget. When the committee reconvenes, Bowers will question Ferrell.
Michael Kuhne
12:49 pm on Thursday, June 28, 2012
You can see how the Democrats are going after every republican they can, intending to get them out of every office and run this country on a oe-prty system, with them as the party. This reminds me of the nazi party in Germany, or the communist pparty in the USSR. If the democrats have their way, we will soon see a democratic socialist states of america,, annd republicans will be outlawed. Sad sad, sad
Jonathan Allen
4:00 pm on Thursday, June 28, 2012
Michael, while I'm sure that South Carolina Democrats are thrilled by the attention the S.C. House Ethics Committee is paying Gov. Haley, they have not been leading this fight. John Rainey, who has been a prominent Republican fundraiser for years, is the person who filed a lawsuit over this and essentially forced the Ethics Committee to investigate after it had already voted to clear Haley. (http://westashley.patch.com/articles/governor-haley-sued-over-purported-ethics-violations)
Michael Kuhne
12:59 pm on Thursday, June 28, 2012
To the democratic socialists of america, You just cannot stop going after republicans can you? Determined to turn this REPUBLIC into a socialist state,,, aren''t you? The nazis did that to Germany in 1930 and the communists did it to the USSR in 1920, and you see what it got them.
JimW
4:38 pm on Thursday, June 28, 2012
@Michael
Wow ... I think the repeated investigations into this matter have been a bit ridiculous but ... Wow …
I'm use to seeing angry liberals post wild comments but this is kind of a first. Let me just say that I don’t think we have to worry about having a one party system anytime soon.