Your SC politics briefing
Welcome to your weekly South Carolina politics briefing, a newsletter curated by The State’s politics and government team.
South Carolina House members are trying to figure out what to do after the Senate essentially passed the heartbeat bill again, banning abortion after six weeks, just with tighter 12-week exceptions for rape and incest. (The heartbeat bill had 20-week exceptions for rape and incest)
House Republicans were split on whether to have exceptions outside of life of the mother, and now they’re faced with a version of the bill members already don’t like.
Greenwood County state Rep. John McCravy, who chairs the conservative Family Caucus, said he can’t agree to support the Senate version of the legislation.
“We were not called back to pass a bill we already have — we were called to rewrite the laws of our state after the (U.S. Supreme Court’s) Dobbs decision,” he told the Associated Press.
The House is coming back Sept. 27 to debate the changes made by the Senate and House Speaker Murrell Smith told reporters that “all options are on the table.”
“I was disappointed with the bill,” he said. “Obviously, the House is vastly differently from their position, but that’s the legislative process.”
Abortion restrictions out of Washington?
After Democrats failed in May to pass a bill that would have stopped most restrictions on abortions around the country, South Carolina U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham wants a federal ban on abortions after 15 weeks. He’d previously called for a 20-week ban.
He’d also said previously that each state should decide whether abortion is legal within its borders.
But Graham’s timing in introducing the legislation is curious. Restricting abortion is potentially motivating Democratic voters upset with the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Republicans have wanted to focus the midterm elections on the economy and inflation.
In May, before a fundraiser for the Carolina Pregnancy Center in Spartanburg, Graham said he didn’t think voters would worry about abortion access when they’re trying to pay for groceries and gas amid high inflation.
“The border is completely broken. Our streets are being lost to criminals,” Graham said. “Inflation is through the roof when it comes to buying food. I think the economic issues and security issues will determine the outcome of this election.”
So why introduce a 15-week ban now?
“After they (Democrats) introduced a bill to define who they are, I thought it would be nice to introduce a bill to define who we are,” Graham told reporters in Washington.
Cunningham’s day at the race
Joe Cunningham, the Democratic nominee for governor, spent an afternoon at the Darlington Speedway courting voters who more than likely would trend Republican.
“You have to have crossover support in order to be successful. We’re not letting our foot off the pedal either,” Cunningham said. “We’re not taking any vote for granted. The fact that I’m here (at Darlington Raceway) right now is a testament and sends a message that we’re working our a-- off to earn every single vote.”
The State newspaper followed Cunningham as he spoke to race attendees and handed out business cards. In an exclusive interview, Cunningham discussed how he would deal with federal legislation and his platform, which calls for legalizing marijuana, sports betting and eliminating the state income tax, among other things.
“I don’t want to call it a Democrat, Republican or Libertarian (platform). I couldn’t think of a better name than ‘freedom agenda,’” Cunningham said. “I think that kind of hits the nail on the head. I guess no Democratic candidates in the past has run on something like this.”
New poll: An online Echelon Insights poll of 600 South Carolinians has Gov. Henry McMaster leading Cunningham by 6 points. The polling company has a B/C rating from FiveThirtyEight.
McMaster releases tax returns
McMaster and First Lady, Peggy McMaster, earned more than $2.5 million from 2015 through 2020, according to tax returns examined by the news media.
The governor’s office allowed news media to review the returns, which gives insight into how the couple earns their income.
In addition to McMaster’s salary for being governor, the couples receives the lion’s share of their income from rental properties they own in Columbia. That income has steadily declined since McMaster became governor.
The couple paid more than $647,000 in state and federal taxes during the six-year period.
But they are also generous donating more than $150,000 to charity from 2015 through 2020.
Read more: It’s a race for SC governor, but national politics infiltrate Cunningham, McMaster contest
Buzz Bites
▪ House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn hit the campaign trail in Southern Illinois for Democrat Nikki Budzinski, who is running in the state’s 13th Congressional District.
▪ No action has been taken for 15 months on a pending state grand jury indictment against Richard Quinn, the alleged mastermind of a web of underground influence peddling that thrived for years in the the S.C. General Assembly.
▪ Certain judges can no longer hear court cases in which companies seek to purchase structured settlements from accident victims, S.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Donald Beatty has ordered. The order comes in response to a McClatchy investigation that found masters-in-equity and special referees are routinely approving questionable deals that strip vulnerable South Carolinians of their long-term financial futures.
▪ The S.C. Supreme Court ruled a citizen can challenge State Attorney General Alan Wilson’s award of a $75 million legal fee paid to two Columbia law firms that worked on the Savannah River Site settlement. John Crangle, a Columbia lawyer who writes extensively on governmental ethics issues, contends the $75 million fee is unreasonable and unconstitutional.
▪ Leadership in the Horry County Republican Party will step down at the end of the month because of a rift with state GOP leadership.
▪ Speaker Smith announced a new House Ad-Hoc Committee: the State Economic Development and Utility Modernization Committee. It will be chaired by state Rep. Jay West, R-Anderson, and look at utility modernization, workforce development and infrastructure investment needed to attract industry.
▪ House Judiciary Chairman Chris Murphy announced he’s receiving treatment for alcohol abuse.
Mark your calendar
Sept. 27
S.C. House returns to Columbia
Oct. 24
Early voting for SC’s general election starts
Oct. 26
Televised SC governor’s race debate, 7 p.m. on ETV
Nov. 8
Election Day
Before we adjourn
The fallout over an alleged racial slur at a volleyball match in Utah in August continued to spill over into the South Carolina State House more than 2,000 miles away.
State Sen. Gerald Malloy, D-Darlington, pushed back against efforts by the South Carolina Freedom Caucus, a 14-member group of conservative House members, to investigate University of South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley’s decision to cancel a home-and-home series with BYU over a racial slur allegedly shouted at a volleyball match against Duke. (The alleged slur was never corroborated).
Malloy called the Freedom Caucus inquiry “ill-informed, intrusive and unnecessary.”
“The clear assumption is that Coach Staley responded to race-based hate inappropriately and now these individuals seek a sound bite opportunity to bolster their profile in a secondary media market where their coded language will be interpreted as they wish,” Malloy wrote.
The Freedom Caucus responded quickly to Malloy saying any attempts to have a discussion were a waste of time.
“We understand your attempts to deflect by repeating this false narrative, but until you acknowledge the basic truths surrounding this incident, engaging in dialogue with you would be an exercise in futility,” the Freedom Caucus wrote to Malloy.
The Legislative Black Caucus also wrote to the Freedom Caucus saying it wouldn’t condone any attempted bullying of Staley.
“Coach Staley’s only agenda and responsibility are to protect her players, staff and family, friends of the team and the university,” Black caucus Chairwoman Rep. Patricia Henegan and Chairman-elect Rep. Ivory Thigpen wrote. “She is doing a hall-of-fame-worthy job in this capacity.”
Who pulled together this newsletter?
This week it was Joseph Bustos, reporter on the The State’s politics and state government team. You can keep up with him and send him tips on Twitter at @JoeBReporter or by email jbustos@thestate.com. To stay on top of South Carolina politics and election news, you can chat with us on Facebook, email us tips and follow our stories at scpolitics.com.
