South Carolina Corruption Probe Concerns Delay Confirmation of Governor's Nominees to Ports Authority Board
Lawmakers’ concerns over an ongoing State House corruption investigation March 22 slowed the confirmation process for two of Gov. Henry McMaster’s nominations to the board that oversees the South Carolina Ports Authority.
A panel of S.C. lawmakers tasked with vetting the nominations March 22 delayed a vote on both candidates — Kenneth Jackson, a senior vice president at Cayce-based SCANA utility, and William Jones, a Bluffton attorney and University of South Carolina trustee.
The committee’s chairman said the group needs more time to investigate both nominees’ relationships — or lack thereof —with Richard Quinn & Associates, an influential political consulting firm that was implicated last week in an indictment of a GOP state Senator.
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“If there were not an investigation ongoing that has now caused two members of the General Assembly to be suspended, had their not been subpoenas issued to the State Ports Authority and other questions raised, they probably would have moved forward today,” state Sen. Larry Groom, (R-Berkeley) said. “But we want to make sure that we thoroughly check their testimony with the record. ... We’re going to do a little more homework. We want to be absolutely certain on everything.”
The vetting panel’s delay March 22 underscores an unease that has enveloped the State House because of special prosecutor David Pascoe’s ongoing probe.
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Those anxieties have escalated since the March 16 indictment of state Sen. John Courson, (R-Richland), who is accused of converting his campaign funds to personal use through Richard Quinn & Associates, a Columbia-based firm that consults for some of the state’s most powerful Republicans, including McMaster.
Lawmakers March 22 asked both of McMaster’s nominees about their ties — some tangential — to RQA.
Both said they did not believe RQA played a role in their nominations.
Jackson said SCANA has an ongoing contract with RQA but said he played no role in hiring the firm. Jackson said RQA conducts surveys for SCANA but has not advised him personally.
Jones was asked about his law partner’s relationship with RQA. Weston Newton reportedly spent $2,350 with the firm in 2012 for consulting. “We’re different folks,” Jones said.
Jackson said the governor asked him four to six weeks ago to serve on the board, while Jones said he had expressed interest in a board position back when McMaster still was lieutenant governor.
The pair would replace two board members appointed by former S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley, current Chaimanr Pat McKinney and board Treasurer Mike Sisk.
McKinney, a political rival of McMaster’s who in 2014 unsuccessfully ran against him for lieutenant governor, last year raised questions about the agency’s $369,000 in contracts with the Quinn firm between 2012 and 2015, according to The (Charleston) Post and Courier.
Pascoe’s ongoing probe now is looking at the agency’s relationship with RQA.
