Your SC politics briefing

Welcome to your weekly South Carolina politics briefing, a newsletter curated by The State’s politics and government team.

The state’s six-week abortion law is on hold — again.

The state Supreme Court on Wednesday temporarily blocked the six-week abortion ban as it reviews a lawsuit filed by Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, Greenville Women’s Clinic and two physicians.

“At this preliminary stage, we are unable to determine with finality of the (six-week abortion) Act under our state’s constitutional prohibition against unreasonable invasions of privacy,” the justices wrote.

Proponents of the law said they will continue to defend it and are confident the six-week ban will be upheld.

“While we are disappointed, it’s important to point out this is a temporary injunction. The court didn’t rule on the constitutionality of the Fetal Heartbeat law. We will continue to defend the law,” Attorney General Alan Wilson said.

This all happened as the House Judiciary pushed forward with a bill that bans all abortions except to protect the life and health of the mother. Even though the GOP controlled committee passed the legislation, five Republicans on the panel didn’t vote.

“I won’t vote for anything that doesn’t ensure that rape and incest exceptions are available to minors,” Rep. Micah Caskey, a Lexington Republican. “That’s a starting point for me.”

When the House meets, expect some lengthy floor debate on which exceptions will ultimately end up in the bill.

Read more: McMaster throws cold water on controversial Senate bill to ban abortion information in SC

Labor Party off the 2022 ballot

A Richland County judge ruled Labor Party candidates for governor, lieutenant governor and the 1st Congressional District won’t be allowed on the November ballot.

The South Carolina Democratic Party sued to have the Labor Party candidates kicked off arguing the third party did not hold its nominating convention by a May 15 deadline to make the ballot.

“This issue is narrow. It has to do with deadlines prescribed by statute, specifically the May 15 deadline to hold a nominating convention if that is what a party chooses to do,” said Chris Kenney, an attorney for the South Carolina Democratic Party, who works in state Sen. Dick Harpootlian’s Columbia law firm.

Labor Party officials and candidates said the Democratic Party shouldn’t even be involved in Labor Party business.

“The S.C. Democratic Party has interfered in the affairs of the S.C. Labor Party. They waited until the last minute to file this lawsuit to deny my constitutional right to be on the ballot,” said Labor Party gubernatorial nominee Gary Votour, who plans to appeal.

Job interviews for veterans

Gov. Henry McMaster agreed to have South Carolina state agencies participate in the U.S. Army’s Partnership for Your Success program.

The partnership creates a formal pathway for veterans to come work for the state of South Carolina. Veterans are guaranteed an interview for a job at PAYS partners if they qualify for the opening.

“There’ll be employers who already who have committed to providing those interviews and I’m hoping by the time we really get rolling there’ll be thousands of those employers who want continue to have those people in their businesses,” McMaster said after Wednesday’s ceremonial agreement signing.

Buzz Bites

▪ A federal judge ruled Sen. Lindsey Graham will have to testify in front of a Georgia grand jury investigating possible criminal interference in the state’s 2020 election. Graham plans to appeal the decision.

▪ US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona during a visit to SC State University touted how COVID relief went to HBCUs and helped keep colleges and universities open amid the pandemic.

▪ Gov. McMaster named former state Superintendent Barbara S. Nielsen, Abbeville School Board Member

Tim Rhodes and Edgefield County School District Superintendent Kevin O’Gorman to the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Task Force.

▪ All of the Republican members of South Carolina’s congressional delegation voted against the Inflation Reduction Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law on Tuesday.

▪ Former SC GOP Congressman Mick Mulvaney, who served as acting White House chief of staff, hopes Donald Trump doesn’t win the 2024 GOP nomination for president.

Mark your calendar

Aug. 22

Mike Pompeo to headline Rep. Jeff Duncan’s Faith and Freedom BBQ in Anderson

Joe Cunningham and Tally Casey hold a rally in Charleston

Aug. 25

Joe Cunningham and Tally Casey hold a rally in Columbia

Aug. 30

SC House returns for session to debate abortion legislation

Week after Labor Day

SC Senate returns for session to debate abortion legislation

Oct. 24

Early voting for SC’s general election starts

Nov. 8

SC general election

Before we adjourn

South Carolina’s final budget figures are in and the books are closed for the year that ended July 1. The results were very good.

The state finished with a $5.4 billion surplus in the last fiscal year, with legislators spending about $4.3 billion of that cash in the nearly $14 billion budget.

The state’s top accountant and chief fiscal watchdog, Richard Eckstrom, criticized the Legislature for spending the money on earmarks, also called pet projects, and agency wish list items, while ignoring the state’s $24.5 billion pension debt — a complaint that Eckstrom makes nearly every year.

“For many elected officials, paying down debt is not nearly as gratifying as spending money on citizens and community projects back home,” Eckstrom said.

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