February 10, 2012

You are here: Home / 2009 / November / Archives for 25th

Sanford adds another attorney to team, at taxpayer expense

November 25, 2009 By

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford says that he is being held to different standards that previous state officials when it comes to impeachment. The governors office has hired, at taxpayer expense, a new member of the governor’s legal team who has expertise in dealing with impeachment. Ross Garber is officially the attorney for the Office of the Governor, working to represent the institution of governor. He works at $150 an hour in addition to the existing attorneys in the governor’s office.

Garber says that the South Carolina Constitution’s standard for impeachment is higher than lawmakers are contending in their efforts to impeach Sanford. He says, in a statement released the day of the first impeachment meeting:

Garber, in a statement released that same day said:

“The Legislature today began an extraordinary and extremely rare process. Only eight governors have been impeached and removed from office in the history of the United States, and only two in the last 80 years * both of whom were indicted on felony charges. The Ad Hoc Committee must decide whether there is clear and convincing evidence that the Governor committed a serious crime or serious misconduct in office that has corrupted the system of government in South Carolina. This standard is intentionally high.

 ”The Governor’s temporary absence from the state in June does not meet this high standard. As was pointed out in the hearing this afternoon, the state Constitution ensures that the chain of command in state government is not threatened because the Lt. Governor is automatically transferred command in the event of an emergency during the governor’s temporary absence.”

Impeachment bill sponsor Rep. Greg Delleney (L), panel Chair Rep. Jim Harrison

Committee member Greg Delleney co-sponsored the impeachment resolution. He disagrees, saying Sanford’s behavior when he disappeared to Argentina for about 6 days unannounced and unaccounted for was “serious misconduct.”

“The Constitution does not contemplate a missing governor without notice, an AWOL governor. In addition, the governor directed members of his staff in manner that caused them to deceive and mislead the public officials of the state of South Carolina as well as the public of South Carolina, as to his whereabouts,” stated Delleney in the first meeting of the impeachment committee.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, Legislature, News, Politics & Government

Clyburn attends state dinner, Sec. Chu coming to SC

November 25, 2009 By

President Obama opened his first state dinner in the White House on Tuesday with a toast for India’s prime minister. The dinner was held in the prime minister’s honor. Numerous media outlets report that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh returned the praise.

The 338-person guest list included faces from Washington and Hollywood as well as prominent figures from the Indian community in the U.S. Also included were the president’s campaign donors and friends.

House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn of South Carolina was there.   Clyburn says he enjoyed talking with U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, who just announced a large grant for Clemson University for the testing and development of next-generation wind turbines. A facility at the North Charleston Navy base is expected to create hundreds of jobs, and eventually lead to industries in South Carolina which may create up to 20,000 jobs.

But the evening wasn’t without its tense moments. Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania demonstrated inexplicable timing when the cummerbun he was wearing dropped off onto the floor just as he and his wife arrived–while he was greeting approximately 40 reporters and photographers.

 

Secretary Chu will join Clyburn as well as Senator Lindsey Graham, Governor Mark Sanford, Representaive Gresham Barrett, Rpresentative Joe Wilson and others at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina Monday(10am) for the groundbreaking of a biomass generation project.  He’ll also take a tour of the G.E. facility in Greenville(12:30 pm) and Clemson’s ICAR facility(3 pm), at Campbell Graduate Engineering Center.

Filed Under: Agriculture, Business, News

Survivor of domestic violence warns of dangers

November 25, 2009 By

South Carolina is near the top of the list nationally for deaths due to domestic violence. Law enforcement officials warn that domestic conflicts often increase around the holidays when family reunions bring up old tensions, and the level of alcohol consumption may increase at the same time.

Most domestic violence victims are women. But no one knows better about domestic violence than Dave Wells. In 2007 he separated from his girlfriend, who Wells described as extremely controlling and angry. Later she returned to South Carolina from Brooklyn, New York, and shot him five times at point blank range with a .357 pistol. The woman then turned the gun on herself and took her own life. Wells was hospitalized for 40 days.

Dave Wells, showing one of the five bullets that almost killed him, one of many scars visable on his chest

Wells says spouses or partners in relationships need to take a warning from repeated verbal attacts.  “Life and death are in the power of the tongue,” said Wells.  “We see it everyday.  How you respond to angry people is our choice.  If a person says they’re angry and they hate you, and they want to kill you, they may follow through.  If you can speak it, it can happen.  You can’t take it lightly.  Life is too precious.” 

There are 23 programs in South Carolina which offer help to victims of domestic violence or sexual assault.  They’re coordinated by the Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Asault.  Wells says groups like Sister Care are there to help, as well as local law enforcement.

“You can’t be afraid to talk to authorities if there’s a threat on your life,” said Wells.  “Document it.  And I’m not talking about everytime someone gets angry and you get into a squabble you should try to have them thrown in jail.  But if someone is really threatening you, it’s serious emotion.” 

Wells was honored during this fall’s Silent Witness Ceremony at the statehouse, which recognizes those killed due to domestic violence during the previous year.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, Human Interest, News

Charleston aims to end childhood hunger

November 25, 2009 By

A recent report shows almost 15 percent of American households are struggling to put food on the tables, and the economy sure doesn’t help. As numbers continue to rise, President Obama has a goal to end childhood hunger by 2015. With this, mayors from 24 different cities around the nation are participating in initiatives to attack childhood hunger. Charleston Mayor Joe Riley was selected to join in the “Childhood Anti-Hunger Program in 24 Cities” program.

“12.5 million children in our country do not know where their next full meal will come from, or if they will have one. So, what we have done here in the Lowcountry, in Charleston and adjacent communities, working very closely with organizations to try to successfully combat that. So, the city submitted its best practices what is going on here in the Charleston area and so we were selected as one of the 24 with initiatives,” says Riley. [Read more...]

Filed Under: News, Politics & Government

Abducted child returns to family, arrest made

November 25, 2009 By

Mother and 1-month-old Angel Miguel PerezA North Charleston family now has some relief after their infant child was returned to them Tuesday night after being abducted on Monday. North Charleston Police spokesman Spencer Pryor explains what happened on Monday when 1-month-old Angel Miguel Perez was abducted at a North Charleston Post Office: “Ms. Walker, the suspect, visually observed the victim and her child. From that point is appears that Walker began following the victim, and we know that when the victim arrived at the post office, the suspect saw the opportunity where the victim exiting the vehicle without her child,” says Pryor.

It was then when 19-year-old Andrea Samone Walker of Goose Creek took the child out of the carseat and fled the scene.

Tuesday night the North Charleston Police Department received calls with the exact description of Walker. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Accidents & Disasters, Crime & Courts, News
« Older Posts